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Emergency Recovery - Flooding
If you are not sure if you are at risk of flooding The Environment Agency web-site will enable you to check your locality. Having a flood plan in place will enable you to react correctly when you think trouble is looming. Again The Environment Agency has useful leaflets to download, which will help you to plan what to do before a flood and after.
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/flood
Obviously prevention is better than cure, but water will always find its way through all but the very best defences, so if you know you live in an area prone to flooding, it is a good idea to be ready for the inevitable and have a water pump standing by.
There are several types of pump, each designed with specific problems in mind. Flood water can be divided into three basic categories, with pumps to suit:
Clean water- rain water, floods from burst pipes etc - No suspended solids Gray water - Mildly polluted water from baths, sinks, washing machines etc - With some, small suspended solids. Salt water will probably fall into this category, but you will need a specialist corrosion-proof pump. Black water - Sewage etc
If there is no electrical supply, there are two alternatives. A petrol powered pump or to buy a generator to run an electric pump. The generator option probably offers the most flexibility as it can also be used to power other tools and equipment while you are waiting for your electricity supply to be restored.
If it is raining heavily, while you are trying to stop your property being flooded, you should try to keep warm and dry. Protective, waterproof clothing and footwear should be bought in advance, ready for an emergency.
Once the water has receded, you’ll need to think about drying out your property. A dehumidifier will extract water vapour from damp air, speeding up the drying process. Blower/dryers are also available which speed up drying of carpets, walls and furnishings.
Care should be taken if you suspect that the water was contaminated with sewage, protective footwear and rubber gloves should be worn and any contaminated furnishings disposed of.
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