Global warming has led to the melting of icecaps which is increasing the volume of water in the oceans. This leaves coastal towns closer to the water and at higher risk of flooding. Couple this with the increase in violent storms and you can see why flooding is on the increase.
It’s a worrying situation and you don’t need to live by the river or the sea to experience a flood. Simply being at the bottom of the valley can be enough.
The first step is to try to prevent your house from flooding. This means looking at the lay of your land and making sure that the water can be channeled away from your home. In other words, the land should slope away from your home, this will decrease the likelihood of water getting into your home.
You may need to do some landscaping to achieve this.
You’ll also need to do some maintenance, making sure you’re gutters are clean and clear is essential.
Alongside this, you should consider fitting good quality mine dewatering pumps. These are situated in a pit in your basement, effectively the lowest point of your home. The pump has a direct exit, via a pipe to take water away from your home.
It should also have a sensor that starts the pump up as soon as the pit is full of water. If water does get into your basement the pump should remove it before it floods your house. The only part at risk will be the basement and this is easier to protect.
If you’re not got a pump or it hasn’t broken or been overpowered, then you may be faced with a watery downstairs of your home.
At this point, your focus should be on resolving the issue as quickly as possible.
The first thing is to see if you can find the source of the water. If it’s a plumbing issue then shut the water off to your house, this will prevent the water from continuing to enter your home.
If it’s a weather-related issue you will need to see if there is any way of routing the water past your home, instead of into it. Sandbags can help.
With the water sorted it’s essential to turn off the electric power, electric and water do not mix well. This is why you should also evacuate if it is safe to do so.
If the water is a natural disaster it may be safer to take supplies and head upstairs with your family. This will leave you trapped hoping that the water subsides but maybe the only or best option.
It’s a good idea to take as many pictures as you can, these will be useful when you claim on your insurance. If it’s just your home that is flooded you can call the fire service to help you pump it out. Emergency response and an identification number will be essential for your insurance claim.
Finally, when the water subsides you can start thinking about cleaning up, but that’s a whole other story.
By Jesse Huges