Storm Warning in effect – Prepare for Floods
Our first reaction when we hear there’s a storm warning in the UK is to panic but having peace of mind knowing that you are prepared for the worst is incredibly important.
Checking the Met Office website for up to date information and weather warnings is a great way to start and also signing up to their email alerts about your location can also be helpful.
You can also check for flood warning by country, we have put together a useful list of links below on where to find this;
Are you prepared for storm and floods?
Common causes can range from the obvious to the inconspicuous. Take faulty appliances, for example – an escape of water from the likes of washing machines and dishwashers should be fairly easy to identify. The same goes for botched DIY jobs – if you’ve got a leaky radiator, it’s likely you’ll spot it soon enough.
Hidden leaks, on the other hand, have the potential to cause damage way before they’re even identified. These can come from pipes in the walls, subfloor and other non-readily accessible areas and often occur from wear and tear, blockages or frozen pipes which expand and eventually burst.
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If you wake up and there’s standing water in your home, it’s important you turn off all running water, gas and electricity if it is safe to do so. If the flood is natural, try to avoid stepping in the water – it could be contaminated and leave you or your loved ones seriously ill if you fall in it.
The same is true if the water is running through your home. If it knocks you over you could injure yourself, preventing you from escaping the home or calling for help. Tread carefully and open any windows or external doors as you make your way through the house.
Once outside, call your insurance company. They’ll be best placed to recommend an emergency plumber and cleaning crew who will be able to attend the home within 24 hours. They’ll remove the water from your home and ensure it’s safe for you to re-enter.
After contacting your insurer, you’ll be able to begin repairing your home. Start by ventilating it, opening all the windows both upstairs and downstairs so that fresh air can come in. Keep a record of all of the damaged goods in the property too – not only will this help with your insurance claim, but it’ll also help determine the total cost of the flood.
Next, you need to prevent mould from growing. If power has been restored to the property, purchase a dehumidifier and start drying out your rooms.
You can speed this process up with the help of a professional flood restoration company. Take Rainbow, for example – we can dry out and disinfect all affected areas, and help you restore furniture that has suffered water damage.
We operate a two-hour emergency flood repair local call-out service, where we’ll address the source of the flood and work tirelessly to restore your flooded home to its original condition. We’ll also offer structural assessments of your property, ensuring that it’s still safe to live in and giving you complete peace of mind.