FLOOD!!

Joined
1 Dec 2004
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
Country
United Kingdom
The flat I've moved into is prone to flooding. It tends to be at the rear where we have a sunken patio area. Opening to this area we have double kitchen french doors and a door to the bedroom. Any bright ideas for flood-proofing? Thought about sticking in a dam with MDF (or something) at the foot of the doors (outside) but that will be probably lead to much tripping over, cursing and even injury....
 
Depends on where the water is coming from and what you have in place for your ground water drainage.

Do you have gutters (or rainwater gulleys) that are overflowing. If so, clear them.

Is the water running in from the rest of the garden. If so, you could try installing a french drain on the house side, with a pipe leading the water away to a soakaway.

If you have a solid base to the patio you could install a gulley at the low end, and lead this off to, either your existing groundwater drainage system (BCO liaison required) or a soakaway (dependant on local geology).

If the water is coming off the rest of the garden, you may be able to construct a retaining wall, with a vertical DPM (on the garden side), this would then be back filled with pea shingle and possibly have a pipe leading away to a soakaway.

There are so many possibilities (most of them hard work), depends on you local geology, but providing adequate drainage is the key. Attempting to simply block the waters ingress will be futile.

If you can give us a more detailed description of the patio, we may be able to help. Is there a retaining wall, (if so how tall). Does the rest of the garden slope down to the patio (if so, what sort of slope). What is the patio construction, (is it bedded on concrete or sand).
 
I have seen several place next to the river Thames, they actually a special flood door.

its just a steel (yes steel) door specially constructed so that it seals when shut.
its "good fun" when the road floods
 
Thanks for the thoughts. I need to speak to the other people in the building to see where the problem comes from. I think the drains on the road have got blocked and overflowed in the past. At the front there is good drainage but no drainage from the patio as far as I can see. It's just a flat decking area with steps down from the garden. How would you create a way for the water to escape there?

Thanks
 
How would you create a way for the water to escape there?
I'd be inclined to carry out some extensive ground works. Just what form they would take, I couldn't say, as we have way too little information to go on.
 

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Back
Top