Flood Protection 1 : Top 5 flood resistance tips
If you are looking to safeguard your home from possible flood damage, there are a host of preventative measures at your disposable. Here are Highworth Insurance’s top 5 products designed to keep raising water levels at bay.
Flooding is a very serious business. If you live in an area prone to flooding, taking proactive, preventative measures can make a real difference should the worst happen. Many people assume that the local council will step in and deploy effective measures, however advice from the Environment Agency clearly states: ‘It is the responsibility of property owners to take appropriate action to protect their property from flooding’.
Barriers or Skirts
Investing in purpose specific, waterproof barriers, flood boards or flood skirts for your property’s windows, doors and drains is a very good idea. They are fully removable so can be stored away until needed. Typically sandbags are used to do the same job, but are notoriously ungainly to handle and considerably less effective.
Temporary Seals
Temporary seals for doors and airbricks are available. The majority are self-adhesive, or involve a water resistance tape. Just remember they are for one-time use, so be sure to replace after use, in case of further flooding.
One-way valves
One-way or non-return valves for toilets and drainage, prevent the return of sewage back into your home in the event of flood. This can be pretty nasty and so they can be well worth the forethought and investment ahead of time.
Pump and sump systems
These systems sit out of sight and below floor level. They do exactly as the name suggests and perhaps more importantly, they are designed to do it faster than the water is rising.
The basics
Keeping your valuables safe and dry doesn’t have to be high-tech. Watertight plastic bags are invaluable during times of flood and believe it or not, can be found in seriously large sizes to accommodate furniture and other big items.
Get a Quote
The above measures rely on you being present at the address to put the pre-emptive devices, seals and covers in place. If you’re away from the property for extended periods of time, it is also possible to get a water sensor installed, which will detect and alert you to rising water in your home.
As well as the physical measures you can put in place, adequate insurance cover is a must, particularly if your home is subject to possible flooding. As experienced specialist Brokers, at Highworth Insurance we understand the risks and difficulty involved in flood insurance and can provide a competitive quote based on your property’s unique circumstances.
If this topic is of interest to you, we also recommend our articles on:
Flood Re
Flood Resilience
Flooding is a very serious business. If you live in an area prone to flooding, taking proactive, preventative measures can make a real difference should the worst happen. Many people assume that the local council will step in and deploy effective measures, however advice from the Environment Agency clearly states: ‘It is the responsibility of property owners to take appropriate action to protect their property from flooding’.
Barriers or Skirts
Investing in purpose specific, waterproof barriers, flood boards or flood skirts for your property’s windows, doors and drains is a very good idea. They are fully removable so can be stored away until needed. Typically sandbags are used to do the same job, but are notoriously ungainly to handle and considerably less effective.
Temporary Seals
Temporary seals for doors and airbricks are available. The majority are self-adhesive, or involve a water resistance tape. Just remember they are for one-time use, so be sure to replace after use, in case of further flooding.
One-way valves
One-way or non-return valves for toilets and drainage, prevent the return of sewage back into your home in the event of flood. This can be pretty nasty and so they can be well worth the forethought and investment ahead of time.
Pump and sump systems
These systems sit out of sight and below floor level. They do exactly as the name suggests and perhaps more importantly, they are designed to do it faster than the water is rising.
The basics
Keeping your valuables safe and dry doesn’t have to be high-tech. Watertight plastic bags are invaluable during times of flood and believe it or not, can be found in seriously large sizes to accommodate furniture and other big items.
Get a Quote
The above measures rely on you being present at the address to put the pre-emptive devices, seals and covers in place. If you’re away from the property for extended periods of time, it is also possible to get a water sensor installed, which will detect and alert you to rising water in your home.
As well as the physical measures you can put in place, adequate insurance cover is a must, particularly if your home is subject to possible flooding. As experienced specialist Brokers, at Highworth Insurance we understand the risks and difficulty involved in flood insurance and can provide a competitive quote based on your property’s unique circumstances.
If this topic is of interest to you, we also recommend our articles on:
Flood Re
Flood Resilience
To discuss your insurance needs with an experienced account manager please call 01202 937430 or apply online to get an instant quote