Tackling flood damage to your property

Floods can strike quickly and often randomly. You only have to look at the village of Milton in Derbyshire as a recent example, where a burst water main caused major disruption and damage. Whether caused by sudden heavy rainfall, burst water pipes or overflowing rivers, the consequences of flooding can have serious effects on people’s homes and businesses. Floods can strike quickly and often randomly. You only have to look at the village of Milton in Derbyshire as a recent example, where a burst water main caused major disruption and damage. Whether caused by sudden heavy rainfall, burst water pipes or overflowing rivers, the consequences of flooding can have serious effects on people’s homes and businesses.

Identifying the damage

It’s often only once the flood water has been cleared that the full extent of the damage is revealed. The items most at risk of damage from flooding are soft furnishings, floor standing furniture, floor covering and walls, but even the very structure of the building could become damaged by a severe flood. Having a clear plan of action in place can help to reduce the stress of dealing with the aftermath:

  1. Protect yourself: Flood water can contain all sorts of hazardous and unsanitary substances, including sewage waste and rodent urine. To protect   yourself, you’ll need to ensure you have appropriate protective clothing including gloves, facemasks and overalls. You should also take extra precaution when cleaning your clothing and hands after cleaning up following a flood to prevent the risk of catching any illnesses. For example, rats carry Leptospires, which can cause Weil’s disease in human
  2. Call in the experts: To guarantee the clean-up is as efficient as possible, you should consider reaching out to professionals to assess the damage and any potential structural hazards. We also advise that you contact a qualified electrician who can check all the electrics in the building and advise whether it’s safe to commence.  

  3. Pump out remaining water: Once flood levels outside the property are lower than inside, you can start to pump out water without causing pressure to the building’s structure. To do this, we recommend using a pump and generator. If you are using a fuel generator, then it is important to make sure there’s enough room ventilation to prevent the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
  4. Remove silt or mud deposits: Remove any mud from inside the building, including large silt deposits that may have settled against internal walls. Remember to check both sides of the walls to ensure that your property’s structural integrity isn’t compromised.
  5. Clean the property: Now that your property has had all water and debris removed, you can focus on cleaning the floors, walls, doors and other surfaces. This should always involve using a form of disinfectant that can prevent any mildew from building up, thus keeping the microbiological risk as low as possible. We advise removing any damaged flooring, such as carpets, skirting boards and tiles as they can harbour odours and potential mould. Dehumidifiers will also aid in the drying process.

As the exterior of a property is generally better equipped to deal with water than the interior of it, you should only need to hose down your property to remove any surface dirt deposited by the flood.

6. Pest prevention: Be aware that you may see an increase in rat activity after floods, as these creatures become displaced from burrows or  sewers as water levels rise. Be extra vigilant and shore-up any damage which could allow the rodents to access your home. If in doubt, it is always best to work with professionals who can clean and disinfect your property to restore it to its original state in the most timely and safe manner possible.