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How can you protect your Swedish home against downpours?

Swedish summers are often wet, with downpours more common during the warmer months. Who is responsible if your home floods, and what can you do to prevent water damage? Advertisement What is a downpour and why can they cause issues? Meteorologically speaking (at least by Swedish definitions), a downpour is classified by Sweden's weather agency SMHI as rainfall of at least 50mm per hour or 1mm per minute. This is known in Swedish as skyfall. The term is often used even when those amounts haven't officially been measured – in this case you might see the phrase skyfallsliknande regn (downpour-like rain) instead. Downpours can cause flooding, especially if they occur after a long period of dry weather. Rain falls so fast that there is not enough time for it to drain away, and when the ground is extra dry the soil can actually become hydrophobic, repelling rather than absorbing the rainfall. What happens if my property floods? In Sweden, it's the property owners' responsibility to make sure the property is protected against floods. This means that if you live in a house which you own outright – that is, not a bostadsrätt or a rental – then it's your job to make sure your home is protected. In housing associations it's the responsibility of the association's board to protect the building against flooding. Sweden's Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB) warns on its website that rescue services will prioritise crucial infrastructure, like hospitals, in the event of a flood. 'Private property owners and other individuals should therefore be prepared to protect and be responsible for their own property,' it writes. This means that you are unlikely to receive help from the authorities if, for example, your basement floods. Advertisement How can I see whether I'm at risk? MSB has maps on its website (in Swedish) showing the risk of flooding close to Swedish rivers and along the coast. For downpour-related flooding specifically your best bet is to follow the weather forecast on SMHI's website, looking out for any weather warnings for skyfall or skyfallsliknande regn. Be aware that it's often difficult to predict where exactly flooding is likely to occur. For this reason it may be a good idea to plan ahead and prepare your home against flooding even if you're not in an area covered by a weather warning. How can I prepare for or prevent flooding? According to an official government website collating information on emergencies from Swedish authorities, there are a number of concrete steps you can take both before, during and after a flood. The first, and perhaps easiest step, is to check your home insurance policy so you know whether you'll be covered if your home does flood. Keep your home insurance details close at hand (if you have them on paper, somewhere where they are unlikely to be damaged if a flood does occur). It can also be a good idea to have a plan in mind for where you can go if you need to evacuate, as well as a bag packed with any essentials. MSB has issued all Swedish households with a booklet detailing what you should do in case of a crisis and how you can prepare – here's a digital version in English. Advertisement Don't forget to park your car somewhere high up so it's less likely to flood. If it looks like your local area could flood, contact your neighbours as you may need to help each other. The next step is to seal any openings where water could flow in, like any windows or other openings to your basement. If you live in an area which is particularly at risk, it may be worth investing in sandbags to block entrances to your property where water could get in (like a sloped drive down to a garage) or a water pump to pump water out of your cellar once the rain is over. Staffan Moberg from insurance company umbrella organisation Svensk Försäkring told the Dagens Nyheter newspaper (DN) that the vast majority of claims after floods are for damage caused by backflow, where plumbing systems flood and water comes up into homes through drains or toilets. For that reason, he recommends finding a way to block basement-level drains. 'One way to do that is to pump up a football in a floor vent, or place weights on top of a lid to hold it closed,' he told DN. You can also install a backflow vent in your drainage system to stop water from entering the house. Move any furniture and electrical appliances from your basement to a higher floor in your house, and make sure you don't have any valuables or important documents in places where they could get washed away, advises. Make sure your phone is charged and turn off your electricity at the breaker. It can also be a good idea to take pictures of all the rooms in your house to show your insurance company if they end up flooding. Advertisement What should I do during and after a flood? If you are unlucky enough to be affected by flooding, avoid walking or driving through any areas which are underwater – these can be deceptively deep and have strong currents which can easily sweep you or your car away. Head for high ground, preferably somewhere you could be easily rescued from, and remember to call Sweden's emergency number 112 if the situation requires it. Once the flood has subsided, contact your insurance company immediately, and document any damages with photos and videos. Don't turn your power back on until an electrician has given you the all clear, and don't drink your tap water until the municipality has said it's safe. Open doors and windows to vent the house and reduce the moisture level.