If you are unlucky enough to live in one of ththere are a number of steps you can take to minimise damage before the waters invade your property and to speed up repairs once they start to recede. Several insurers have issued advice for those affected; here is a summary of their suggestions.
If you expect to be flooded
Check what kind of damage your buildings and home contents insurance policies will cover and whether you need to update them, particularly if you have new possessions and haven't increased your cover limit recently. Buildings insurance will cover the damage to the structure of your property and home contents insurance will cover your possessions.
Turn off gas, electricity and water at the mains supply.
Disconnect cookers, washing machines, dishwashers and other appliances connected by rigid pipes to gas and water supplies. This will prevent damage to the pipes if the appliance floats or moves during the flooding. Unplug all electrical items and store them upstairs.
Flood water can enter through drains. The easiest way of preventing this is by putting in plugs and weighing them down with sandbags. Disconnect the outflows of washing machines and dishwashers and block them with a cloth or plug to prevent backflow; place a sandbag in the toilet bowl.
Reduce the amount of water entering your property by using sandbags, plywood or metal or plastic sheeting placed on the outside of doors, windows and airbricks. Use silicone sealant to make doors and windows more resistant. Put sealant around the door/window then close and lock. You do not have to seal your home completely. After flooding, remove covers over airbricks as ventilation will aid the drying of your property.
Move furniture and electrical items upstairs and roll up rugs, carpets and curtains for suitable storage (if you are short of time, raise curtains by hanging them over the curtain poles). If furniture is too heavy to move, empty it and move contents upstairs. Raise it on bricks to minimise damage and move it away from walls; this can assist in drying the property later. Your insurer will expect you to minimise any claim in ways such as these.
Floodwater can contaminate foodstuffs and chemicals such as paint, pesticides, cleaning products and garage oils. These materials can also spill or leak into the floodwaters, causing additional clean-up problems. Keep such products upstairs or high up in your garage or shed.
During the flood
Do not touch the electrics.
Leave internal ground floor doors open (they may swell and jam if left closed).
Avoid contact with floodwaters; they may be contaminated with sewage.
Do not wade through deep floodwaters; manhole covers may have lifted, leaving dangerous unseen holes.
Do as instructed by the emergency services - you may have to be evacuated.
Although drivers can claim for damage caused by bad weather, this typically applies to parked vehicles. "Self-inflicted" damage caused by driving through water, thereby flooding the engine or interior, may not be covered. Drivers who chance their arm by driving through floods could face an expensive repair bill.
Coping with the aftermath
Commission immediate emergency pumping/repair work if necessary to protect your property from further damage. This can be undertaken without approval from your insurer. Remember to get receipts and let your insurer know, as it may wish to inspect the damage before permanent repairs are carried out.
Call your insurer as soon as possible and give full details of the damage.
Don't move back into a property that contains standing water - have it pumped out first. Clean and disinfect everything that may have come into contact with the floodwater.
If you haven't already done so, switch off the mains power supply. Don't go into rooms with standing water if the power is still on, and don't use electrical appliances affected by, or in contact with, moisture. Your electrical, gas and water systems should be checked and confirmed safe before they are turned back on. Wash taps and run them for a few minutes before use.
Move anything that is not too badly damaged upstairs or away from flood water where possible.
Fridges and freezers should be cleaned out as soon as possible and any food thrown away. If you have the relevant insurance cover, remember to keep a list of the food items for your claim and, if possible, take photographs.
Once the flood water has begun to recede and if weather permits, open all doors and windows during the day (but take care to ensure your house and valuables are secure).
When you've salvaged as much furniture as possible, start the drying out process by removing a couple of floorboards at each end of affected ground-floor rooms. You may want to borrow or hire dehumidifiers; use one for every two affected rooms and close the windows.
Help plaster to dry by removing wall coverings and skirting boards.
Clear out any mud or silt that has collected in airbricks. This will aid ventilation under floorboards and prevent rot.
Kitchen units are likely to have absorbed water, but may be salvageable. Try to dry them out, and wait for an adjuster to assess the damage.
Do not attempt to redecorate straight away.
Generally, masonry (brickwork or block work) should be largely unaffected by the water if it is allowed to dry out properly. The drying out process may take some time if the masonry has been saturated. As a guide, allow one month for every inch of wall thickness. Check with a decorator or other expert to ensure that the walls and other surfaces are fully dried out and, if necessary, treated to prevent mould.
Preparing for next time
Damage caused by the current floods will inevitably put upward pressure on insurance premiums. But not all insurers will be equally affected, so it will pay homeowners to shop around when it comes to renewing their home insurance.
Individual property owners can do much to increase the resistance of their properties to flood damage. Steps include replacing timber floors with concrete covered with tiles; replacing chipboard or MDF kitchen and bathroom units with plastic equivalents; replacing gypsum plaster with more water-resistant materials such as lime plaster or cement render; moving meters, boilers and electrical points well above likely flood level; and installing one-way valves into drainage pipes to prevent sewage backing up into the house. There are now some good options to fund any balance. For example, the Council of Mortgage Lenders has confirmed that lenders would normally be willing to consider extending loans to cover the additional costs of flood-resilient repairs, provided that the homeowner has sufficient equity and can afford to meet any additional repayments.
