Let’s set the scene.
You live in a house by a brook and, at this moment in time, the weather outside is foul. There’s piercingly cold rain thundering on your windows, high-speed winds carrying debris down the road, and a seemingly never-ending storm keeping you up at night. Being so close to the brook, you worry what effect the torrential rain will have on its water level, but you try not to think about it. You’re sure it’ll be ok.
You wake up the next morning to walk downstairs into your kitchen. You find that your entire downstairs is flooded, and your furniture is completely wrecked. Your TV won’t turn on, the carpets are ruined, and there’s stuff floating everywhere. You start to wonder whether this whole mess could have been avoided only if you’d put a flood defence or two in place in advance.
Flooding in the UK is becoming a more and more common occurrence, with more flood warnings popping up throughout the country than ever before. This is consequently leaving hundreds of home-owners wondering two key questions: firstly, is their home at risk? And secondly, what – if anything – can they do to limit the risk of flooding?
They say prevention is better than a cure, and that’s certainly true when it comes to flooding. Here we discuss five of the most effective flood defence products currently available on the market.
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1. Concrete Barriers
They may not be the prettiest things to look at, but interlocking concrete barriers are a fantastic way of preventing properties and areas from flooding. This is due to their ability to lock together, to form a penetrative wall that prevents water getting through.
Having this Lego-like mechanism also makes them great as either a permanent or temporary solution. Say you’re looking to protect your garage, for instance – building a concrete block barrier in front/around it will stop water getting through during periods of bad weather. When the weather subsides again though, you can easily take the concrete barrier down and leave each block in the garage in case you need them again in the future.
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2. Hydrosacks & Sandbags
Two of the most popular and widely-used forms of flood defence, hydrosacks and sandbags can be very effective at keeping water out of properties. By placing them around windows, doors and other openings, you can quickly and cost-effectively prevent flood water breaching your property.
Hydrosacks tend to cost slightly more than sandbags, but they offer two key advantages. Firstly, they are much easier to move and remove when they’re wet. And secondly, they crystallise the water they absorb, meaning they’re much better at containing the water should the bags get ripped.
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3. Flood Barriers
If you’d rather avoid the hassle of handling sandbags, flood barriers could offer a great alternative. In fact, many people say they’re actually much more effective, driving water away from your property to, in effect, seal it off from the flood water.
They’re easy to construct and can be built to cover any space required. They’re also re-usable, in the same way interlocking concrete barriers are, and are easy to store.
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4. Water Extractors
Should your home become flooded, having a means to remove the water quickly and easily is vital. Even the best flood defences can’t guarantee they’ll keep all the water out so, chances are, you’ll need to find an effective way of getting it out of your property.
Fortunately, there are several methods available to do this. Pumps, suction hoses and wet/dry vacuum cleaners can all help to extract the water, and get it out of your carpets before it causes too much damage.
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5. Flood Insurance
If you know your home is susceptible to flooding, you should think about getting flood insurance cover from a specialist provider. While this may cost slightly more than a typical home insurance quote, at least it’ll offer you the reassurance that you’ll be able to replace any wrecked goods or pay for any damages should flooding occur.
If you do decide to go down this route, make sure to shop around for quotes, rather than going for the first one you come across. Also, be sure to check the reputation of the provider, to make sure you’ll actually be covered should the worst happen.
Final Thoughts
With flooding in the UK becoming more and more of a threat, installing effective flood defence systems is imperative to keeping properties safe. These five relatively cost-effective methods are aimed at doing exactly that, preventing water from breaching homes and limiting the likelihood of flood-related damage.
