Author: Lisa

Lots of people in the UK are at risk of flooding, yet not everyone has a flood protection plan in action. It is one of those disasters that we don’t think about, and it is often left until the threat is imminent before action is taken. That being said, anyone who has suffered first hand the effects of flooding will be able to tell you just how devastating it can be. Watching helplessly as everything you have worked hard for is damaged and often destroyed, including sentimental items like photographs that are irreplaceable. Flood damage can take an age to clean up and repair properly so more often than not people have to leave their homes for weeks, months or even years.

Flood insurance in the UK is becoming more expensive. Taking steps to protect your home from flooding may, in some instances, enable you to obtain a more affordable insurance policy. For example, if you have suffered from a flood before and continue to be at high risk of repeat flooding you can take advantage of the rebuild and repair works by making using flood resilient materials. (Flood resilience refers to measures that reduce the impact and damage caused when flood water enters your property, and flood resistance refers to measures that  help prevent flood from happening and entering your property in the first place.) .

A flood protection plan should be a consideration for the 2.5 million properties throughout the UK that are at risk from flooding. An appropriate plan, or even knowing where to get supplies such as sandbags when floods are imminent, can save you money and help protect your valuable property and belongings. Click here for more information on creating a Personal Flood Plan. Don’t leave it until it is too late – prevention is always more effective than a cure.

What is a flood? Officially a flood is defined as ‘an overflow of a large amount of water beyond its normal limits, especially over what is normally dry land’.

Floods can occur because of a number of different things  although generally speaking there are two main types of floods. One of these is river floods – when the water level rises and climbs over the edges of a river bank. This happens when the rivers are unable to carry away flood water within their usual drainage channels. The result is an overflow of water that spills out over surrounding low lying properties and land.

The second main type of flood is called a ‘flash flood’. This type of flood happens quickly and unexpectedly when a large quantity of water rapidly falls on an area. Flash floods are caused by very intense, heavy rainfall. Frozen or saturated land is more susceptible to this type of flooding. Flash floods are also a risk in built-up, urban areas where the drains are not sufficient in draining the rain water away quickly enough.

Other types of flood include surface water flooding, sewer flooding, coastal flooding, ground water flooding and flooding caused by river or dam failure.

Regardless of what type of flood you experience – flooding can devastate lives and cause serious damage to your property or land. Floods can occur anywhere, and it is important that you plan in advance for how you will be able to deal with a flood.  It is true to say that planning and preparation are the most powerful means of dealing with a flood, and simple steps like obtaining sandbags can help minimise the impact and disruption inevitably caused as a by product of flooding.