Now that Spring is well and truly here, April Showers are rife. That spells bad news for those who live in areas prone to flooding. After the recent devastations in the north of the United Kingdom, can you really take your chances anymore? Here’s everything you can do to avoid flooding this month!
Keep Everything Valuable Upstairs
This is an obvious one, but people often forget to do this. A lot of your valuable possessions are traditionally found downstairs in a property. Not only does this make things easier for burglars, but it also allows floods to cause far more devastation. Your television, for example, is likely to be located downstairs in your living room. Move it! If the weather forecast looks gloomy, and you can feel a storm coming, get it unplugged and up those stairs as soon as possible. A television is a valuable item and something you could do without losing, in spite of your insurance coverage.
Use Sandbags
Another classic tip is to utilise sandbags to stop water seeping into your property. If the heavens have fallen, then line your property with these sandbags in the hope of preventing your home from flooding. These can either be used right up against your windows and doors, or further down the bank to prevent initial flooding. Either way, be sure to stock up on these before the bad weather kicks in. Hopefully, that way, you’ll avoid all the trauma associated with the devastations of flooding. Should the worst happen, however, and you need to get your home dried out there is now a solution. Companies such as Xeric Ltd use specialist high-energy drying technologies to drain your home of excess water. Hopefully, however, the sandbags will deem this unnecessary!
Landscape Your Front Garden
Another top tip is to utilise the land in your front garden to prevent flooding. If your home faces a river bank, then take advantage of the space in front of your home. Build up a mound of earth in front of your home to act as a barrier to potential floods. Hopefully, this will go some way to preventing water from reaching your property. Nonetheless, this doesn’t have to look unsightly. You can turf over this mound of earth and decorate it with flowers and plants to create something more pleasant.
Install Water-resistant Doors & Windows
Another must if you live in an area hazardous to flooding is to install water-resistant doors and windows on your property. While this may seem pricey at the time, it will be nothing compared to the insurance excess you will have to fork out for in the event of severe flooding! They’re simple enough to fit and could even be done by yourself if you like. Just make sure to have your back covered!
Hopefully, this post has alleviated any fears within those of you who live in areas prone to flooding. Rest assured that this is plenty to be done in order to reduce the chances of your home becoming submerged. Good luck, and stay safe. Mother nature can be a tyrant!