Flood Damage Restoration Contractors London
The effects of a flood on your home or business are serious and long-lasting.
You’ll likely have significant damage to deal with, but rest assured that it can all be repaired in due time. Often overlooked is the emotional stress that flood victims are faced with.
Even a small local flood just on your property can destroy a lifetime of possessions and profoundly affect the comfort we all feel in the reliability of our homes.
This page provides some basic tips and strategies based on experience that will help you react efficiently and safely to a flood damage event and at the same time, give you some piece of mind.
Flood Damage London & Emergency Response Actions
If you’re involved in a major, community-wide flooding event, there will likely be government authorities and relief resources on-site.
Follow their instructions when applicable, and take full advantage of these services as much as you can. The emergency response staff will be a great clearinghouse for information and referrals.
If you have no emergency services on-site, then there are some basic guidelines everyone should know about flood damage. First, never enter any building if you smell gas – remove yourself to a safe distance and call the authorities. It might not seem obvious, but flooding can impact gas lines and cause dangerous leaks. Second, always wear waterproof boots, gloves, and goggles; make sure to avoid floodwater making direct contact with your skin. Flood water is often contaminated with a variety of dangerous substances.
If you flood happens in winter weather conditions, make sure to protect yourself from hypothermia and “trenchfoot.” Hypothermia can result from standing in water that is cooler than 75 degrees F(24 degrees C) because at that temperature the water will remove heat faster than your body can generate it. Hypothermia can happen faster than most people realize. Also, too much time spent standing immersed in water can result in what’s called “trenchfoot” or “immersion foot” – both are serious skin-related issues, but all of these conditions can be prevented simply with a good pair of waterproof boots.
Home Flood Damage Clean Up London
Once the flood conditions have subsided and you’re safe, many people are eager to begin cleaning and rebuilding as soon as possible.
Sadly, many people also make some common and potentially lethal mistakes. Most people are aware that standing water mixed with electrical equipment is quite dangerous, but unfortunately they too often turn to equally dangerous replacement tools. For example, do not operate generators, pressure washers, propane-powered heaters, or other fuel-burning machines indoors or even in partially-enclosed areas. Every year people sadly die from carbon monoxide poisoning, and odourless and colourless gas by-product from burning common fuels such as gasoline, propane, or charcoal.
Although bleach is an excellent mold-killer, never mix bleach and ammonia – the fumes are deadly. Just 1 cup of bleach mixed into 1 gallon of water provides plenty of mold-cleaning power. If the surface to be cleaned is rough, use a stiff brush to work in the bleach solution. Rinse with plain water and let it air-dry. Don’t forget to wear rubber gloves and eye protection when cleaning with bleach.
Flood Damage Restoration Contractors
We understand that recovering from flood damage can be a very trying time in anyone’s life.
So if you need some help with yours, give us a call. We are happy to share our experience and help you get your home, business, and life back to normal.