Flood Prevention Methods for UK Businesses and Homes

Flood prevention methods are going to become more and more important for businesses and homes as rising sea levels have an increasing impact on our day-to-day lives. It is thought that over five million properties are at risk of flooding in England and Wales alone, despite ongoing efforts from local communities.

The constant threat of flooding will obviously put a huge strain on business owners – any flooding will pose a serious risk to their stock and equipment, not to mention the likelihood that trading and production will have to cease in the aftermath of a flood which can cost a company an awful lot of money. On top of that, they may find that the long-term effects of flooding, such as mould, can pose genuine threats to the health of staff and customers.

Similarly, flooding in homes can cause stress, worry, and despair for homeowners. All of a person’s possessions are vulnerable to irreparable damage, from expensive technology to precious family photos and keepsakes. The distress that can be caused by a flood can tear apart people’s lives and can take years to recover.

It is therefore vitally important that flood prevention methods are employed to protect homes and possessions from flooding. While it is acknowledged that removing all of the threats of flooding is impossible, there are plenty of practical steps that you can take to minimise the need for flood damage cleanup.

Flood Prevention Methods

In an effort to prevent water from getting into your property, the following flood prevention methods can be employed:

• Have some temporary barriers or fencing that you can put around your doors and windows when you are expecting a flood
• Seals for windows and doors that can be installed quickly in the event of a flood
• Covers to fit over ventilation bricks, or any other route into the property
• Valves to fit onto toilets and drainage pipes that will reduce the chance of sewage rising up through the pipes and into a building during a flood
• Install ‘Pump and Sump’ systems – these are usually in basements and they pump water out of the home faster than it comes in

These flood prevention methods are designed to stop the water getting into your property, but unfortunately it is unlikely that you will be able to keep the water out completely if you are faced with a serious flood. There are a few precautions that you can take, however, to minimise the damage if your house does fall victim to a flood:

• Tiled floors, rather than carpets, are much easier to clean and dry
• Water-proof coating for your walls
• Have your power sockets raised to higher up on your walls
• Wall mount televisions and other electrical equipment where possible
• Install UPVC window frames to replace old wooden ones
• Keep precious or expensive items upstairs
• Have waterproof covers for furniture on hand

If you follow these steps, you can keep the damage caused by flood to a minimum, but the likelihood is that, if your property is vulnerable to floods, you are still likely to experience some damage to your property.

What should you do if your property is flooded?

If your property is flooded, you are undoubtedly experiencing a stressful and potentially traumatic time. Whether it is for a business or your home, you are going to want to get everything back to normal as quickly as possible – and this is where Ideal Response can help.

Our flood clean up service will provide you with everything you need to get the property back to a working condition, and help to protect against future damage. With our state-of-the-art equipment we can provide our flood restoration service on your premises, before then using our environmentally friendly rapid flood drying equipment. It is important to note, we do not use any chemicals in this process.

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Once the flood water removal has been completed, we will begin our hygiene testing, thermal monitoring and environmental data logging processes so that we can assess the extent of the damage, and also the risk of damage in the future. Mould, in particular, can grow in the aftermath of a flood, and it can go on to cause harm, both to the property and to people’s health. Our team will ensure that your property is returned to a safe state for you.