Cleaning up after a flood
Flood water can contain sewage, chemicals and animal waste.
When you are clearing up after a flood it is important that you:
- Wear waterproof outerwear including gloves
- Wear wellington boots
- Wear a face mask
- Follow instructions given by the emergency services or the local authority. Updates and advice is regularly available on relevant radio and tv stations
Please note that if your electricity supply is not already switched off at the mains you should ask a qualified person to do this.
- Do not touch sources of electricity when standing in flood water. You can get water out of your property using a pump and generator
- Only pump out water when flood levels outside your property start to be lower than inside, this reduces the risk of structural damage
- Shovel mud away evenly from both sides of a wall this stops pressure building up on one side
- You can clean and disinfect your property using ordinary household products
- Do not use high pressure hoses as they blast contaminated matter into the air
- If you are drying your property naturally, keep doors and windows open as much as possible using dehumidifiers, close external doors and windows
- If you have gas or oil central heating and it has been checked by an engineer, turn it on. Keep the thermostat between 20-22 degrees centigrade for steady drying.