Keeping your home dry

Minimising the risk of damage is all well and good during wet weather, but there are also preventative measures you can take to lessen the amount of water that enters the property:

Doors: Get flood boards that can be installed when flooding is imminent and raise door thresholds where possible

Defence doors: For more frequent flooding or higher water levels, steel doors and shutter unites can be fitted to withstand flood water impact

Walls and floors: Raise the damp proof brick course and seal floors to stop water rising

Air bricks: Buy special covers that protect air bricks

Drains and pipes: Fit non-return valves to inlet/outlet pipes and drains

Self-inflating sandbags: The latest designs don't use sand, but can absorb as much as 13 litres of water in 5 minutes

Drainage systems: Improve and maintain drainage systems designed to take away flood water

Barrier systems: Create a barrier system around your property to help redirect the flow of water away

These tips will help reduce flooding risk, but with a greater height of water they will not be 100% effective. Always try to look at ways of reducing damage where strategies to keep water out are overwhelmed.