Long term preparation can help protect your home and possessions against flooding.
- Boarding your loft gives you more space to move possessions above the flood water levels. This is especially useful if you live in a bungalow.
- You can buy portable flood barrier products, which can be fitted for the duration of the flood risk period. Details of the products available can be found in the National Flood Forum blue pages.
- Check that there are no cracks around the sealants on window and door frames.
- Keep an eye open for any gaps on the brickwork and cracks around the windows, doors and piping.
- Make sure your gutters are cleaned out regularly and do not deposit oil, building materials etc. down gullies.
- If you are adding an extension or other building work make sure that you or your builder consult building and planning regulations for advice on flood prevention measures.
- New electrical sockets should be installed as high as possible above anticipated water levels, and it is advisable to put new boilers and/or other heating units on the first floor.
- Keep any watercourses, such as ditches or culverts, which run across or border your garden, free from blockages and check for bank erosion. Never be tempted to fill them in, to create an extra patch of garden.
- Keeping gullies clear is critical to making sure water can drain away.
- Gullies on a public highway will be cleaned by the council. We will also clear those serving council tenants homes, as part of our regular gully cleaning programme.
- If you own your home or rent from a private landlord, the home owner is responsible for keeping these gullies clean - including drains on unadopted roads.
Sandbags
Here is a link to a useful document on the effective use of sandbags when at risk of flooding
A useful guide to flood resilience from FloodRe
Know your flood risk YouTube presentation from FloodRe
See also links for insurance
