How To Reduce The Effects Of Flood Damage

• How badly can flooding damage homes?
  • Switch off your mains electricity
  • Protect your possessions
  • Take care of your home
  • Make the most of the space you have
  • Prepare emergency supplies
• Flood damage cleaning specialists
• Get in touch

Due to the amount of rainfall we get in the UK, it is wise to know how to minimise the effects of flooding in your home.

Actions to prevent flood damage can vary from making your home more flood proof, to having your emergency supplies in order. Undertaking these actions will mean you're as prepared as possible to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Here at ICE Cleaning, we have extensive experience in providing flood damage cleaning services. Should you need our help, we will work hard to restore your home to a safe environment. 

Our dedicated customer service team work round the clock to help you, and are able to answer any questions or concerns you have throughout the process.

How badly can flooding damage homes?

Flooding can have devastating consequences to your home, from causing structural issues to damaging your possessions. 

However, the steps you can take to reduce the effects of flood damage are worth considering, particularly if you live in an area that is prone to flooding.

Should you find yourself in the situation where you have experienced flooding, have a look at this information given by Citizens Advice about how to submit an insurance claim. If you are worried about flooding, having insurance in place may be a good idea.

With that in mind, let's take a look at some of the ways you can protect your home from water harm.

Switch off your mains electricity

When you are notified of a flood, you should switch off your mains electricity if it is safe for you to do so. 

Be careful to avoid water in your property too, as it carries a risk of contaminants and electric shocks. 

To prepare in the instance of a flood, you should make note of where your mains are, and that you know how to safely turn this off.

Switching off the mains will help to protect people in the surrounding area too who are at risk to electric shock from being exposed to flood water.

Protect your possessions

If you live in an area where the threat of floods is very real, then this is something you should think about.

Moving prized belongings to higher ground out of the way of harm will offer more chance of them being preserved than if they were left exposed to water damage.

It might also be an idea to place important documents such as birth certificates and passports into a box which is waterproof, as well as to make copies. This will give you peace of mind that you have taken action to ensure your important belongings are looked after.

Keep up to date with the flood warnings in your area by taking a look at the Gov.uk service. They will provide information on the risk of flooding in your local area.

Take care of your home

There are many improvements you can make in your home to help you prepare for a flood. 

For instance, this could include:

• Keeping gutters clear
• Improving drainage
• Sealing any cracks in the foundation
• Trimming the trees in your garden
• Maintaining your roofing

Having measures such as these in place can make the impacts of flooding lesser. Some of these jobs are ones required for regular maintenance, such as keeping guttering clear of build-up. 

As well as installations, monitoring your property for signs of damage or issues is wise. This will alert you to any potential problems and enable you to fix them before becoming a victim of flooding. 

It could also save you money from more significant repairs that may need to be done if you have not made these changes to the building. Please note that some of these changes could be costly.

Make the most of the space you have

One option to minimise flood damage is to work on the landscape of your property. This could involve sloping grass from your property so that water goes away from your house when it falls rather than penetrating the building's interior.

Additionally, you should make sure not to cut grass excessively. This is because it can help suck up rainfall, which may benefit you in the event of a flood.

Though it could cost you a penny, you could employ the services of a professional landscaper. They will be able to survey your property to see what improvements can be made with the space and help create some measures against flood damage.

Prepare emergency supplies

Inside your emergency supply could be the following items:

• Food
• Clothes
• Blankets
• Medicine
• Insurance documents & emergency numbers

Having a kit prepared can make you feel less stressed at the thought of flooding occurring and means you are one step ahead.

If you have assembled the items for your family, you will be safe in the knowledge that you are taking precautions to help them.

To find out more information about organising this, take a look at this useful information written by the National Flood Forum.

Flood damage cleaning specialists

Our technicians at ICE Cleaning are always here to help you if you experience flooding. They have dealt with this in all manner of settings, and have the expertise to clean up your home.

Prior to the clean taking place, we will perform a risk assessment to assess any potential hazards. Work can then begin, and you can rest assured that the team will not leave the site unless you're happy with the work undertaken. 

Throughout the process, our friendly support team are here for whatever you need. Operating 24/7, 365 days a year, customer satisfaction is always our priority.

Sometimes if you have been affected by flood damage, mould growth may occur. We offer effective mould remediation services too - click here to learn more.

Get in touch

To find out more about the flood restoration work we carry out, get in touch with our team today on 0208 066 0360 or enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk. A member of our friendly customer service team will assist you with whatever you need.