Flood Resilience, Resistance and Recovery Advice for Homeowners

Important Considerations for Homeowners when choosing materials for flood resistance, resilience and recoverability

It is important for homeowners to firstly understand the basics about flooding and the associated risks.

• What is a flood
• What is flood risk
• For homes in a flood risk area, flood depth
• Flood duration
• Flood onset
• Flood annual probability
• Sources of Flood
• Availability of flood warning
• Speed of flood rise
• Velocity of flood
• Ease of Evacuation
• Assess how flood water enters property
• How flood water affects the structure during a flood event (this task may need to be undertaken by a surveyor)

Before then turning to product and how these may be of benefit both before and during a flood event.

• How do these products protect a home during a flood event?
• Do these products offer Flood Resilience, Resistance or recoverability (or all)?
• How are these products installed?
• Are these products readily available?
• Will these products reduce home insurance costs if installed?
• Will I be able to get home insurance if I install these products?
• Do these products meet BS85500:2015 requirements?
• Will these products protect a structure in an event of flood without having any detrimental long-term effects on the structure?
• Does this product have a BBA Accreditation?
• What is the life cycle of this product?
• Can manufacturers make easily available third-party test data?
• Do materials meet fire regulations?
• Do materials have CE Mark certification?
• Are Product Data Sheets easily available?
• Are Technical Guidance notes easily available?
• Is there Technical Assistance both on and off site?

We believe flood resilient design is not a single solution, concept or perspective.  It is an approach to changing the built environment.

Whilst protecting a building from being flooded is not cheap, taking steps to protect a home from flooding may enable the occupants to continue living in their home/having use of their building after a flood event, continuing business and services and obtain insurance at a more affordable rate.

Flood Resilience Developments

Since Delta first embarked on its flood resilience concepts with the BRE Flood Resilience House, a Victorian Terrace based at the British Research Establishment (BRE), Watford premises we have pushed forward tenfold with our flood resilience, resistance and recoverability concepts.

The BRE flood resilient property was a concept, which has proven to protect a property from water ingress and has demonstrated its resilience in how soon it can be reoccupied.

The Flood Resilient House whilst in the planning stage was desired to be both ‘Resilient’ and offer ‘Resistance’ and these approaches were incorporated into the project from the onset, the BRE has referred to this as ‘Property Flood Resilient Repair’. The project had a clear objective, to ensure limited damage to a property in the event of flooding, meaning a vast reduction in time needed for reoccupation.

Sustainability has been proven, the flood house has been flooded more than 5 times in the 12 months of 2017 and repeated throughout 2018 and 2019 and has proven to be a success and fast reoccupation after every flood event.

As a response to the flood events of winters of both 2013/14 and 2015/16, not to mention 2019 the built industry along with government bodies recognises the approach for protecting homes and businesses within the United Kingdom is focused on the need for a resilient approach.

In addition to this, the demonstration of flood resistance and resilience measures are key in showing home and business owners alike that these alterations do not need to look out of place in homes and that mainstream property flood resilience measures will become the norm for anyone prone to flood events. With an ever-growing industry of flood protection measures, more products are becoming available that can easily fit within the design of any home.

Delta Membrane Systems Limited

Delta Membrane Systems Limited provides a full range of waterproofing and damp proofing solutions for architects, specifiers, developers, contractors and homeowners on new, retrofit and refurbishment construction and in flood resilience.  We also supply ground gas protection membranes protecting structures from harmful ground gases such as radon, carbon dioxide, methane and hydrocarbons.

With over 125 years of manufacturing experience Delta is an impeccable partner on every project.  Our skills have been mastered through experience in the waterproofing industry.  Delta’s Technical Team will help from concept to completion. Our hands-on approach and knowledge are what sets us apart.

Our projects include commercial and residential developments, new-build and refurbishment, civil infrastructure projects, flood resilience, resistance and recoverability and domestic basements. Our nationwide network of Delta Registered Installers offers a fully guaranteed installation service.

Products available from Delta

Delta specialise in manufacturing and supplying the United Kingdom with waterproofing products.  The Delta range covers a comprehensive scope from cavity drainage membranes to resin injection systems.  Whether the subject is restoration to recovery, Delta systems protect and preserve building and structures.  For a full product list, please click here.

Delta Membrane Systems have sought to convey that solutions of systems and materials are readily available to homeowners, business owners, construction and insurers alike in flood resilience, resistance and recoverability.  Utilising technology that already exists and adapting it to provide a robust solution.  Delta being experts in waterproof design we know our products and design ideas work in flood resilience.

Delta can offer assurance to customers that our products fully comply with British Standards and Building Regulations.  Our products have BBA accreditation, Tested life cycle, easily available third-party test data, fire regulation test data, CE Mark certification, Technical Drawings, 3D Drawings, all products have easily downloaded Data Sheets and Material Safety Data Sheets.  We offer Technical Guidance along with Technical Assistance both on and off site.  All can be downloaded from the Technical menu on our website.

Case Studies

Delta has a large portfolio of case studies which increases weekly/monthly – The aim of our case studies is to demonstrate how Delta can meet the goals of high quality, high performance and successful completion of projects.

Flood ‘resistance’ typically refers to products which are designed to keep water out of a structure.  Flood ‘resilience’ typically refers to products which are designed to reduce the flood damage to buildings and structures and covers situations where water enters the structure.

The successful design strategies for flood resistance, resilience and recoverability need to be focused on the induvial property with the use of suitable material and construction technique.