London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Flooding: Toilet bungs and other prevention measures to save homes

Flooding: Toilet bungs and other prevention measures to save homes

Homeowners risk complacency, expense and trauma unless they consider fitting simple flood protection measures, a new campaign will claim.

The Environment Agency and others say millions of UK homes are at risk, and families can be forced out of a flood-hit home for a year for it to dry out.

They say relatively cheap upgrades, including toilet bungs and air brick covers, can help cut damage and costs.

Forecasters say flooding in the UK will become more intense and more frequent.

Protection has saved one couple's home despite nine floods in four years.

Nick Lupton, who lives next to the River Severn in Worcestershire, said he and his wife Annie had never had to claim on insurance, having kept their house dry despite torrents of water outside.

Nick Lupton says the investment is worthwhile


"We bought the house with our eyes wide open," said the retired engineer.

"We have added a little bit to the mitigation the previous owners put in place which had worked very well, which makes our life a little bit easier."

The property, part of which dates back to the 17th Century, was once the river ferryboat's inn. When it was a pub, the sound of floating beer barrels in the cellar was a sign of the rising water.

Now, double flood barriers in front of the doors and pumps under the floors keep the muddy overflowing river water back. The couple are remortgaging to pay for a flood wall to circle the property, anticipating raising the value of their home as a result.

Flood barriers have held back the water


Not everything is expensive. A £5 sewage bung has saved them from having to bail out the toilets every 40 minutes during the night during a flood.

Such measures will be central to the launch of the Be Flood Smart campaign on Monday by the Environment Agency and Flood Re - a scheme designed to provide affordable insurance for flood-risk homes.

"I can't stress enough just how horrendous flooding is, so any action people can take to avoid the turmoil is a good investment," said Andy Bord, chief executive of Flood Re, who likened the safety measures to locks to prevent burglary.

"Insurance covers a lot, but it can't make flooding any less traumatic and protect those really important sentimental items at the heart of your home."

Toilet bungs are pumped up to avoid sewage backing up during a flood


Just days after the latest set of floods hit the UK, he is urging homeowners refurbishing their homes to consider measures such as waterproof tiling and covers over the holes in air bricks. The latter could prevent water getting in, the former could make any post-flood clean-up quicker and cheaper so residents can move back in sooner.

Such items are now being put to the test, and their benefits taught to the building trade, at a new flood school in Oxfordshire.

The BBC was given exclusive access to the Be Flood Ready Property Flood Resilience Centre, built at not-for-profit consultancy HR Wallingford using government funding.

Flooding is simulated here with water pumped into a mock-up kitchen, showing the benefit of raised electrical sockets and appliances, as well as tiled skirting boards.

A simulation shows the impact of flood water and protection measures


According to Emma Brown, who leads the flood forecasting team at HR Wallingford, climate change will make flooding "worse, more intense and more frequent".

That includes coastal floods, rivers overflowing, and drainage systems unable to cope with too much rainfall. Summer rain, when the ground is hard, can create flash floods in urban areas.

She said that the risk of flooding in areas that had not suffered before could lead to some complacency, but technology was helping to highlight the risks.

Emma Brown says computer modelling can alert those at risk


"State-of-the-art computer models mean we can pinpoint the homes and businesses that are most likely to be flooded. We can go out and be better prepared," she said.

The early results of research in Northampton suggested that every £1 spent on flood prevention in the area could mean £6 saved in dealing with damage, she said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×