After a flood.

What do I need to do if my home flooded?

Your home flooding can be stressful. You will need to contact your insurance company, who will help you through the process of dealing with any damage caused by flooding. However even after the flood has ended, there can still be dangers. Always remember that:

• Floodwater may be contaminated, especially by untreated sewage and even after the water is gone, these contaminants remain.  
• Make sure you wear rubber boots and gloves in and around the affected property
• Floodwater can damage buildings, especially is has been flowing quickly, is over 1m deep or has been in the property for a long time. 
• Don’t turn on your electricity until it has been checked

Read the National Flood Forum's advice on the dangers of floodwater. 

You need to  

Contact your insurance company and they will guide you through what happens next:

• Arranging temporary accommodation if you need it
• contacting loss adjustors
• Restoring your home to allow you to return.  
• Taking a photo of the tide mark on the wall where the flood water reached
• Taking photos of everything that is damaged – furniture, carpets, curtains, possession, external damage
• Providing skips to remove damaged items

The National Flood Forum provide a step by step guide on what you need to do after a flood.

Don’t take any action such as throwing away items until you have spoken to your insurer, as you may need to photograph them for your insurance claim. 

Pumping water out

If you're using a generator to dry out your property, remember:

• Never run a petrol of diesel-powered generator indoors
• Be aware of the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning

It can be difficult to detect highly poisonous carbon monoxide fumes because you cannot taste, see, or smell them. There's a greater risk of carbon monoxide poisoning when generators are used to dry out buildings.