Better low cost ways to protect a house against floodwater

[James Harris]

I have my doubts about some TV news pictures of sandbags stacked against front and back doors. Are there better ways to protect houses against floodwater such as the following?

• Block the outside of low airbricks - batten frame stuck on with adhesive such as Wet Grab (from Evo Stik) which is flexible and can be applied even to wet surfaces. Then a screw-on plywood panel sealed and applied to the top of the frame.

• Block downstairs toilets - not sure how, though. A stuck on board would do if nothing better.

• Block the bottom half metre or so of each external doorway - basically plywood panels sealed onto and screwed onto a U-shaped frame made of battens. The batten frame could be stuck to the doorframe with adhesive.

• Above the door plywood panel have 20cm or mor of water filtering sandwiched between chicken wire or similar.

The idea of restricting the height of the door panel (and having a filter on top) is to limit the pressure that outside water can apply sideways to the wall. Better to flood than to have the wall pushed in. I'm not sure what height a wall could be expected to support. The above "half metre or so" is a guess at what should be safe. Any higher water could flood in but be to some degree filtered.

The above is meant for water coming down the street. Cannot think of a way to deal with water coming up through the ground.

James

[sm_jamieson]

Only so much can be done with existing houses. The best way is to build the house higher off the ground, on stilts or a raised basement/sump under the house and pump. But apparently planning tends to refuse this - examples are the Somerset farmer and Paul Daniels. That is the problem with this country - nothing is coordinated with anything else. If I was (part of) the government I would put a new edict on planning to encourage raised houses in flood prone areas. Simon.

[Tim Watts]

On Friday 14 February 2014 14:24 James Harris wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Ideall

Balloon on a tube, round the bend and inflate.

Even better would be having a non return valve in the drain further along.

Often done with metal frames and perspex around here (for short barriers).

Pumps - it's the only way to be sure I think...

[Tim Watts]

On Friday 14 February 2014 14:35 sm_jamieson wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Indeed. Around here, new houses on the flood plains are built 1st floor and upwards with an inbuilt garage occupying the "ground floor". Makes complete sense as the risk is limited and the most expensive asset is inherently movable easily. (uk-d-i-y'ers workshops excepted!)

[Huge]

Plastic football. Insert into pan deflated, then inflate.

[charles]

here, any water getting under the house comes up from the ground and not through airbricks, so there's be little point.

[tony sayer]

In article , James Harris scribeth thus

Just out of curiosity what do you do with the 'err solid wastes, if you can't dump 'em down the drains and if the garden is flooded to bury it;?....

[Nightjar]

On 14/02/2014 14:35, sm_jamieson wrote: ...

I note that a development on a road I know that has, occasionally, flooded in the past had the ground floor of all the houses about a metre above street level. As the 100 year flood level would be about a quarter of that it should be adequate to prevent them flooding.

Colin Bignell

[Andrew May]

Aren't there rules now about no steps thus facilitating wheel-chair access? How do they deal with that.

Cue thread convergence.

[Tim+]

Well there is if you want to pump it out to keep it below floorboard level.

Tim

[James Harris]

That will likely lead to all sorts of "humorous" scatalogical replies. Before they arrive I'll make a serious response.

A google for portable toilet throws up a load of potential solutions at surprisinly low prices such as 20 to 100. They would do for a limited period much as a caravan toilet would.

One might need to buy locally. The average courier doesn't have a marine service. That said, it may be possible to get something delivered to a courier's depot and pick up from there.

Personally, I think I would prefer to stay in my own home if possible. With camping supplies including for cooking if the power goes out it looks like it might be possible.

All I need now is a small boat!

James

[Flooded Out]

Wind forward to 20 minutes

[Nightjar]

The development I am thinking of has been built for some years now and has only steps at the front. I don't know about access from the car park, which is at the back. However, I have noticed that all current developments with steps do also have an access ramp.

Colin Bignell

[charles]

my airbricks are below the floorboards (3 courses below the dpc)- to ventilate the undefloor board space. Where are yours?

[dennis]

I would just pull them down and make them build somewhere else. In fact if they flood often and the insurance doesn't pay that may well be the effect.

[harryagain]

Or floating houses.

[damduck-egg]

If they have become unobtainable due to demand then a large plastic storage box, preferably one of the deeper versions with a lid that can be removed filled with cat litter may provide relief .Not pleasant to use but needs must and we are only one or two generations away from when earth closets were common place.

G.Harman

>

[tony sayer]

Excellent series that, couldn't have cast it better;)...

[jgh]

Or, where it is allowed and ecouraged, the occupants go on the TV news complaining about how their car and freezer in the basement has been flooded and ruined.

jgh

[Mr Fuxit]

Post it to Eric Pickles