Website of the UK government
Please note that this website has a UK government accesskeys system.
Main menu
Page menu
Home and community
Protecting your home from flooding
Damage caused by flooding can be distressing but there are ways you can protect your home and belongings from the worst of the damage.
Simple steps to take
- make sure you know where your gas, electricity and water mains are in advance of a flood
- store all electrical items as high up as possible
- think about permanently moving sentimental items upstairs, so you do not forget to move them if a flood happens
- keep important personal documents in a sealed bag, and in a location safe from floodwater
- move your car to higher ground to avoid damage
Preparing your own flood defences
Your council will make sandbags available to as many residents as possible during emergency situations, to enable them to protect their homes from flooding. However, if your home has a high risk of flooding it is a good idea to have your own supply of sandbags which you can get from a builders merchant.
There are several different flood protection products on the market that you can buy. Many products can be installed in advance, and then simply clipped on and off when needed - such as the 'flood board' or air brick cover. You can also get plastic skirts to surround your whole property, or temporary free-standing barriers which can protect a group of properties.
The Environment Agency provides a list of kitemarked removable flood defence products for your home, along with their suppliers. These products have been awarded a British Standards Institution (BSI) Kitemark, a widely recognised symbol of quality for consumer goods.
In this section...
Additional links
Do it online
Useful contacts
Access keys
