Preparing Homes for Flooding: Expert Guidance for UK Residents

With winter drawing closer, increased flood warnings have been issued across the UK, prompting questions about effective preparatory actions individuals can undertake. Hannah Cloke, a hydrologist affiliated with the University of Reading, noted that previous incidents demonstrated a widespread lack of necessary information and proactive measures among the public to ready their properties. “We’re completely not prepared… lots of things need doing,” she stated. Mary Long-Dhonau, a consultant specializing in flood resilience, shared her primary recommendations with the BBC for homeowners residing in areas susceptible to flooding. “Obviously, we would all prefer to have Kitemarked flood doors or flood barriers and self closing air bricks,” she remarked. She then questioned, “But what if you haven’t got those? Or what if you can’t afford them?” Ms Long-Dhonau advised individuals to register for flood alerts provided by the Environment Agency and to formulate a detailed plan of action to implement upon receiving a flood warning. “When it does come, your mind turns to spaghetti, your heart goes into overdrive,” she explained. “But having something written down to know what you’re going to do and in what order really helps,” she added. According to Ms Long-Dhonau, sealing one’s residence as thoroughly as possible represents an effective method for mitigating flood damage. “The equivalent to five builders bags of water can get into your home through one air brick alone,” she pointed out. “Just imagine how much water there is,” she urged. She suggested that acquiring aluminium tape to seal these openings offered a comparatively inexpensive means to “stop an awful lot of water.” The tape could also be applied to seal the lower edges and sides of doors, she noted. Ms Long-Dhonau further indicated that possessing waterproof storage boxes, and ensuring they are placed at elevated positions during a flood, constitutes an additional method for restricting flood damage. She recounted that the destruction of cherished belongings was among the most distressing aspects she experienced when her own home was inundated. “Go into your sitting room and think ‘what would I be heartbroken to lose?’,” she advised. “Gather your memories up and preferably don’t keep them low down, but put them in those plastic boxes and get them upstairs,” she instructed. She mentioned that items could alternatively be stored on a table, with the table legs safeguarded from flood water by placing them within buckets or even welly boots. The government maintains a dedicated flooding hotline for individuals seeking further guidance, and it also offers the option to subscribe to flood updates online. Readers can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.