Reducing flood damage

Before adding flood defences at your church it is worth finding out what the flood risk looks like in your area. Understanding the long term level of flood risk at your church can be achieved by visiting one of the dedicated websites below and entering your church’s postcode. 

Please be aware - in the case of pluvial flooding, it can be harder to predict where floods will hit. Even churches with no prior history of flooding may be at risk. 

Assessing the risk of flood at your Baptist church can be done by carrying out a flood risk assessment. It can help you identify weak areas so you can put measures in place to reduce the damage flooding can cause.

To limit the damage flood water can cause to your church, consider investing in flood defences and damage reduction devices. Some suggestions include:

• Fit horizontal plasterboard or lime-based plaster instead of gypsum. 
• Introduce drainage systems within cavity walls. 
• Use tile flooring instead of carpets. 
• Use built-in units manufactured using stainless steel, solid wood or similar rather than chipboard. 
• Locate appliances on plinths raised above the floor. 
• Increase the height of damp proof coursing to walls. 
• Raise electrical sockets and fuse boxes at least 1.5metres above floor level and run cabling to these from the ceiling rather than floor level. 
• Raise the height of door thresholds 
• Install sump pumps in lower ground areas such as basements. Sump pumps should be triggered using a float switch.
• Consider fitting non-return valves to drains and water inlet and outlet pipes to stop water and sewage backing up into the church.
• Use flood boards but only if the flood waters are not too high. In really bad cases, flood boards can create pressure which can cause the building to collapse.
• Have a contingency plan outlining what you need to do in the event of a major incident. Keep emergency telephone numbers and church insurance documents with the plan so you can update relevant people without delay. 

The key piece of flood advice is ‘safety comes first’. Think about evacuation before it is too late to move. 

Call us as soon as possible after the flood to report your claim. We have access to a wide range of specialists to assist with the drying out, cleaning up and restoring your church buildings following a flood.