Your home is your castle, and it stands to reason that you'd want to arrange your castle to withstand any attacks.
Not only that, but you’ve arranged your interiors to be beautiful. You’ve chosen furnishings you love and decorated your home with instagrammable style.
The problem occurs when something breaches the battlements - flooding!
Each year in Nottingham, flood warnings are present. Being in the East Midlands often means that the wet weather can build up very quickly. With nowhere to go, it’s in the home in no time at all. That castle of yours is about to get very soggy, very quickly, and you need to know how to get your home back to normal. Those interior design dreams weren’t for nothing, and you’re not about to hang around and wait for your things to be ruined before you do something about it. Flooding is not a joke; it’s not a muddy puddle that requires a pair of wellies and an umbrella. It’s a serious matter that requires serious thought.
Once that flood water has invaded your castle, you need to come up with a plan of action for once it’s receded. You’d love to get back into your house, but there are certain things that need to be done first. Take a read of my steps to get your home back to its very best.
Check The Outside Of The Home.
Before you go back into your property after a flood, you need to do a walk around. You need to see what’s what outside the property to know if there are electrical lines that are in the water. Smell the air when you walk around the house - you’ll know straight away if there’s a gas leak. If you notice any of these things, you need to make sure that you do not enter the home without a professional telling you to do so. You could get a quick loan to pay for a callout from an electrician or even the fire brigade. You don’t want to go into your house again if it’s not going to be safe. The interiors may well be at risk, but your life is worth more than a sofa.
Disconnect The Gas & Electric.
Water and electricity do not mix, and you need to get your electricity turned off before you re-enter your home. Contact your electric company and gas company and get them to turn off the service to your home until you contact them again. Nobody wants to end up a statistic of those who have died in flood-related incidents - most of which occur after the water has receded.
Think What You're Wearing
Okay, so while this is no time for a fashion show, I'm not talking about dressing to impress anyone when you go back into your home. You’re returning to a property after a flood, which means that you need to consider your footwear and your clothing. Think about your safety; Boots, dust masks, hard hats and waterproof overalls are always a good bet before you head back into your house. You won’t know the condition of the interior until you get there.
Other Things To Bring
When you head back inside, have the following list of items with you to ensure that you are as safe as possible.
First aid kits are a must - you could cut or injure yourself while you sort through your things to assess the damage.
Flashlights or torches can help with the power being out. You’ll need as much light as possible to access the damage.
A long, dry wooden stick can help you to unplug any cords and turn off switches. Electricity won’t travel through wood.
Buckets filled with cleaner and a mop will help to start the clearing up and cleaning process.
Rubbish bags and containers to start throwing away things that cannot be salvaged are the best option when you know your home has suffered flood damage
Pump Each Room
If you are unlucky and have several feet of water in your home, you need to clear it out. Wait until the water has receded from outside the property, then bring in a pump to pump out the water from the space and do it slowly. The ground will still be sodden with water, and you need to remove the internal pressure on the walls. Take your time and go room to room to ensure that this is done safely. A Water Damage Restoration Company can assist you at this stage if required. They can get the water out and dry the property as quickly as possible, preventing any further damage to the property.
Spray The House
Your power will be off, so this is the safest time to spray down the house and get rid of the excess mud and muck. Use cleaners to get the walls clean again and do the same with the floor.
Dry The House Out
Getting the walls and floors as dry as possible isn’t going to be an easy feat, but it’s the best thing to do to ensure that your house stays upright and liveable. The last thing you need is mould in the walls, so get the dehumidifiers and fans on as soon as the electric company agrees to turn the electrics again. No matter what the weather is like, throw open the windows and let the air through the house as much as possible. It’s not an easy process, but your furniture needs to dry out to know whether it’s salvageable.
Cleaning and Sterilising the Home
When you use a pump and bleach water, you can sterilise your house. Doing this externally can kill any chance of mould beginning to grow, which is what you want for your home. Cleaning the interior once dry to remove any mud and dirt is the next step before you repaint anything. It’s then that you can start to move the dry and clean furniture back into your home.
Love Tx