But what about the thousands and thousands of existing homes that due to changing climate conditions find themselves in a hitherto unrecognized flood plain and seem destined to be flooded out year after year?
With insurance premiums rising like the proverbial flood waters themselves, many home owners are desperate to prevent future flooding from ruining their properties, lest they become uninsurable or unaffordable or worse, unsaleable.
Raising existing buildings up on stilts is a non-starter, and whilst door and window flood shutters can prevent flash flood damage, they are pretty ineffective against 10' deep torrents of water engulfing whole streets for days. There is now a momentum building for developing products that are 'flood resistant' such that they are unaffected by being submerged in dirty, silt-ridden river water, or can be cleaned and reused afterwards, keeping renovation costs down.
Martin Wadsworth, MD of Discrete Heat, said:
“Waterproof plaster boards and paint are available as well as water resistant floor coverings. Whilst soft furnishings may still need to be moved upstairs, anything that is permanently fixed need to be re-evaluated and flood resistant alternatives seriously considered. One such readily available suitable product is ThermaSkirt — an aluminium alternative to conventional timber and MDF skirting boards, that not only is impervious to being submerged, but actually provides the central heating as well, replacing conventional radiators in the process. Being manufactured in rust resistant aluminium, and then epoxy powder coated, ThermaSkirt is available in a wide range of shapes and styles & can withstand being under water without even needing repainting afterwards. Uniquely, ThermaSkirt also incorporates integral pipes that connect onto a typical central heating system, creating a true 'skirting board radiator'. By combining the heating into the ThermaSkirt profile, this means that conventional steel radiators that would ordinarily rust in water, or retain the foul flood water in the grilles and fins are eliminated, speeding clean up as well as creating more usable wall space under normal everyday conditions.”
Available in Lambs Tongue, Torus, Pencil Round & Ogee profiles, and in up to 6m lengths, ThermaSkirt once fitted is practically indistinguishable from conventional skirting boards. The EasyClean profile —developed in co-operation with the NHS— features seals to the wall and floor to provide an even more resilient and water resistant option.
Fitted in a matter of hours, and usually using the existing radiator pipework, ThermaSkirt is an ideal retrofit solution for those properties that currently require new skirting boards or are looking to become prepared for the inevitable.