Flooding in Hounslow

Flooding advice: before, during and after

Flood resilience and preparedness

  1. Ring your insurance company and write down your policy claim number
  2. Several permanent resistance products and methods can be viewed on the from Flood Guidance website.
  3. For more information about household insurance for flooding events visit the National Flood Forum, Blue Pages, Flood Re and Association of British Insurers (ABI)

Plan and prepare

  1. It is advised that you prepare a personal flood plan using the template provided by the Environment Agency. This includes writing down important phone numbers, keeping important personal documents safe (e.g insurance records) in a sealed bag in a high place (if possible) and preparing a flood kit.
  2. If you own property next to a watercourse, for example a river, culvert, brook, or mill stream, you must:
    • maintain riverbeds and banks
    • not obstruct the water flow
  3. It is encouraged that residents do not pave over their gardens as the material used is often impermeable which leads to increased surface water runoff, enhancing the negative effects of flooding inside or nearby your property.
  4. Visit the National Flood Forum’s website  which explains how to protect your property and the typical costs involved. Sandbags can be bought from a builder’s merchant or DIY store. The National Flood Forum lists suppliers and manufacturers of flood defence products.
  5. A few ways to protect your property before flooding occurs:
    • Non-return valves on drainage pipes
    • Flood barriers on doors
    • Waterproof lime plaster rather than gypsum plaster
    • Waterproof flooring
    • Aperture protection
    • Self-closing airbricks
    • Raising appliances and plug sockets higher up on walls
  6. More permanent resistance products and methods can be viewed on the Homeowners guide to property flood resilience from Flood Guidance.
  7. Check your insurance cover and confirm you are covered for flooding.

If you have a disability or need extra help:

Email flooding@hounslow.gov.uk to see if you are eligible to be put on a list to receive extra help during a flood.

Visit the Citizens Advice website can help ensure you will get support if your energy supply is impacted.

 

During a flood

  1. Cooperate with the emergency services if they tell you to evacuate during flooding, be prepared to act quickly and get yourself to safety as a priority – call 999 if you are in danger.
  2. Appliances
    • Do not touch any sources of electricity whilst standing in floodwater.
    • Turn off gas, electricity, and water at the mains
    • Unplug all electrical items and store them upstairs, on cupboards or on high shelves
    • Disconnect equipment that uses water (e.g., washing machines)
    • Leave the plug in your sinks and weigh them down so they cannot move, to stop drains from backing up
    • Fill jugs and pans with clean water
  3. Valuables
    • Put valuable items upstairs, on cupboards or on high shelves
    • Move furniture upstairs or raise them up e.g., on bricks
    • Roll up carpets and rugs and put them upstairs, on cupboards or on high shelves
    • Move furniture away from walls – to help when drying your property later
    • Hang up or take down curtains to keep them above flood water
  4. Outside
    • Cover doors, windows, and airbricks with plywood, floodboards, or metal sheeting
    • Move all non-fixed objects to a safe location e.g., bins, garden chemicals, gas cylinders
    • Move your vehicle to higher ground to avoid risk of damage
    • Weigh down drainage inspection chambers to prevent them drifting and leaving behind a hazardous hole.

After a flood

  1. Take pictures of everything that is damaged, including tide marks on walls
  2. Do not bin anything (apart from spoiled food) before it has been reviewed by a loss adjustor

Remaining aware of possible hazards after a flooding incident is important, such as:

  • There may be hidden dangers in the flood water like sharp objects, raised manhole covers and pollution such as sewage, chemicals, and animal waste
  • Flood water could have caused structural damage to your property
  • Dispose of any food that may have been in floodwater

Flooding is a stressful experience. If you need support, call 111 for crisis support services. Visit the British Red Cross flooding guidance for more information.

Contact your insurer as soon as possible after a flood.

Report your flood to the relevant body so that action is taken if necessary, and a record is kept in case of relevance for future decisions.

Visit Hounslow Flood Reporting Survey to report an incident. 

Alternatively you can email flooding@hounslow.gov.uk

 

rating button