Flood resistance and flood resilience: Protecting your home against flood damage

Home safety

5 November 2024

There are two things you’ll want to keep in mind when protecting your home against flood damage: flood resistance and flood resilience.

Flood resistance is all about stopping flood water from entering your home in the first place – whereas flood resilience is about reducing the amount of damage to your home should flood water get inside. Combining both flood resistance and flood resilience measures is the best way to protect your home and minimise damage when there’s a flood warning:

6 ways to make your home flood resistant

So how do you stop flood water from getting in? Start by looking at your doors and patios, drains, pipes, and air bricks. They’re the most common ways water can get in.

Here are a few ‘quick fixes’ you can do when there’s a flood warning in your area: 

  • Air brick and cat flap covers

    You can buy covers to stop water seeping in through smaller holes like air bricks and pet doors. These are available online or from your local DIY store. 

  • Sandbags and sheeting

    Use sandbags and plastic sheeting to keep your property dry. If you build your defences in the right place, they’ll help to keep mud and silt at bay as well.

  • Flood barriers

    If you don’t want to fit permanent flood proofing to your windows and doors, consider investing in a removable barrier or gate. You’ll need to put your barriers or gates in places water tends to flow or build up in heavy rain. 

If you’re looking for more permanent flood resistance:

  • Check your brickwork for cracks. Repoint and apply water-resistant paints where necessary.
  • Install flood doors and windows.
  • Swap your home’s airbricks for anti-flood ones. 

Before you make significant flood-proofing changes to your home, please seek professional advice.

How to make your home flood resilient – from bottom to top

After you’ve looked at ways to stop water getting in, it’s time to consider what you can do to minimise flood damage in and around your home. These steps should help you keep flood-related damage to a minimum and make it easier to get your home dried out again, too:

  • Cellars

    Place a pump in your cellar or in an under-floor void. This will help extract any flood water that manages to make its way into your property. 

  • Floors

    By swapping carpets and timber floors for tiles, concrete and treated timber, you’ll make it easier to dry out your home after a flood.

  • Skirtings

    Varnish skirting boards to reduce potential water damage. 

  • Sockets

    If your electrical sockets are down low, contact an electrician about getting these raised. Moving electrics to at least 1.5m above floor level will help prevent damaged cabling.

  • Kitchens and bathrooms

    Consider refitting cabinets, shelves and fixtures with water-resistant materials like plastic and stainless steel. Raise appliances using plinths where you can. 

  • Windows

    If you’ve got wooden frames, consider swapping these for UPVC. 

  • Upstairs

    Anything valuable, important, or irreplaceable should be stored as high up as possible for the duration of the flood. Think family photos, birth and marriage certificates, insurance documents, and passports. If you don’t have an upstairs, try storing items in waterproof bags on top of your wardrobe or kitchen cabinets. 

How to stay protected whatever the weather

From signing up to flood alerts to packing your emergency kit, check out our article, ‘How to prepare for flooding’ for top tips to help you create a flood plan for you and your loved ones. 

At Swiftcover, our insurance is designed to give you peace of mind, whatever the weather. If your home’s protected by our buildings and contents insurance, you can check what you are and aren’t covered for in your online account. That way you’ll know what you can claim for, should your home be damaged by flooding.