What to do in the event of a flood
July 25, 2012
It has been hard to miss the images of flood-hit regions in the UK in the past few weeks. Watching home owners removing sodden belongings from their homes has been heart wrenching. The daily news reports from areas across the country have highlighted how unexpected the sudden rush of water has been. Flood victims lost everything and had their lives changed overnight. Millions of people are wondering how they can prevent their homes and possessions from meeting the same fate.
Check Your Home Insurance Cover
Checking your home insurance policy is a first important step. Reading the small print is vital to ensure that you will be adequately compensated in the event of flooding in your property. Finding suitable cover is simple, with many people using MoneySupermarket.com to find appropriate policies.
The Risk of Flooding
Being properly insured is half the battle, but it is also important to be prepared. Assess the risk of your home becoming flooded by checking on the Environment Agency website for regional flood zones. This will tell you if your home might be in danger.
Plan for the Worst
Should the worst happen, finding your home completely devastated will be an extremely emotional and stressful time. You can, however, prepare for flooding before anything happens by making a flood plan.
A written plan should give you the details you need in an emergency, such as contact numbers for your insurance company and the utility companies. You should also make a note of how to turn off the electricity, gas and water supplies.
Itemise all the belongings and equipment that should be moved to a safe place in the event of a flood warning. Photographs and important documents can be stored in plastic wallets or covers to protect them from water damage. Better still, keep them in a safe place at all times, well out of reach of any potential flood waters.
Electrical items will need to be moved, so note down where you will put them as well. Also think about your cars or other vehicles and find a parking place for them on ground high enough to escape a flood.
Take Protective Measures
The Environment Agency advises that households have a flood kit to hand for emergencies. This should include food, water, torches and any medications that you need. Your flood kit should be put together now and stored in a place that is easily accessible.
It is possible to delay and reduce the entry of flood waters to the home by fitting flood gates to doorways and placing sandbags around these for extra protection. These measures may not totally prevent water entry, but can certainly delay and reduce the amount of water that gets into the property.
Fitting non-return valves to the drainage system of your property will prevent the flow of sewage and flood water into your home through the drains and seepage through ventilation bricks can be prevented by using clip-on plastic covers.
Sealing your interior floors can also prevent water penetration and reduce the amount of damage during a flood. These measures are costly but will prove worthwhile in the event of a flood.
Think about mounting your TV on wall brackets and fit shelving to store personal and valuable items well out of the reach of any flood water.
Making advance preparations for a flood will make life a great deal easier in the event of an emergency and will allow you to get back to normal much sooner afterwards.
To find a company who may assist you further, simply click on the free links located on the right hand side of the page.
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