Flood protection / flood mitigation products

The flooding events experienced over recent years have highlighted the following.

++Formal government-managed flood defenses don't always prevent flooding from occurring

++Some locations don't , and will not, benefit from formal defenses where flooding occurs.

As a result individual property owners need to become more aware of the risks to their property and to take a greater responsibility in protecting it from either occasional flooding or total inundation.

The research and development of flood protection products is receiving a high level of interest, especially in those locations that have previously experienced flooding. This has resulted in a number of manufacturers seeing a move into the flood protection market as a lucrative opportunity.

Many product ideas never make it beyond the R&D phase due to the costs involved in getting them to full production. Those that do become commercially available are marketed and advertised as being effective in helping occupiers mitigate the effects of flooding. The true effectiveness of any given product will depend, though, on the characteristics of each property, and the expected causes and level of flooding. In some instances the product may be totally unsuitable.

Existing standards

In an effort to enable consumers to make more informed purchases the Standards Institution, in association with the Association of Insurers, the Environment Agency, the Flood Protection Association and HR Wallingford have produced Publicly Available Specifications (PASs) covering a range of specifications for flood protection products. The three PASs currently available are:

These products are intended for installation across building apertures (e.g. doors, windows, air bricks and air vents) and will include:

++door boards

++air-brick covers.

Positive features of these products

++They are generally suitable for low level flooding (e.g. less than 50 cm) of short duration

++They can slow inundation to allow people to evacuate premises and to move possessions away from or above the highest expected flood level

++They are lighter and environmentally friendly alternatives to using sand bags

++They are relatively easy to install (one or two people can handle them)

++They are relatively inexpensive.

Negative features of these products

++Every building aperture must be protected individually

++They rely upon property owners and occupiers receiving flood warnings in advance, and installing protection quickly and correctly

++They are unsuitable for flooding at high levels and for long durations

++If used in isolation, floodwater will still enter properties through building fabric (e.g. brickwork, cavities, floors and drainage systems)

++They will delay and not prevent damage to buildings and their contents

++If not removed after flooding they have the potential to cause damage to the fabric and structure of buildings.

Flood protection products: Temporary and demountable products

These relate to products intended to be demountable or for temporary installation around structures. They include:

++pallet barriers

++board barriers

++skirt barriers

++water filled barriers.

Positive features of these products

++Potentially they can protect entire properties and sites

++They are generally suitable for low-to-medium-level flooding (eg less than 1m) of both short and long duration

++They are able to slow inundation to allow people to evacuate premises and to move possessions away from or above the highest expected flood level

++They are more environmentally friendly, and generally more effective and quicker to install, than sand bags

++They are more effective if supported by 'sump-and-pump' within protected areas. (Silting up of a sump under flood conditions needs to be considered.) Negative features of these products

++They rely upon property owners and occupiers receiving flood warnings in advance and installing protection quickly and correctly

++They are not always suitable for flooding at high levels (eg greater than 1 m)

++They require a minimum of two people to install and , in some cases, require additional equipment and machinery

++In floods of long duration, water will still enter the protected area through the barrier joints, up through the ground and over the top

++They can be expensive to buy and install so they are normally purchased only where high value property is at risk or where more than one property owner can contribute

++Potentially they can lead to damage being caused to surrounding third party properties where floodwater is diverted by the barriers.

Flood protection products.

Building skirt systems

This specification, for building skirt systems, is the only one currently covering products capable of protecting all sides of an individual property or group of properties. Products meeting the requirements of this specification claim to be significantly more effective since they allow only a third of the water ingress than products meeting other BSI flood protection specifications.

Other types of flood protection products

There are many commercially available products and installations that don't meet a relevant Standard, but which can assist in reducing the impact of flooding. Some examples of these products are:

++water resistant coatings for external walls

++flexible tanking membrane skirt systems

++wire wall sand basket systems

++tailored drainage management

++water resistant kitchen units

++electrical appliance raisers

++large water resistant bags for items which can't be raised or moved

Using any of the above products in isolation will not eliminate the affects of flooding, but, if used with other products as part of a wider damage limitation and risk management plan, they can reduce the cost of flood related claims.

The Flood Protection Association represents companies specializing in flood protection products and services.

Underwriting and risk

It is essential that before any underwriting allowances are made that the true causes and extent of flood risk at any given premises are established and understood.

It is recommended that a survey is carried out in every instance where flood protection products are being considered or used, and where appropriate a detailed flood risk assessment should be undertaken by a recognized authority.

The promotion of products and services that meet requirements should be encouraged. Conforming to Standards will allow the general public to make more informed decisions when considering the selection of flood protection products. It should be remembered, though, that the impact and extent of damage caused by flooding will vary considerably from one property to another, even if they are within the same location; and it follows that the effectiveness of any given product will vary greatly. It is therefore unlikely that an insurer would wish to recommend using any single product or service in isolation.

Insurers would normally expect product and service recommendations for individual risks to be obtained as part of detailed flood risk assessments from experts having the appropriate professional qualifications; these experts might be qualified hydrologists, or specialist engineers or surveyors, and their contact details should be available online.

Any request from a manufacturer or installer seeking the endorsement of a product from an insurer should normally direct their initial enquiries to insurance underwriters rather than claims staff.