Published: 16 December 2009
Making Flooded Homes more Flood-reslient
After last month’s devastating Cumbria floods, the Environment Agency is urging owners of damaged properties to insist that insurers repair their homes and businesses to be more flood-resilient.
Properties affected by flooding are often simply returned to their previous state, meaning that similar damage is likely if flooding occurs in future.
Repairing a property that has been flooded offers a chance to minimise the damage & disruption that could be caused by any future flood.
In many cases, resilient repairs may not cost any more than repairs carried out on a ‘like for like’ basis.
Even if additional costs are incurred during the repairs, insurers and homeowners could both save money in the long term through reduced damage.
Additionally, those in flood-resilient properties will be able to return to their homes faster.
There are a variety of simple measures that can be taken whilst repairing a property that make it easier & cheaper to clean up after flooding, including:
· Laying ceramic tiles on the ground floor and using rugs instead of fitted carpets
· Raising the height of electrical sockets to at least 1.5 metres above ground floor level
· Using lime plaster instead of gypsum on walls
· Fitting stainless steel or plastic kitchens instead of chipboard ones or have movable free-standing kitchen units
· Fit non-return valves to all drains and water inlet pipes
· Replace wooden window frames and doors with synthetic ones. They are easier to clean
Robert Runcie, Environment Agency Director of Flood and Coastal Risk, said:
“The effects of flooding can be devastating and our thoughts remain with those people whose homes were recently flooded in Cumbria and elsewhere in the country.
We are working hard to reduce the risk of flooding to people and property, but climate change means that flood risk is likely to increase.
1 in 6 homes are already at flood risk, so it is vital that homeowners look at ways of making their property more flood-proof.
The Environment Agency is urging those who have been flooded to insist that their insurer rebuilds their home so that, should future flooding occur, damage is reduced and people can return to their homes more quickly.
There is also a growing range of tested products for keeping flood water out of your property, which we would advise those at risk of flooding to consider, in addition to signing up to the Environment Agency’s free flood warning service on our website.”
Further information
National Flood Forum’s ‘Blue Pages’
EA: Flood
How to reduce flood damage
Ways to reduce the damage flood water might cause inside your property
Related articles
Better Flood Warning
Carlisle Flood Defences
Flood Forecasting Centre
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