Home flooding advice

Floods can wreak havoc on your home and possessions, regardless of whether they occur through a burst pipe or storm damage.

Whilst we hope you never to have to deal with flooding and water damage at home, there are things you can do to help guard yourself against damage should the worst happen.

Preparing for flooding and preventing damage or loss:

• Check all gutters and water run off points are clear and unblocked.
• If possible, leave vehicles on high ground.
• If a storm is coming, switch off all electrical items and central heating.
• Transfer all important documents into watertight bags/containers and store them somewhere dry.
• If you know you are at risk of flooding, consider keeping defence products, such as sandbags, in your garage or garden shed.
• Keep informed through local TV and radio.

What to do after storms or flooding:

• If it is safe to do so, remove what debris you can. Be careful, as there may be hidden dangers in the water such as sharp objects, raised manhole covers and pollution — we strongly advise wearing protective clothing.
• If you are stranded contact the emergency services immediately.
• If your electricity supply is not already switched off at the mains, get a qualified person to do this. DO NOT touch sources of electricity when standing in water.

If you would like more information about what to do, you can call the Environment Agency's floodline service on 0345 988 1188 or go online at www.gov.uk