How To Protect Your Flood Risk Property

Floods happen. Is your home ready?

That's a question all flood risk property owners should be asking themselves.

Flood risk properties are those that are located in areas that could be affected by a river, stream, or other body of water that is prone to overflow during severe rain events.

If this describes you and your property, then we strongly encourage you to take precautions towards protecting yourself and the investment you've made in your property.

The first line of defence for flood risks is always prevention. You can’t control extreme weather or climate change, but you certainly can protect your property from water damage by taking steps to prevent water from entering your home.

Many of these steps are inexpensive and easy to complete. However, a few may require the help of a professional contractor.

Consider specialist flood risk insurance

Just because you have homeowners cover doesn’t mean your home is protected against flooding. Standard home insurance policies don’t include flood protection, so if you live in a flood risk area, you’ll need to consider buying specific flood risk insurance for your property.

Your insurance company may offer a flood risk policy as an add-on to your usual home insurance policy. The cost of this type of policy depends on how likely it is that your home will be flooded.

You can also shop around for specialist insurers who provide flood risk policies.

Here at Highworth Insurance, we offer a number of bespoke insurance schemes tailored just for these circumstances, all of which deliver exceptional cover at competitive prices.

These schemes are generally not available in the open market and we individually underwrite each situation based on individual merits.

Click here to find out more about our Flood Risk Home Insurance premiums

Assess & Strategise

Flood risk homeowners are encouraged to take a proactive approach to flood protection, but it is important to assess your property and build a strategy on how to protect it in a flood event.

Flooding is likely to become more frequent as the climate changes and so protecting your property from flood damage is important.

However, all floods are not alike. Some floods develop slowly, while others such as flash floods, can develop in just a few minutes and without visible signs of heavy rain.

Additionally, flooding can be local, impacting a neighbourhood or community, or very large, affecting entire water tables and multiple regions.

Consider making improvements such as elevating utilities (such as heating equipment and electrical panels), sealing walls in basements with waterproofing compounds, and installing "check valves" (backflow preventers) in sewer traps to prevent flood water from backing up into the drains of your home.

The following tips may help you build that strategy:

Ensure the topography around your home does not create a basin to hold water, and try to find out more about the water table around your house.

Make sure your down spouts direct surface water away from your house.

Grade your soil so that all water runs away from your house's foundation.

Install back flow valves in sewer pipes to prevent contaminated water from entering your house during a flood.

Keep valuable items above flood level or move them to higher ground.

Create a "flood kit" including important documents, valuables and emergency provisions in case evacuation becomes necessary.

Handy Tips for Flood Defences

It's important to know when you need to implement these tips to mitigate and aim to prevent obvious risk by building good flood defences - before, during and after flood episodes.

As a homeowner, you may be worried about the potential danger for flood damage. It is important to keep in mind that there are things you can do to help protect your home when flood risk level is high. When it comes to protecting your home, advance preparation and prevention is key.

Before

If you have a new home in a flood risk area

Consider raising your building on stilts or piers. If you're building a new structure, this can be less expensive than trying to elevate an existing one.

Move heating and electrical systems as well as valuables out of the basement into higher parts of the building.

Put in check valves to stop water from flowing back into the drains of your home (but don't forget to relieve sewer gas pressure by opening a window or installing pipes that allow air into the drain).

Mitigating anticipated flood damage

Build an earthen berm or sandbag wall to keep floodwaters away from your property. This can be effective on small properties, but is difficult to build on larger commercial sites.

Turn off power at the main breaker when flooding threatens and move appliances off the floor level in case they get wet.

This is also a good time to trim tree branches and clean out your gutters and downspouts.

It's also important to remember that you will likely have local flood defences if others live in your high flood risk area. Make sure to seek any local help and contact your local environment agency to ask what they suggest on the risk of flooding in your local area.

During

During a property flooding, if you can safely go outside, take pictures or video of your home in case you need them for proof later when filing an insurance claim.

If possible, stay inside until the storm passes and the floodwaters recede. Monitor news reports for updates on conditions outside your home.

Be aware of any evacuation orders issued by your local authorities or environment agency.

Stay away from floodwaters as they can be contaminated with oil or gasoline from streets or contain raw sewage or other hazardous chemicals or materials.

Do not drive through flooded areas as it only takes 12 inches of moving water to carry away a small car.

After

It can be difficult to know how to protect your property after a flood has happened. After all, you have probably been through a stressful and traumatic experience and will be concerned about your family's safety and well being.

You will also want to start to put things right as quickly as possible.

Once the surface water flooding has receded and you're allowed to return home, there are a few steps you need to take. These steps include protecting your property, removing water and drying out the affected area.

First, assess the damage and contact your insurance company. Your agent may recommend a professional to help you with cleanup, especially if the damage is extensive or if you have any health issues.

Next, protect your property by documenting the damage with photographs or video. Make sure your insurance company approves all repairs before you begin.

When possible, remove excess water and dry out the area as quickly as possible. Mop and blot up any standing water using absorbent towels.

Carpeting and padding will probably need to be thrown away. If you can't remove the carpeting right away, make sure it stays as dry as possible in order to prevent mould growth.

You may also want to remove furniture from the affected areas until everything has had time to dry out completely.

Have An Evacuation Plan

If you live in an area with a high risk of flooding, preparation is key. You don’t have to be in a flood zone to experience flooding either. Heavy rain or snow melt can cause flash floods, so it’s important to protect your home from flood damage. Learn how to create an evacuation plan for your family and how you can prepare your home for the next storm that comes through.

1. Plan for your pets

Make sure you have a place for them to go if you need to evacuate. If your local shelter doesn’t allow pets, make sure you have friends or family members who will take them in — and make sure they understand that it could be for an extended period of time.

2. Get your car ready

If you need to evacuate, pack up anything that is portable and put it in the trunk of your car. It will be much easier than packing everything up last minute while the water rises outside. Make sure you have an emergency kit packed with water and snacks as well as extra clothes and blankets, just in case you get stuck somewhere on the way there.

3. Create a network of helpers

If there's a chance that you might need to evacuate, it's important to know where you'll go if an evacuation order is issued. You may want to consider staying with friends or family outside the affected surrounding area, particularly if they live upslope from your home (if your home were to be in low-lying areas, for example).

If you don't have anywhere else to stay, think about local hotels and motels outside the affected flood risk area. Make sure that they're pet-friendly, as many places will not allow pets during emergencies.

Call In The Professionals

Seek out advice from professionals in flood zones as they know best how to protect themselves and their belongings. Whether you contact your local environment agency or professionals you may know in the area who deal with long term flood risk mitigation, it's important to know when you need to seek help rather than taking it all on yourself.

If your individual property has suffered from flooding episodes, call a plumber to pump out the water in your basement or crawlspace and make any necessary repairs so that waste water can drain properly and away from your house. Make sure you have disinfected, clean water before using toilets, sinks or dishwashers.

Final Thoughts

It's not enough to just live in a flood risk area, you should fully understand what type of flood occurs there so that you can add more protection measures where they are needed most. Some areas are more prone to flooding risks than others, but it can happen anywhere. Be aware of the level of flood risk in your area and take steps to protect your property and avoid unnecessary extra costs.

Is your home in a flood risk area? If you feel you've done all you can to protect your home, then our Flood Risk Property Insurance will financially cover the preparations you've made to keep your home safe and sound.