At least 1.3 million homes in Australia are at risk of flooding. The extreme climate, coupled with increasingly variable weather is making flooding a more common experience.
There is little doubt that it is devastating. In most cases, your house will remain standing after being flooded. However, everything you know and love on the ground floor is likely to have been damaged. It can be heartbreaking to have to sort through everything and salvage what you can.
You also need to be aware that floodwater is rarely clean. If heavy rain has caused the flooding then the water may be filled with bacteria and pollutants from the ground, these can be left behind when the water drains away, potentially making you and your family ill.
Alongside this, heavy rain that causes floods can also cause your sewers to back up, allowing sewage into your home. That’s a health risk and is one of the main reasons you need to proceed with caution.
Pump It Out
The first step needs to be eliminating the water as much as possible. You’ll need high-quality mine dewatering pumps. These are designed to work in water, are heavy duty and efficient. Connect them pump up and direct the outlet away from your home. Then turn it on and get the water out of your house.
Photos
Taking photos of the flood can be advantageous but not essential. However, photos of the damage, the watermark, and even the items that have been thrown away will help you to register your claim against the insurance company.
Remove Soft Furnishings
It’s rare to be able to save soft furnishings. In most cases, you simply need to pick up the carpets, curtains, and soft furnishings and then dispose of them. Even some of the harder furnishing may need to be thrown.
You need to be cautious when doing this, the hose and the soft furnishings will still be wet. The water may contain diseases. Therefore you should wear long waterproof trousers and gloves to protect them from coming into contact with your skin, especially any cuts and bruises you have.
Children and pets should be kept well away from the clearing up process.
Drying Out
With your items out of the space, you’ll be able to finish the drying out process. The best way to dry a house is to use cool air. Warm air increases the humidity, it will dry the soft furnishings but is likely to leave you with increased moisture levels. This will increase the likelihood of mold growing, something else that is not good for your health.
This stage can take a considerable amount of time, its’ advisable to be patient.
Re-Design
As you redecorate your home you should spend a few moments considering how to prevent flood damage in the future. There are several possibilities when looking at flood protection, it’s a good idea to ensure you have a sump pump in your basement and your walls are properly sealed.
