Flooding is the worst thing that can happen to your home or business … but many people don’t think about the devastating consequences a flood can cause.
It’s known as “the thief who takes everything” because a typical insurance claim after a flood is 37 times more than one made after a burglary.
A flood will make your home uninhabitable, will cripple your business and is known to have a serious impact on people’s mental health. Yet it often can be avoided.
Many people are not prepared for the possibility of flooding and expect councils will provide sandbags when flooding is imminent. The truth is councils have no legal responsibility to provide sandbags so people need to make sure they can protect themselves instantly, especially if they live in areas vulnerable to flooding.
Floodwater is full of dirt and contaminants. Everything it touches will need to be thrown away so if just a few inches of floodwater gets into your home it will wreck carpets, wooden or laminate floors, plaster on the walls, wall heaters, electric sockets, kitchen units, kitchen appliances such as dishwashers, fridges and freezers plus furniture including sofas, chairs and tables. The damage quickly runs into tens of thousands of pounds – and that’s before all the hassle of having to sort it out.
Once people have been flooded they often take measures to ensure it will never happen to them again which is similar to crime victims. After all, how many people put in CCTV once they’ve been burgled.
Flooding is also known to cause serious problems to people’s mental health and you can read more about this at http://www.floodsax.co.uk/news/why-flooding-can-have-a-severe-impact-on-your-mental-health/
According to Public Health England (PHE): “Flooding can have profound effects on people’s mental health and well-being that may continue over extended periods of time. Distress is a common reaction for people following a flood. While experiencing a flood is the primary cause of stress for people who are affected, it is important to remember that the stress and strain associated with dealing with cleaning up and recovery may also be a problem. This is particularly the case if recovery and rebuilding is managed poorly by responding agencies and private companies.”
A great advice piece about cleaning up after a flood is here https://www.eden.gov.uk/your-environment/floods/flood-damage-to-your-home/
The best place to look for anti-flood devices is on a website run by the charity the National Flood Forum. There it has a list of products in a directory known as Blue Pages http://bluepages.org.uk/
One of the leading products on there are FloodSax alternative sandbags. Many homes and businesses now have FloodSax so they are prepared 24/7. These are transformed from being as light as a pillowcase to being more effective than traditional sandbags in just three minutes and are ideal at soaking up spills as well as stopping any floodwater.
Around 2.5 million have now been sold worldwide.