South Hinksey is a village in Oxfordshire which suffers from a high flood risk and recently has had severe flooding problems affecting the majority of the properties. In 2007, a major flood engulfed the village with devastating results.

Phil Hewitt Associates designed a flood protection system and Newton Specialist Basement Contractor Stonehouse Property Care were commissioned to design and install Newton System 500 robust flood management system. The system was installed in five individual properties where the clients were extremely worried about future flooding and needed a system that would work in conjunction with flood defence systems to keep their properties dry.

In three of the properties, Stonehouse Property Care were employed directly by the homeowners as a part of the flood restoration works. Prior to the Newton System being installed, the insurance companies had stripped out the wet wall plaster and screed and were attempting to dry out the affected Grade II listed properties with dehumidifiers and fans!

Flood Protection System: Methodology

The properties to be treated varied in their substrates, including a combination of Cotswold Stone and 9 inch brick work. Stonehouse Property Care tailored the flood management system to each particular property’s needs. In all circumstances the Newton System 500 cavity drain membrane system was installed with sump and pumps to manage any ingression of water through the building fabric and through the floor to the sump and pump systems so problem water could be evacuated in the event of ingress.

In three of the properties treated, the Cotswold stone walls were rendered with a tight render coat as a means of closing up any obvious paths for water but also in preparation for the Newton 508 Meshed membrane to be mechanically applied to the wall. This membrane creates an 8mm gap between the wall and the new internal finish allowing for moisture and vapour to be diverted to the wall/floor junction of the properties.

Newton Titan-Pro Sump Pump is designed specifically for Newton System 500

At the wall/floor junction an 80mm x 100mm chase was formed in the existing concrete and lined with Newton 101F cementitious slurry. Then the Newton Basedrain was put into the chase, levelled all around and then terminated into the Newton Titan sump and pump system. This sump system contained two NP 750 watt pumps and a battery back-up system in the case of power outage. Both pumps were designed by Stonehouse with two separate discharge lines allowing for both pumps to have maximum ability to discharge (330 litres per minute per pump). Across the floor in four of the properties was the Newton 520 – 20mm studded HDPE membrane which interfaced with the 508 Mesh and channel to complete the system.

Once the floor membrane was in situ then a 65mm screed was applied and a rendered finish was applied to the meshed wall membrane directly which was detailed into the existing substrate. The wall finish was applied to 1.5m internally and in some circumstance full height. In one property, Stonehouse Property Care just installed the Newton Titan Sump Pump into the lowest corner of the property – the area of most high risk for water ponding. The client has flagstone floors which they did not want to remove and was ok to have a system where if water came in over the floor all he wanted to do was pump it out before it reached 40mm in height!

Recent Flooding Tests Systems To The Extreme – Newton System 500 Protects All Properties

With the major flood in Oxfordshire in November 2012 these systems were tested to the extreme, with varying levels of flood water affecting the village from 500 to 800mm of water engulfing the village completely. The Newton System 500 Flood Management System protected all the properties it was installed in with parties all around being flooded and in some case evacuated from their homes.

Full Guarantees For Design and Installation Of Flood Protection Systems Via Newton Registered Installers

• The insurers did not have pay for the works to be implemented as the installation of the Newton System was classed as betterment so there was no need for the clients to claim on their insurance policy
• The installation of the Newton System meant that the reinstatement of the screed and wall plaster could continue immediately which meant no lengthy drying out times thus slashing the time out of their properties.
• The design and installation of the Newton System by Stonehouse Property Care meant that all clients had peace of mind a full guarantee for system. The pumping systems carry a 5 year manufacturer’s warranty when installed by our NSBC contractor.
• The design of using the 508 Mesh membrane on the walls meant that the system was able to follow the contours of the original building fabric and if required could be easily removed which is a prerequisite for listed buildings from English Heritage
• The sump and pump systems installed can be operated by the Newton Battery Back-up system or alternatively rigged into a generator to operate when extended power outage occurs.

Testimonial

“Newton System 500 was installed in my house by NSBC Stonehouse Property Care. The system has protected my property from severe flooding and has kept it dry whilst others around it suffered from bad flood damage. I would recommend it to anyone else who lives in a flood risk zone” – Richard Buckett