Seek expert advice as flood risk looms
Homeowners and businesses threatened by flooding are being urged to seek advice from experts.
The recent bout of heavy rain and gale force winds signals the UK weather is turning – with the possibility of increased flooding to properties all over the country.
National trade body the Property Care Association (PCA) has produced a guide, entitled ‘Flood Protection and Your Property’ which sets out the importance of taking a detailed approach to making a property more flood resilient.
The guide points readers to a tool which evaluates their flood risk and sets out the importance of appointing professionals to help identify and install appropriate flood resilience measures.
It also highlights the different factors which can be used as part of an overall solution to protect properties.
The guide is available for free download here.
The PCA is a member of TrustMark, the government-supported scheme to help property owners find reliable and trustworthy tradespeople to make home improvements.
Steve Hodgson, chief executive of the PCA, said: “Flood resilience is not just a case of buying products off the shelf – there is no one size fits all solution and this guide illustrates that.
“Introducing effective flood resilience for properties that are under risk of flooding involves looking at a property as a whole, understanding its needs, and bringing together all the appropriate parts of a solution that together will help make that property more flood resilient.
“This work requires a high level of technical ability and property owners should engage the services of a professional in the field, especially where they are under high risk of flooding.
“PCA members are professionals that can be relied upon to undertake property-level surveys and install appropriate solutions. They are reliable and trustworthy tradesmen with specialist focused skills, who are able to design and deliver robust and reliable solutions for flood-risk properties and follow the PCA Code of Practice.
“This Code of Practice provides guidelines that set the principles and standards to which our members work.
“It recognises the need for any professional involved in the protection of buildings at risk of flood to understand the physical, financial and, very importantly, emotional impact on property owners.”