Flood prevention guide for homeowners
Flooding is an ever-present threat. Without being vigilant about the risk it poses, it can very easily catch you off-guard. Before you have even entertained the possibility of water entering your home, it can already be too late. All it takes is a single overlooked vulnerability for the weather to ruthlessly take advantage and leave your home submerged in water. Armed with the right advice however, you can create a capable flood-ready defence with a minimum of effort in no time at all. From the most advanced flood-resistant technology to the simplest practical measures, you’ll find everything you need to know about protecting your home from flooding here.
Keep groundwater at bay with a sump pump
Submersible drainage pumps are a prime example of advances in technology drastically improving our ability to deal with the consequences of tumultuous weather. Placed in an at risk area – typically a basement, cellar or sump pit where excess water is likely to accumulate – drainage pumps will rapidly remove any excess water that accumulates there. The best thing about this? It does so automatically. Equipped with a pressure sensor or something similar, submersible TT pumps, which are available to buy online, are able to autonomously detect rising water levels and react accordingly – perfect for repelling the weather’s attacks, even in the event it catches you unawares.
Protect doors and windows with the latest in anti-flood technology
Doors and windows – as the primary access points by which water can penetrate the home – have to be suitably protected. The strength of the preventative measures that are worth instituting are largely defined by the area in which you live. Zones of particular susceptibility demand that homeowners take especially strong defensive measures – and flood barriers for example, would certainly fall into that category. While they give the impression of being something that could only be forged at great expense and effort to the homeowner, worthy alternatives can be cobbled together in a DIY fashion at little to no cost at all. Technological advances have rendered traditional sandbags and other similarly ineffectual fortifications a relic of the past. Time consuming to fill, difficult to handle, and prone to water seepage, sandbags have been almost unanimously dubbed ineffective for groundwater flooding. Instead, flood boards, constructed from plywood and silicone, have been championed as a far sturdier yet similarly priced substitute. Positioned to block vulnerable areas like doorways and windows, such boards are more than capable of adequately protecting your home from flooding.
Revisit brickwork to ensure it is watertight
Just as significant as the major points of entry for water (doors and windows) are the less obvious routes into your home. Brickwork, both intentionally and unintentionally, can provide water with access. Air bricks for example, which are installed to allow air to circulate beneath the ground floor – preventing condensation from wreaking havoc in the process – inadvertently allow water to infiltrate the home. Air brick covers are easily obtained and can neutralise this potential threat in no time at all. While air bricks are overt in their weakness, brickwork as a whole can be more inconspicuously yet unintentionally challenging. Narrow gaps and cracks in brickwork are equally dangerous. Re-pointing can be an arduous but nevertheless necessary endeavor to guarantee your home’s walls remain resolute against rain.
These tips are designed to help you establish a substantial and sustainable flood defence for your own home, and we hope you leave this post feeling better informed and better prepared to face whatever challenges the weather can throw at you head-on.
