What To Do In Case Of Flood - Facts You Must Know
John Paige
There is no sure way to predict when a flood is going to happen, nor can they be stopped or avoided. If you live in a flood zone area, the best you can do is take preventative measures to secure your home and property as best as possible. You also need to expect higher flood insurance premiums when living in these high risk zones.
High-risk flood areas are grounds for much higher flood insurance premiums, oftentimes as much as three times higher than similar houses located in low-risk areas. Unfortunately, if you do not wish to move to a lower risk area, then the higher premiums are something that you are going to have to pay.
However, you are not that helpless. Insurance companies can also give you advice on how you can put up measures to obtain cover. It is very important for you to get adequate cover for your house buildings and the contents of your home. You have worked so hard to acquire your things and it is not that easy to lose them or see them damaged in a flood. Some objects may not even be replaceable so of course you would not want to lose them.
If there is a flood warning, do all the safeguarding that you have ample time to do. Do not, however, spend too much time trying to salvage possessions when flood is imminent. No matter how valuable your belongings, they are not more valuable than your life and safety. You and your family are the truly irreplaceable things in your house.
First of all, be sure that your flood insurance and other important documents are at hand. Also make sure you have the emergency line numbers ready because if things get worse, you can not possibly swim around your house looking for lost numbers and papers. If you have sandbags ready, you can protect the doors inside your house with them. You can also push furniture and other electrical items to higher parts of your house if you still have enough time to do so.
If water floods your house, do not by any means attempt to leave your house. It may be too dangerous and the current may sweep you away. You can move up to the higher floor of the house. If you live in a high risk area, you should have an emergency pack ready which contains some dry clothes, toiletry essentials, medicines, emergency phone numbers, torch, a flask with hot drinks and important documents.
If your home has flooded, turn off the main electrical circuit immediately. Do not under any circumstances attempt to use any source of electricity near flood water, even if the amount of water is minimal, as water is a very strong conductor of electricity. As the water subsides, you may be tempted to start redecorating. This should not be your first priority. Before moving things around, first call your insurance provider so that they may have someone come out and perform and estimate.
For more info about high-risk flood areas, call the National Flood Warning Centre at 01276 454 725 or go to www.environment-agency.gov.uk and www.homecheck.co.uk on the World Wide Web.
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