What do you do after your home has been
flooded?
Health Advice
After the flood but before re-entering your
home.
The flood water in your home or other property
may contain sewage or other contaminants. Although this will be
very diluted and present a low risk there are some precautions that
you should take:
Cleaning up the house after the flood
- Contact your insurance company before throwing
anything away. Make a list of all damaged goods, including food.
Take photos/videos if possible.
- Don't switch on electrical appliances that have
been in contact with the flood water until a competent electrician
has checked them.
- Cover open cuts and wounds on exposed skin with
a waterproof plaster. Wear strong rubber gloves whilst cleaning
up.
- Remove soft furnishings and fittings that are
damaged beyond repair.
- Remove as much dirty water and silt from the
property as possible including cupboards, under cupboards and the
space under stairs and floorboards if you have these. This may
require pumping out.
- Wash down all hard surfaces with hot soapy
water several times until visually clean.
- Use a domestic disinfectant, following
manufacturer's directions as to concentrations, to wash over all
hard surfaces after cleaning.
- Food preparation surfaces and storage
cupboards, refrigerators etc should be washed down with food safe
disinfectants such as Milton, Dettox or similar.
- Heating and good ventilation will assist the
drying process.
- Clothing, bedding and other soft/fabric
articles including children's' toys etc should be laundered on a
hot wash (60°C and above, but check washing instructions first)
which will destroy any germs that may be present.
Other Contaminants
If the flood water contained oil, diesel etc
this should mostly flow away with the flood water and silt. Any
remaining oil, diesel etc contamination in accessible areas can be
removed by using a detergent solution and washing the surface down
after initial cleaning has been carried out. In inaccessible areas
such as under floorboards it may present an odour problem but is
not necessarily a health hazard.
Further advice should be sought from
Environmental Health if the odour persists or if you are
particularly concerned about it for other reasons.
Returning to your home
It is recommended that you only fully re-occupy
your home once the above cleaning has been carried out. There may
be additional works to be carried out eventually as advised by your
insurance company, housing officer, landlord, builder etc. If you
decide to return to your home before this further work is completed
you should:
- Try to have some heating on at all times,
consider the use of a dehumidifier
- Ensure the property is well ventilated. Leave
windows open as much as possible. Remember security
though!
- Ensure that if you have air bricks to any under
floor spaces that these are unblocked to give cross ventilation to
these areas.
Food Preparation and Storage
- Make sure that all shelves and storage
cupboards and refrigerators where food is stored are cleaned and
disinfected.
- All crockery, pots and pans should be
thoroughly washed with very hot soapy water before using. If any of
these are badly chipped or damaged do not use.
- Ensure the water taps are cleaned and
disinfected before using them for the first time
- Take particular care in preparing food; always
wash your hands before starting.
Other Health Issues
- If you follow the basic advice above you should
not experience any additional health problems. However, if you are
concerned visit your Doctor.
- While in the property floorboards, wall's etc
will continue to dry out. Any loose material and dust resulting
from this should be vacuumed up on a regular basis.
- Very young children should avoid playing
directly on timber floorboards or any damaged tiled floors if
possible.
- Help for vulnerable and elderly people
returning to their houses may be available from the Social
Services.
Remember
- Wash your hands properly if you have been in
contact with flood water or silt.
- Take particular care when preparing or eating
food.
- Contact your insurance company (if relevant)
and make an inventory list of all damaged goods, including food. If
you can, take photographs or video of the damage.
- Put contaminated flood-damaged food in black
plastic refuse sacks, seal and put out when your next refuse
collection is due. Check with insurers before disposal.
- Wash taps and flush them though before using
them.
- If you accidentally ingest (swallow) mud or
contaminated water and you become ill contact your doctor and tell
him your house was flooded.
- Replace manhole covers dislodged by the
flood.
Don't
- Don't be tempted to try and salvage damaged
food - including tins as they may be contaminated with sewage or
chemicals left from the flood water.
- Don't switch on electrical appliances, which
have been in contact with the flood water unless a competent
electrician has checked them. Southern Electricity will be checking
mains supplies.
- Don't eat garden or allotment vegetables that
have been covered by floodwater.
Additional Repair Works
- Eventually other necessary works may have been
identified by your insurers, builders etc. These will possibly be
carried out after the property has substantially dried out. However
if plaster walls and partitions have been affected badly and do not
dry out in a sound condition the plaster and boards affected will
have to be removed, walls dried out and re-plastered. Otherwise
redecoration of sound walls is all that will be necessary.
- Any areas showing signs of mould should be
treated - fungicidal products are available from DIY Stores.
- After about six months it would be advisable to
check timber floors for any evidence of rot or shrinkage. Any
necessary repair work can then be made.
- Fitted units, particularly in the kitchen, made
of chipboard may not dry out well and will become damaged by
absorbed water. Sanitisation of these is difficult and therefore
may have to be eventually replaced.
- Check for structural damage to your property
and if you think there is damage or danger seek advice from your
insurers, builder or building control officer.
We acknowledge and thank North Cornwall,
Elmbridge Borough Council and West Oxfordshire District Council for
advice found on their websites.
