Flood prevention

Businesses preventing flooding

Find out what to do if flood water has entered your business premises or putting in place a business continuity plan for flooding.

Green roofs

Green roofs help soak up rain water and reduce runoff from built up areas. Green roofs also increase biodiversity and wildlife, improve air and water quality, insulate the building and can provide amenity space.

Protect doorways

Doorways are the most obvious source for flood water to enter a building. Purpose-built doors are available which are entirely flood-proof, or removable barriers can be installed against the door opening.

Protect air bricks

There are two ways of protecting air bricks from allowing flood water into a property. Temporary covers can be fitted over the air bricks in time of flood, or new air bricks can be installed which are flood proof.

Sump and pump

Built-in sumps with pumps are used for removal of flood water that enters a building. They can be used for seepage of groundwater into basements or for removing leakage through flood-resistance products.

Protect low windows

Similar to doorways, there are purpose-built windows that have been designed to be flood-proof, or removable barriers can be installed against window openings. Note that some buildings cannot withstand flood water deeper than 0.3m or 1ft.

Perimeter defences

Standalone permanent defences around the perimeter of the building or land protect a larger area and do not rely on the strength of the building to hold back flood water.

Protect basements

Basements or cellars may be at risk of flooding from rising groundwater levels. They can be sealed using a 'tanking' system to make them completely waterproof. Basements may also need a pump for any water that seeps through.

Permeable paving of car parks

There are many materials available to make parking areas permeable, which reduces the amount of runoff from them.

Last updated 11 May 2023