content@managingwater.co.uk Protecting Property Repairing a flood damaged home - to mak By Mary Dhonau
We have had the ‘wettest’, the ‘driest’, the ‘coldest’ and the ‘hottest’, all in the last 10 years! This summer alone has been a total washout, again proving to us that our climate is changing and we now face an unpredictable future as climate change impacts on our daily lives. Sadly unprecedented amounts of rainfall may well become the norm. We can no longer simply say ‘I live nowhere near a river or the coast - it won’t
happen to me’. In recent years the majority of flood insurance claims have come from surface water flooding- where there has been no tangible river or sea nearby. So in my book, everyone should prepare for being flooded! The chances are that unless you are lucky enough to get a hard engineered flood defence for your community, you will flood again!
So what can be done to reduce the misery of being flooded? Firstly, of course consider protecting your home using property level flood protection for more information visit
http://thefpa.org.uk/ but in addition it is a good idea to make your home resilient to flooding. This means - Adapting a property to minimise the effect of floodwater, so that no permanent damage is caused and the structural integrity is maintained. This will reduce the amount of time you are out of your home and the amount of money your insurance firm will have to pay out, helping you to be able to maintain your insurance cover. It is my view that, sadly, every flood defence will be over topped one day and that flood resilience is going to be the only sensible option as we adapt to living with the increased threat of flooding.
I have been flooded on many occasions and it’s an appalling experience. However I made my home flood resilient and when I was flooded again in 2007, I was back living down stairs within only 3 weeks and did not make an insurance claim. Whilst it was not a picnic, it was much better than being out of my home for 9 months! Obviously the best time to make your home flood resilient is after a flood when some of the cost can be offset by your insurance claim.
How do I make my home resilient to flooding?
Consider the following:
Put the plug sockets, boilers and service meters higher up the walls - above previous flood levels.
Install tiled floors over a concrete floor.
Fit plastic skirting boards, or use wood such as oak which is more resilient to floodwater. I used normal skirting board, but coated it with several layers of yacht varnish, when I was flooded again in 2007, my skirting boards were fine!
New nano technology is also available in the form of “nanoshell wood” which once applied (to soft wood or hard wood) will protect the skirting boards from water ingress for up to ten years before re- coating is required.
Replace your kitchen with powdered coated steel kitchen units, which do look very attractive or buy plastic carcasses- on which ‘normal’ doors can be fitted and removed before a flood, or else use solid wood rather than MDF or chipboard units (as these disintegrate with the effects of floodwater.)
Make sure your oven is fitted up high in the unit, rather than free standing.
+44 (0)844 8044 046
enquiries@revetment.uk.com
Revetment is a specialist flood protection company offering a range of solutions for critical infrastructure, government, buildings heritage sites, commercial and residential property.
Flood Barriers FLOOD DOORS
FLOOD GUARD BARRIER AIR BRICK COVERS HERITAGE BARRIERS RAPIDAM BARRIER IN-SITU BARRIER INTERNAL TANKING TEMPORARY COFFERDAMS
Property Waterproofing
DUCT SEALING WATERPROOFING/TANKING NON RETURN VALVES
Spill Control
RAPIDAM RAPITANK SPILSTOP
Concrete Canvas
• Mountable & demountable flood protection • Extremely quick & very easy to use • From Flood Warning to Erection in a matter of minutes • Aluminium & Steel manufacture - last a life time & more • Suitable for residential and commercial protection
www.caro.co.uk info@caro.co.uk 10 +44(0)1763 244446
EROSION CONTROL CULVERT & RIVER COURSES WEED CONTROL GABION PROTECTION PIPE PROTECTION & REPAIR DITCH LINING REBAR
SLOPE PROTECTION
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Flood Defence
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