Homeowners are being advised to that they must take notice of flood risk surveys and on the best ways to protect their home against water damage by Move with Us.

Robin King, Director of Move with Us, said: “The number of floods witnessed in Britain has increased dramatically over the last ten years and subsequently it’s becoming more important than ever for home owners to look at the flood risks that properties might be prone to. Flash floods happen across the UK when drainage systems can’t cope with any more water, so it’s not just homes located near rivers and seas which could be at risk.

“Many existing home owners ignored the flood warnings that their solicitor found when carrying out searches on their property. Even fewer potential buyers do their own research to uncover whether the house they are considering buying is in a flood zone, despite this only taking a few clicks on the Environment Agency website.

“Home owners already living in potential flood zones should seriously consider making improvements to increase the chances of the property being able to deal with flooding as this is likely to be a lot cheaper than the cost of cleaning up.”

The top 10 tips which have been compiled on how to best protect your home against flood damage are as follows:

1. Purchase flood-resistant UPVC doors as these can reduce the chances of water entering your property
2. Lay ceramic tiles on the ground floor which are easier to clean than carpets
3. Use rugs instead of fitted carpets. Rugs can be removed without much effort in case of flooding and they are also cheaper to replace than fitted carpets if they get ruined
4. Raise the height of electrical sockets to at least 1.5 metres above ground floor level as this can limit the damage caused by water ingress
5. Fit stainless steel, plastic or solid wood kitchens instead of chipboard ones which are not as durable
6. Put the main parts of a heating or ventilation system, like a boiler, upstairs or raised well above the ground floor
7. Fit non-return valves to all drains and water inlet pipes, which only allow water to flow one way
8. Replace wooden window frames and doors with man-made ones like UPVC which are easier to clean
9. Install flood resistant air bricks in place of existing vents
10. Purchase sandbags and store them in your garage so you can access them quickly