With a number of flood warnings in force for the East Anglia area today we have provided some advice on how to prepare for flooding, and what can be done after the event.
If you have been affected by flooding and need to make a claim, you can speak to one of our claims handlers by calling 01603 626155 and selecting option #1.
What you can do before you’re flooded
• Turn off gas, electricity and water supplies at the mains.
• Unplug all electrical items and where possible store them up high or upstairs. With heavy electrical items such as fridges raise them up on bricks.
• Put the lid down on your toilets and place something heavy, like bricks on top to stop the water coming in through waste pipes.
• Put plugs in baths and sinks, weigh them down with a sandbag, pillowcase or plastic bag filled with garden soil or a heavy object.
• Make sure all personal and valuable items are moved upstairs or out of the house, as these cannot be easily replaced.
• Keep all important documents in a watertight plastic bag in a high safe place. Consider keeping duplicate copies of documents with family or friends who are not at risk of flooding.
• Move as much furniture as possible upstairs. If items can’t be carried, move them away from the wall as this will speed up drying times later.
• Make up a flood kit – including key personal documents, torch, battery, wind- up radio, mobile phone, rubber gloves, Wellington boots, waterproof clothing, a first aid kit and blankets. Also have a list of useful numbers such as the emergency services, local council, your insurer’s emergency helpline number and details of the policy.
• Make sure neighbours, especially elderly or infirm ones, know there is a flood on the way.
If you live in an area prone to flooding then you probably already know about it. The Environment Agency runs Floodline on 0845 988 1188 which gives real time flood warnings and advice. It is worth updating yourself regularly if you think you are about to be flooded. You can also gain information from the website www.environment-agency.gov.uk/floodline.
What you can do after a flood
Once the shock of being flooded has passed it is time to clear up the mess and get the house habitable. There are also a whole range of measures that can be taken to reduce the impact of the next flood.
Find out the risk of flooding to your property
Contact your local authority or Floodline for information about the type of flooding the property has experienced, such as the water height, cause of flooding and frequency. Find out the risk of it or any other form of flooding happening again. If others are affected, consider forming a local flood association so that you can help each other. Contact the National Flood Forum (www.floodforum.org.uk) for advice on how to do this.
Find out what can be done to reduce flood risk in your area
It is important that you find out if there are any plans to reduce the risk of flooding in your area. Again the National Flood Forum will advise on who the responsible authorities are and how you can press for action to be taken.
Consider what you can do yourself
Flood defences fall into two categories – flood resistance and flood resilience. Flood resistance helps stop the water getting into the property in the first place. Making a house flood resilient will reduce the amount of damage caused by any water that gets into the house.
You can install these measures at any time, but if you are implementing them as part of the repair costs following a flood you will probably find that you will be expected to pay the extra cost of the alterations while your insurer pays the cost of the like-for-like restoration.