Dealing with a flood is not something that anyone wants to have to do. But, with the increasingly volatile weather systems and storms in the last few years, it’s increasingly likely that this is an issue you may face. That’s why it’s important to be prepared and know what to do.
Stopping Water
If the flooding is a result of a leak in your home then the first thing you need to do is shut the water off to your home. This means knowing where your main water switch is and turning the vale, ensuring it’s fully closed.
This will stop any more water coming into your home and enable you to find the leak.
Of course, if the water is coming in from outside shutting off the mains won’t make a difference.
You’ll need to see if you can identify where the leak is coming in and block the access point. Sandbags are very good at this, consider keeping a few spare at home where you can get to them.
Turn Off The Power
Electricity and water don’t mix very well and the last thing you want is a flooded basement or downstairs that has an electrical current in the water.
Shutting off the power will prevent this from being an issue.
Evacuate
With a flooded house and no power, you and your family are going to need somewhere else to stay. It’s time to get out and get somewhere safer. You can deal with the water after this.
Documentation
Once outside you should call the emergency services unless the entire area is affected in which case they’ll already know about it, but that will be a weather-related flood.
You can then document everything you know about the flood, when the water started to come in, where it was coming in, why t happened, the damage caused, etc. Don’t forget to take as many pictures as you can. This will help with your insurance claim.
It’s actually a good idea to keep documenting as you move onto your next step.
Pumping Out
If you have a plumbing issue then you can pulp the water out of your house and down the drains. But, if the flooding is from bad weather conditions you may not be able to pump it anywhere until the water outside your home has subsided.
It’s a good idea to invest in mine dewatering pumps. These can be used to pump the floodwater away from your home. They can also be installed in a pit in your basement to help prevent the flood from becoming an issue in the first place.
You’ll need to service the pump regularly and make sure it’s pumping the water well away from the house so that it doesn’t come back in.
Drying Out
The pump will remove the obvious water but the moisture will be trapped in soft furnishings, which will need to be removed and thrown away. The floor and walls will also be saturated and these will take longer to dry. It’s a good idea to rent industrial blowers to help this process. You may be surprised to learn that cool air blowers work better than hot air.
Make sure your home is fully dry before you redecorate and refurnish, this will help you to avoid mold issues.
