What Should I Do If My Home Floods?

CONTENTS

• Pay attention to your local authority
• Contact your insurance company
• Keep record of your belongings
• Returning to the property
• Our professional flood damage restoration services
• Can I deal with flood damage myself?
• Protecting your property in the future
• Contact us today

According to Reach and Rescue, flooding poses a threat to 1 in 6 households in England. 5 million people also live in places that are at risk from flooding. These statistics show how widespread the issue is in nationwide.

Experiencing flood damage to your home is an upsetting experience, and one that needs fixing as soon as possible. Read on below to find out more about what you should do if you are impacted by flooding.

Pay attention to your local authority

If you have been impacted by a flood, you can get updates from your local authority. You should also follow any guidance they set out to ensure your safety through this time.

They can also give you advice on how best to dispose of contaminated items, as well as provide other aid.

For alerts about imminent flood threats, turn to the Environment Agency. It is their responsibility to protect local spaces from floods. If you would like flood warnings for your area specifically, Floodline are also a good resource.

Contact your insurance company

After a flood has hit, you should make a note of your policy number and have a read through of your insurance brochure to establish what level of coverage you have.

Throughout the process, it is recommended to keep a log of all dealings with your insurance company. Maintaining a record of all interactions is vital, as the process can be long and complicated.

Depending on the type of coverage you have, your insurance company might also be able to get in touch with a professional flood damage cleaning company to begin the clean up process.

If you would like to learn more about flood insurance and what levels of cover you could get, please click here.

Keep record of your belongings

For insurance purposes, it is important to document any damaged caused to your belongings as a result of flood damage.

This will include taking photos and videos of your possessions, as well as marks on walls that show how high water rose in your home. Additionally, do not get rid of any belongings before your insurance company have declared you can.

As part of the process, they will send a loss adjuster to the property to assess the water damage. This is why it is crucial to keep detailed records of all your dealings following a flood.

Due to the possibility of future floods, take photos in future of all your belongings in their respective rooms. If you are notified of an imminent flood, try to move items out of reach from contaminated flood water to higher ground.

Returning to the property

You should be very careful when returning to the property and must not enter the property unless it has been declared to do so by the local authority or emergency services.

Electricity and mains should be checked and must not be turned on unless they have been checked by professionals and declared safe.

When you are allowed to enter your home, be careful to wear protective clothing and footwear and to avoid contact with contaminated water. If you do come into contact with contaminated water, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly to stop the spread of viruses and bacteria.

Our professional flood damage restoration services

Here at ICE Cleaning, we are specialists in flood damage cleaning and aim to restore your property as close to its original state as possible.

As flood specialists, we use state-of-the-art equipment and the latest industry knowledge to tackle flood damage. Our staff also undertake regular professional training courses to ensure they are up to date with industry cleaning techniques.

We will also offer a complimentary application of our ICE SHIELD® solution during the clean. This is scientifically proven to kill 100% of bacteria and viruses on surfaces it is applied to for a period of up to 28 days.

Our dedicated technicians will perform a site survey to assess the level of damage caused by the flood before undertaking the clean. During this survey, they will perform a risk assessment to prevent any issues arising during the flood damage cleaning.

Can I deal with flood damage myself?

You should not attempt to clean or restore the property following flood damage yourself, as you could do more harm than good.

A professional flood cleaning company will be able to fully eradicate the water damage and prevent occurrences such as mould and damp.

As well as this, contaminated water can carry bacteria and viruses that may be detrimental to your health. For this reason, you could cause yourself illness if you attempt to clean or remove contaminated water.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) will be worn during flood damage cleaning by professionals where necessary, and they will have all the necessary tools to protect themselves from illness that the general public will not.

Protecting your property in the future

Although flooding is unpredictable, there are ways you can protect your home from its effects in the future. This is particularly relevant if you live in an area that is prone to flooding.

One thing you can prepare is an emergency flood kit. This could contain things such as first aid supplies, food and vital documentation. It will also give you peace of mind that you have prepared essential items that are all gathered in one place should a flood strike. For more information about what to include, check out this useful information provided by the National Flood Forum.

Other preparations you can make include ensuring you have a good supply of sandbags. These act as good absorbers of water and are usually placed near drains or doorways to stop water from building up.

They are also cheap to purchase. For more information on how you can find sandbags in your local area, please click here.

Modifications to your property may also help prevent flood damage. For example, installing air bricks and synthetic windows frames are often recommended as good protection from floods.

There are measures you can take inside your home too. This includes ensuring plug sockets are 1.5m from the ground and installing new boilers on the first floor of your property. Having this in place will help safeguard from water damage.

Contact us today

To book our flood restoration services, please contact us on 0208 066 0360 or enquiries@icecleaning.co.uk, where one of our customer service representatives will help you.

We are available 24/7 and can be on site within 60 minutes in the event of an emergency.