Flooding is every homeowner’s worst nightmare. Floods can damage your building, your contents, cause a load of upheaval and push your insurance premium through the room. There are few things worse that can happen to your home, which is why it’s important to protect your home.
Flood defence is essential, especially if you live in an area likely to flood, but knowing what to do if flooding strikes is just as important. Even if you don’t live on a flood plane, it’s still a sensible idea to have a plan in place.
Tips to Protect Your Home from Flooding
Recently, a row of houses not far from my own unexpectedly flooded after a combination of heavy rain and drainage issues. This was a real eye-opener as their homes had never previously been considered a flood risk and it was down to some unfortunate circumstances. Since then, I’ve been looking into protecting our home from flooding and making a practical plan for if we suddenly find ourselves in that situation.
Invest in a Semi-Submersible Pump
Semi-submersible pumps are exactly what their name suggests. They are a pump that can be used while it’s already in water, meaning it can help you out of a sticky situation if you have some water in your house that shouldn’t be there. These pumps are particularly handy for anyone who has a basement, as these tend to be the areas that can start to flood, and early intervention can prevent damage to the rest of the house. You can browse a range of affordable pump supplies here.
Change your Doors
If you learn your house might be at risk of flooding, it’s sensible to look into specialised door that are designed to protect you. They have robust design with a strong seal to help keep water out.
Move Your Power Outlets
Again, this is a wise move if you learn your home is at risk of flooding. Moving your power outlets to a higher point on your walls means they are less likely to get damaged (or put you in any danger).
Move Your Valuables
Anything irreplaceable should be stored in an upstairs room if you believe there is likely to be a flood risk. Things like photos of loved ones or other sentimental items are less likely to get damaged if they’re stored on a higher floor, away from where any flooding is likely to reach.
Invest in Flood Defences
If you’re concerned about flooding in your home (even if there have been no previous floods) it makes sense to invest in some flood defences. Traditional defences such as sandbags and flood barriers tend to be easy to get your hands on. To be extra safe, it’s best to buy these defences as soon as you can (either when you move in, or when it occurs to you that certain circumstances could result in a flood). The worst time to try and purchase flood defences is when there has been excessive rainfall, as everyone else will have the same idea and items will sell out really quickly.
Being well-prepared and doing your research are the best ways to make those first steps towards protecting your home from floods.
*Collaborative post