How to flood-proof your property in the face of extreme weather events
Catastrophic Recent Picture: Flooding Guileen Guard In Coast Midleton
The devastation of seeing your contents and memories float out the front door and down the street is enough to make you want to follow the family photographs and close the door behind you. Without question, one of the greatest impacts a house can suffer is water damage. Even when it comes to a fire, more damage is often caused by the water used to quench it then directly by the fire itself.
In recent months hundreds of property owners in different parts of the country, including Cork, have had to deal with the terrible consequences of flooding. Due to climate change it’s clear this issue isn’t going away. In fact, it’s going to get worse.
In 2013 insurance experts estimated that between 40,000 and 50,000 properties are at risk. It doesn’t take a genius to see that rainfall levels have increased in the subsequent decade, so these figures really need to be updated.
Flooding leaves one in a position of powerlessness, helplessness, and loss. If you have experienced flooding, you will be battle scarred from it, but you will also know what is coming and be more prepared when or if it happens again. If you haven’t experienced it directly but believe your property is at risk, you should talk to people who have.
The first thing you will need is a ‘Flood Plan’ listing emergency services numbers, local authority representatives, arrangements for evacuation of occupants, safe and secure locations for valuables, tips on how to turn off electricity etc. You’ll need to place this in an accessible location where family members of all ages and reach can get it without difficulty or confusion. You may have to do a little drill so that they act more on memory than on impulse. Guidance on making a flood plan and other useful information can be found at http://www.flooding.ie a website created by the Office of Public Works.
Keep an eye on weather reports and access the information on the Met Eireann website (www.met.ie) for yellow, orange and red weather warnings. Last July we saw heavy and consistent rainfall. This swelled rivers and streams around the country. If you are located near a water source you can get pertinent information very quickly and this can inform your Flood Plan. Have a look at the gullies on the side of the road and make sure that these are clean and ready to carry away water. If they are clogged with leaves and debris, call the local authority and they’ll send someone out to address the issue. Tidy Towns are often the eyes and ears of the locality and are also very good at making sure the key elements such as unobstructed drainage on our roads and streets get flagged.
Knowing where to get sandbags is essential information, while it’s also a good idea to have some close to hand. This will enable you to put practical measures in place quickly in the event of a flood while also enabling you to remain calm. While always a very stressful time, panicking is not a useful response The placement of flood barriers at door openings would be of some benefit where the property is only impacted by surface or passing water. Non-return valves on your foul pipes will prevent back siphonage but these may be a little harder to access without some infrastructural upheaval.
You might also consider rearranging your best furniture and electrical items like the TV and game consols and anything that may find its way to a lower press or shelf and place these a little higher. Consider moving your electrical sockets up the wall but be sure to get advice on this from a construction consultant, like a building surveyor, to ensure all works comply with building regulations. Floor finishes too might now have to be reconsidered. Perhaps tiles instead of carpet? You will need to prepare a Flood Pack, with wind-up or barrier powered flashlights and radio, as well as a first aid kit.
Overall it’s really important to be pro-active. Join community groups for support, to share information and to act as local watchdogs. Build a relationship with the local authority staff and provide feedback and updates to them on patterns or changes that you’ve noticed in your area. The more information that is shared the better because we need a national joined up plan so that flood prevention measures in one area will not mean an area further along the river becomes subject to flooding due to a change in water loading. If purchasing a property, ensure to check flood maps held by the local authority and the CFram maps (Catchment Flood risk assessment management).
Of course, flooding to property can also happen in other ways. It’s winter now but it seems that Spring often brings the coldest weather these days. Exposed waterpipes don’t like cold weather. Have a look at your pipes and even if they are in the hot press or plant room within the house itself they should still be insulated. Don’t rely on the heat of the house to prevent freezing. If nothing else, just consider how wasteful it is to heat something over and over again because it keeps cooling too quickly. If you insulate you’ll reduce costs.
When water freezes, it expands and whatever it’s contained in is put under pressure. Pipes can tear and split and once ice thaws, water flows. When the water level in the attic tank reduces, because of leaks, the ballcock will open the valve and the tank will try to fill. The ballcock won’t know there’s a leak. So, you could have several tank loads of water pouring into your living space from leaking pipes. This could saturate fabric and even take down ceilings. So insulation is key.
The most common flaw with regard to insulation occurs at the pipe joints. These are almost always left exposed. Have a look and see if this is the case in your house. Where you come across exposed joints, insulate them. If your tank is sitting in your attic and whether it is over or under the insulation layer, it should be insulated. Where it isn’t, you know what to do!
The SCSI has produced a very useful guide to flooding which you can download: A Clear Guide to Flooding – Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (scsi.ie)
. She is the owner and managing director of Cashel-based consultancy Fortress Planning, which offers a range of services including Assigned Certifier, Design Certifier, Building Surveyor and Conservation Consultancy to clients all over the country. For more information go to Home | Fortress Planning