Flood advice
As many rural areas of Britain witnessed in 2007, flood waters can have a devastating effect on people and property.
Homes and offices can be ruined, possessions lost and vehicles destroyed - all down to a day or two of excessive rain.
While the forces of nature can never be wholly restrained, the advice below gives you the best possible chance of avoiding serious flood damage:
Do your research
When you move to a new area, find out whether or not it is historically susceptible to flooding.
A survey of your house should highlight any potential problems, but before you’ve even got that far it’s advisable to check the Environment Agency’s online flood map.
The map shows the likely extent of extreme flooding, and details areas benefiting from flood defences.
A negative assessment shouldn’t necessarily cause you to instantly look elsewhere for property – talk to locals and find out how they deal with the problem before making a decision.
Be prepared
If you live in a high-risk area, always keep a list of important phone numbers (local council, environment agency and insurance company for example) in a memorable place upstairs.
In addition, prepare a flood kit consisting of a torch, a battery-operated radio, rubber gloves, waterproof clothes and a copy of your home insurance documentation. Also include any medication that you need to take.
Sandbags are a common feature of the defence against flooding, but there’s actually nothing special about them – filling your own pillow cases and carrier bags with sand or earth will do the same job. Sand can be bought from builders' merchants or even online.
Whether homemade or ready-filled, make sure you have some sandbags ready to block doors and air-bricks.
Also, make sure you know how and where to turn off your supply of water, gas and/or electricity. In the event of a flood you’ll need to switch them all off straight away.
Flood waters can rise very quickly - if you’re not properly prepared you won’t have time to organise an effective defence.
Useful sites
www.environment-agency.gov.uk - Information on flood prevention, plus nationwide flood maps.
Related articles
Dealing with water damage
Driving in a flood
|
Affinity Groups 
