The United Kingdom is no stranger to rain, and it certainly isn’t unfamiliar with flooding. Floods occur annually, and businesses in at-risk flood areas need to prepare in advance to reduce damages caused by the rising waters. Every businesses and homeowner should prepare for floods; however, it is the small businesses whose livelihood is on the line. That is why you must first check to see if your business is in an area that is likely to see flooding, and if you are, you need to prepare by following this simple guide:
Before Flooding
There are many measures and procedures you can devise and put into place before the floods even begin. Do these steps before you flood, and you’ll be able to better reclaim cost for damages and reduce the damage to your business entirely.
- Get Insurance
Before flooding can even begin you must get insurance and ensure that your insurance will adequately cover you for flood damage. There is no point risking it when choosing insurance. If you are in an area that has seen floods in the past, it is smart to consider the chance of your business being flooded as a certainty, not a possibility. Get insured and be protected.
- Create a Flood Plan
Flood plans are useful to create ahead of time, because the extent of damage to your business depends on how fast you and your employees can respond. Flood plans should include measures on how to protect products, electronics, and the people inside your store. Create your flood plan and ensure that all your employees are trained in its procedures.
During Flooding
Most businesses won’t want to close unless the flooding has started to affect it. As such, you need to take some measures when your area is under flood alert. This includes moving stock to higher ground and bringing out your flood prevention items such as sandbags or more expensive, but effective flood blocks. Another great precaution is to turn off electricity and move all wires and electronics to a safe place after you close each night, so you don’t have to rush to your premises if it begins to flood. As soon as the flood alert in your area becomes a flood warning to turn off electricity, gas, and water, regardless of whether you are open or not.
After Flooding
You want to get your business up and running again as soon as possible after a flood. Hiring a professional flood damage clean-up team such as CleanSafe Services would ensure the business is clean and safe from any contamination the rainwater or even sewage water might have brought in.
Flooding is a reality for many neighbourhoods in the United Kingdom. If your business is in a flood-risk area, you need to take precautions and have procedures set in place so that you can reduce damage. Don’t play the odds when it comes to flooding; if your business’ location has previously flooding, assume it will happen at some point again. It is always better to be prepared than to be hit by a flood with no protective measures in place.