Flooding tips

Preparing your home if it's at risk from flooding

Flooding can cause considerable damage to your home. You can't do anything to prevent it, but you can reduce the impact of flooding by taking a few important precautions.

If you have any vulnerable neighbours, remember to check with them to see if they need any assistance before and after a flood.

Is your home at risk?

The following organisations can be contacted in order to find out if your home is in a flood risk area:

If your home is at risk, sign up to a flood warning service or listen out for flood warnings on local radio and television.

Plan ahead

Preparing for flooding can make a big difference to its effects on you, your family and your home.

  • Make a flood plan so you know where your family and pets could stay until the danger passes. If you’ve got a car, think about where you could move it to higher ground
  • Put a flood kit together that includes food, bottled water, a first aid kit, any necessary medication, emergency telephone numbers, clothes, blankets, bin bags, a torch, batteries, a wind-up radio, protective clothing, rubber boots, cleaning materials and a disposable camera (to take photos of any damage for your insurance company)
  • Make sure you know where to turn off your electricity, gas and water supplies
  • Put valuable and irreplaceable items on high-mounted shelves. Store important documents upstairs in a dry, accessible place

You can also purchase purpose-built equipment such as flood boards for doors and air brick covers. If you do buy any flood products, make sure they display the British Standards Institution (BSI) Kitemark or equivalent accreditation for the national quality standard Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 1188.

Act when flooding looks likely

  • Put sandbags or flood boards in place. You should also try to prevent backflow by putting a sandbag in the toilet bowl and plugging sinks and baths
  • Move as many of your possessions, especially electrical items, as possible upstairs to keep them away from flood water
  • Roll up rugs and carpet and move them upstairs. You could also take curtains down or hitch them up to keep them away from flood water
  • If it’s safe to do so, turn off your gas, water and electricity supplies when flood water is about to enter your home

After a flood

  • Make sure your electricity supply is switched off and don’t attempt to use any electrical appliances that may be wet
  • If your home has been damaged by the flood, contact your insurance company immediately

Putting things right after a flood can be very expensive. AA Buildings Insurance can cover your home against damage caused by flooding.

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AA Home Insurance is arranged by Automobile Association Insurance Services Limited. Registered office: Fanum House, Basing View, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 4EA. Registered in England and Wales number 2414212.

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