| The cost of the 2007 flood that impacted so heavily | | | | the risk of flooding and minimise any damage following |
| on parts of England and Wales throughout the | | | | a flood. |
| summer has been calculated to have cost £3.2 billion, | | | | The key is to be prepared. Flood gates, flood seals for |
| the UK environment agency claims. They also suggest | | | | toilets, air vents and other flood defence measures like |
| that unless major investment is placed into the | | | | sandbags should be bought and stored in advance. |
| UK’s flood defence, the costs of flood damage | | | | Make sure you know how to use the flood defence |
| could increase by 60%. | | | | equipment and practice flood proofing your home. |
| The 2007 floods, which even hit many parts of the | | | | Remember, flooding can happen with very little |
| country not normally accustomed to flooding, cost | | | | warning so you don’t have time to be running |
| flooded business and average between £75,000 and | | | | around looking for sand for sandbags or trying to find |
| £112,000 and the cost of flooded homes averaged | | | | assistance to help fill them. |
| £20-30,000, the agency says. | | | | In the case of sandbags, which are obviously |
| And if the costs of repair and loss of business | | | | impractical to be stored full – and if there is no |
| following floods does indeed rise, many homeowners | | | | nearby source of sand to fill them – you could |
| and businesses may find it harder to get insurance, and | | | | consider instant sandbags that don’t require sand |
| in the current economic climate another summer of | | | | at all. These use water (never in short supply during a |
| floods could see many people losing their homes | | | | flood) and take minutes to fill to become water tight. |
| permanently and business folding for good. | | | | Making sure you are prepared for any potential |
| Instant sandbag | | | | flooding may also help reduce insurance premiums and |
| But flood prevention, does not just start at the top with | | | | certainly cut down the amount you may have to claim |
| large civil engineering projects like flood barriers, there | | | | if the worst does happen and a flood hits your home |
| is plenty the average home owner can do to reduce | | | | or business. |