Be prepared: 5 Steps to Storm Proof your property
13th Oct 2023
Weather warnings are in place in several parts of the country, often severe weather causes devastating damage to work sites, property and public spaces. While we hope this doesn’t happen to you, it never hurts to be prepared for the worst. Here is our round up of essential tools and tips to help you, should you be in an area where flooding is forecast.
Storm proofing your property
You might want to consider a few steps to better protect your property from extreme rain and stormy weather in future.
We recommend starting from the top and when it’s safe to do so it’s a good idea to assess the state of your roof and check for any weak points that could spell disaster in heavy rain. Get a professional in to perform any essential maintenance or roof repairs. While you’re thinking about your roof, make sure to check your gutters too, these can quickly fill up and cause problems such as blockages, leaks and cracks in stormy weather.
Getting rid of excess water
For cases of flooding, it’s worth investing in a submersible pump, these are pumps you can place directly into water in order to drain it. They can be very effective at getting rid of excess water, whether that’s from the home, garden or an inspection pit or ditch. Here at Draper Tools, we offer a wide range of submersible pumps suited for different environments – take a look here.
A good option if you have a property or a work site in a flood prone area is the Draper Emergency Flood Kit which includes a submersible dirty water pump and a heavy duty layflat 10m hose plus an 8mm hose clamp set and a robust contractors bucket. For locations where mains power is not available, Draper also offers an Emergency Flood Kit with a petrol water pump.
Prepare for power cuts
Severe storms and rain can cause power cuts, particularly for sites and homes in rural or remote areas. Consider investing in a generator, if you’re likely to be without power for significant periods, it can be a very worthwhile purchase. Draper Tools offers a whole range of generators for home use and generators for commercial industrial use. If you’re not sure which model will work for you, here’s a handy guide.
Outdoor protection
If you’re looking to protect garden features, furniture and plant pots in extreme weather, some tarpaulin can come in handy, alongside some tarpaulin cord, rope, tie down straps or bungee cords.
Cold Conditions
If you’re feeling the chill in stormy conditions, whether you’re working from home or in an office, a portable space heater can really make a difference. There’s a great range of heaters available from Draper . For the home or at your desk choose a compact but powerful PTC Electric Space heater when you need a little extra warmth. It could also save the day should your boiler or central heating ever break down and you have a while to wait until it can be fixed.
Don’t be in the dark
A key item in your storm prep kit should certainly be a torch. Draper offers a wide range of torches and lighting options to help you out in an emergency, including rechargeable torches. For hands free illumination consider a head torch or the Draper Beanie Hat with Rechargeable Torch. When the weather is better this cosy beanie is also great for dog walks and early morning runs. To light up workspaces and sites, the Draper 5 watt COB LED work lamp is a great option, producing a powerful 500 lumens.
Here to help
Should you need any advice on any of the Draper essentials for floods and storms, please feel free to contact us. We hope you stay safe and dry - here's hoping for better weather soon.
