5 Tips To Protect Your Home From Flooding
As we all know the United Kingdom is very well known for its rainy days, which is why it is extremely important to make sure that your home is protected against future potential flooding. Did you know that more than 5 and a ½ million properties in England and Wales are said to be at risk from flooding, which could include yourself.
1. Sign Up To The Environmental Agency’s Flood Warning System
One of the easiest ways to discover if there is an active flood warning in your hometown is to sign up to the Environmental Agency’s Flood Warning System. The Environmental Agency manages the potential risk of flooding from the ocean, reservoirs, main rivers and estuaries as well as this they also offer online flood warning services which are up to date and accessible from anywhere. All you have to do is visit their website and sign up for flood warnings. The website is refreshed with new information every 15 during peak times.
2. Assess Your Home And Identify weakness’
It is important that you thoroughly inspect your home for potential weak spots and then prioritise which maintenance tasks are the most important to your home’s safety. Identify any leaks or cracks that need to be fixed, check that all of your windows and doors are sealed properly and all of your gutters are cleaned out. You may want to consider getting your roof inspected to identify weak spots and leaks, that you may not have otherwise discovered.
3. Move Valuable Belongings
If you live on the ground floor of an apartment block, single story house or bungalow, you should consider moving your valuables higher up in the home. If you do have multiple stories, you should move all of your valuables to a higher floor, these valuables may include photographs, artwork and electrical equipment. Putting your items higher up will protect your belongings from severe flooding.
4. Electrical Equipment
Flood water can damage every single one of your electrical equipment which is why it is so important that they are at least a foot above the expected flood level in your town. You should make sure that all of this equipment including heating, ventilation and air conditioning is installed at a safe level. It is important that you pay attention to domestic appliances too such as washers, dryers and freezers if these are are located in your basement to disconnect these immediately.
5. Create An Emergency Flood Plan
It is essential to be prepared for a flood and establish a set of emergency actions that need to happen. You should assign certain tasks to individual people and also include instructions on how and where to set up resistance. Your plan should also include parts of the home where special attention is needed and what to do if plan A fails. Children should be well informed about safe places to go if they are away from home during flooding. You should also keep handy a wind-up radio, a wind-up torch, rubber gloves and emergency foil blankets.
Which parts of my property are weak points?
There are a number of routes in which floodwater can enter your home, as well as your doors and patios, water can find it’s way in through air bricks on exposed walls or even through gaps in the floor. Water can also make its way into the home through blocked drains, pipes and even sinks, toilets and washing machines. These would be the first places to check for potential issues.
Quick Tips:
- Point your downspouts away from your home.
- Raise your home on stilts.
- Apply coatings & sealants.
- Raise your electricals.
- Grade your garden away from your home.
- Turn off the water line if this could be the cause of the flooding.
Biocraft South West
Biocraft South West has years of experience in the floor repair sector. As flood repair and property drying specialists, our team can ensure that your property is restored quickly and efficiently. We handle all stages of the flood restoration process making it as easy for you as we possibly can. If you would like more information on our flood repair and restoration services please contact us today on 01793 272 085.