As the seasons roll around, thoughts inevitably turn towards the ways in which we can protect ourselves and our homes from the elements. For those of us who live in areas that find themselves subject to seasonal flooding, this job can prove more troublesome than average. Making some changes to your home can help greatly reduce the risk that flooding poses to your home, helping you to enjoy peace of mind should the weather take a turn for the worst.
Whilst buildings and home insurance will help cover the cost of returning your home to the state it was prior to the flood, with a few changes made to your property, the time, effort and money needed to do this will inevitably be reduced. Alterations such as installing ceramic tiles and using rugs on the floor downstairs rather than fitted carpets, and ensuring that electrical sockets are positioned at least a metre and a half from the floor can help you deal with the effects of a flood. Whilst they don't necessarily protect your home, they can limit the hardships you will face following the flood.
In the kitchen, using free standing units that can be moved around the room should it be necessary is a great idea, as it can help to keep these out of harms' way, and also allows the walls to be reached without a barrier. Investing in solid wood or metal units will also mean that they will not necessarily need to be replaced should the kitchen flood. This will not be the case should your kitchen have units constructed from chipboard, which will swell if it is affected by flood waters.
In terms of actually defending the home from flood waters, there are a range of steps that can be taken. Firstly, it is important to assess the home, and find out exactly where the danger zones are likely to be. The best places to look to begin with are the doors, as well as any air bricks, gaps around pipes, and the garage door. Another area you might need to think about is your toilet, to prevent the back-flow of flood and foul waste water you may need to 'Plug' your downstairs toilet. The Floodtite Toilet "Panseal" could save you a lot of trouble it securely creates a seal around the toilet pan rim. It is fitted in seconds and requires nothing more than a few squeezes from a simple air pump (eg a normal bicycle pump).
A flood plan should try to divert the way in which water flows towards your home, so the use of temporary flood barriers or sandbags is a vital early defence. If you live in an area with a high risk of flooding, it is certainly wise to ensure that these sorts of items are stored somewhere easily accessible in your house in preparation. If you wait until weather warnings are issued, many suppliers could have sold out, leaving you without. Also, having them stored somewhere that is easily accessed helps them to be found swiftly should an unexpected deluge occur.
There are a wide range of products available to help with both the prevention of flood waters entering the property, and the clean up if the worst does happen. Items such as the Hydrosnake which helps to absorb water, and door barriers which provide a fast seal around the doors of a property to limit the damage that water can do are handy to have if your home is at risk.
