Floods and your Home
For more detailed information on how to report flooding please see the Flooding page.
To find out if you are at risk of flooding follow this link and use the flood map to pinpoint your postcode in relation to flood areas:
Environment Agency - flood map by postcode (external link)
The Environment Agency has a range of literature available to download which is available via the external link below on:
Some of this advice has been outlined below.
The Health Protection Agenct also has a series of documents offering advice on flood related topics. These can be downloaded via the external links section below.
|back to topPreparing for a flood
Some key things to remember are:
- If you are in a flood risk area find out if you can sign up to the Environment Agency’s free 24 hour Floodline Warnings Direct service by calling Floodline on 0845 988 1188. You can select to receive warnings by phone, text, email, fax or pager
- Check that your building and content insurance is covered for flooding
- Know how to turn off your gas, electricity and water mains supplies
- If a flood is forecasted, take valuable items upstairs and take photos for insurance purposes (both before and after pictures will be required for a claim).
- See how to make a household emergency plan and what emergency supplies you may need on the Preparing for an Emergency page
- Empty sandbags can be purchased from many builders merchants and DIY stores. The can be filled with normal sand, or even soil. Pillow cases filled with earth can also act as a sandbag.
During a flood
Remember, if you have created a Household Plan and have your emergency supplies to hand as outlined on the Preparing for an Emergency page, now is the time to use them.
During a flood the Environment Agency advises you to:
- Gather essential items together either upstairs or in a high place
- Keep children, vulnerable people and pets out of flood water
- Turn off gas, electricity and water supplies when flood water is about to enter your home
- Flood water can rise quickly, stay calm and reassure those around you. Call 999 if you are in danger
Flood water can be dangerous, so:
- Avoid driving and walking through it where possible, especially if it flowing water or if you can't see how deep it is
- Be aware that manhole covers can be lifted by flood water so only travel through flood water as a last resort
- Was your hands thoroughly if you touch flood water as flood water may be contaminated.
After a flood
Firstly it is important to find out if it is safe to return to your home, extensive flooding may have caused structural damage to your property.
Call your contents and building insurance providers (and your landlord if you rent) as soon as possible so they can start assessing your claim.
Electrical Equipment
If the interior of your house floods, do not use electrical equipment until it has thoroughly dried out. Before using your electricity supply again, have it checked by an electrician.
On returning to your home after a flood, all equipment, particularly kitchen equipment should be thoroughly washed and disinfected, where possible using a dishwasher on a high setting. For items that cannot go in a dishwasher, such as plastics, it may be possible to use diluted bleach to kill germs. All other items should be wiped or cleaned thoroughly. Please read the label on disinfectant/bleach containers to ensure it is suitable for use.
The Food Standards Agency has advice in regards to food safety and flooding (See external links below) however it is important to remember not to eat food that has been touched or covered by flood water or sewerage.
Sandbags
Once a sandbag has been used it cannot be re-used due to the potential harm from contaminated water.
Sandbags are classified as building material and the Council will not collect building material of any sort and therefore will not collect old/used sandbags. However, you can take old/used sandbags to one of the two Refuse and Recycling Centres in Haringey:
Park View Road Reuse and Recycling Centre
Park View Road
Tottenham
N17 9AY
Hornsey Reuse and Recycling Centre
35 High Street
Hornsey
N8 7QB
Useful External Links
The following links are not part of the Haringey Council website. Please read our legal disclaimer before using these links
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