Key Post Dealing with flood damage

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D8Lady

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With so many people affected by flood damage in Cork, Galway and other areas, I think it would be useful to start a thread on the practical details of dealing with flood damage.

A similar thread has been started on how to make an insurance claim.
Here is a list of how to deal with various household items, based on experience in US. It covers electrical goods, furniture, bedding etc.

If anyone has practical experience of this, I'm sure it would be appreciated by many affected.

-------------------UPDATE------------------

There is a government website already for this flooding.ie

"Seeing the devastation a flood can cause to your property can be difficult for the whole family. Make sure that everyone gets plenty of support, rest and proper food. The clean up operation may seem like a daunting task, but just take things one step at a time.
  • Make sure that the gas, electricity and any fuel taps are turned off.
  • Temporary electricity can be hired, but ensure there is adequate ventilation as generators can produce carbon monoxide. Let the engine cool before re-fuelling.
  • Make sure any appliances that use gas are disconnected.
  • Make temporary repairs to the roof if it has been damaged. Tarpaulin makes a good temporary covering."
Cleaning - What you’ll need
Before you begin to clean up your property make sure you have the equipment you will need. This includes:

  • A camera to record the flood damage.
  • A basic tool kit with a hammer, nails, screwdriver and spanners.
  • Brooms, mops, scrubbing brushes and buckets.
  • Domestic detergent and disinfectant.
  • Rubber boots, gloves and protective clothing.
  • Shovels.
  • Heaters, fans and a dehumidifier if available.
  • Heavy duty refuse bags.
Remove standing water.

  • The fire service may supply a pump out service, for which there could be a fee, or you could hire a pump from a DIY store. Alternatively you can hire a specialist water damage company to pump the water out for you.
  • Drain water away in stages to avoid problems with the water pressure on the structure of your property. Removing about one-third of the water per day is recommended.
  • Do not heat your home to more than 4°C until all standing water is removed.
Removing mud

  • Shovel out as much mud as possible and use a hose to clean out the rest.
  • If there is mud on the inside and outside of your walls, remove in stages so that the loading remains even.
  • A high-pressure hose should not be used to remove mud from your property.
Cleaning and disinfecting

  • Scrub surfaces with hot soapy water and a heavy duty detergent. Do not forget the difficult-to-reach areas such as under kitchen units.
  • Items such as soft furnishings, clothes and foodstuffs that have come into contact with floodwater should be placed in rubbish sacks (tied securely) and disposed.
  • You will probably need to hire a skip to deal with all the refuse from your house. If you are making an insurance claim, do not throw anything out until you are told to do so by the insurance company.
  • All food preparation surfaces need to be cleaned thoroughly and disinfected.
  • Allow all cleaned surfaces to dry completely as there are germs that can thrive in wet conditions.
Restoration of Services
You must have an expert check your property’s services before you turn them back on. The damage caused by the flood may not be obvious and switching on a service could be very dangerous.

Electricity
An electrician will check the junction boxes, socket outlets, light switches and ceiling connections to ensure that there is no water trapped inside them.
Modern wiring can withstand a short period of flooding, but if your property was flooded for more than a couple of hours then you need to replace the wiring in your house. Consider re-routing cables to drop down from above.

Gas
Water and mud may enter gas systems during a flood. A registered engineer can check all your appliances, as these may be dangerous, even if they appear to be working normally.

Water
Mains supply water should not be affected by flooding, but wash the taps and then run them for a short time to ensure that silt has not entered the system.
If you suspect that your mains supply has been contaminated contact your local authority and boil tap water for at least 20 minutes before use.
Check the pipe work in your house to ensure that it has not been damaged and check any insulation around the pipes and replace as necessary.
Water supplies that are not on the mains system, such as cisterns or wells, may be contaminated and should not be used until they have been tested over a period of time. Consult a specialist for advice.

Sewers
Drains and sewers are rarely damaged by floods, but they may block and back up. Check this by flushing toilets and running taps. Report any blockages to the local authority.
If sewer repairs need to be made, consider installing anti-backflow devices.
If you have a private sewage system, make sure that there is no damage that could result in a health hazard. Saturated soils may interfere with its proper function. Do not use until the flood water level has subsided.
Service damaged tanks etc and have them inspected as soon as possible by a professional.
If flooding is likely to occur, make sure that the septic tank is kept full. In the event of a severe flood an empty tank could float away.

Useful contact numbers:

Emergency number 999 or 112
Ask for the emergency service you require:

  • Ambulance
  • Gardaí
  • Lifeboat
  • Mountain/Coastal rescue
  • Fire Brigade
  • Irish Coast Guard
  • Other
Give the address or location where help is required. Be as precise as possible.
Health Services 1800 520 520
Water 1890 202 021 / 1890 200 191
Electricity 1850 372 999
Gas 1850 20 50 50
Telephone Eircom : 1901
EsatBT : 1800 924 924 Local Authority [broken link removed]
Building Control Officers [broken link removed]
Structural Engineer / surveyor Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland - 642 5588
Department of Social Community & Family Affairs 1890 50 00 00
Department of the Environment 1890 20 20 21
Office of Public Works Email: [email protected]


Insurance

When claiming for flood damage on your insurance remember the do’s and don’ts below:

  • Do telephone your insurance company’s 24 hour emergency helpline to get the process started as soon as possible.
  • Do commission immediate emergency pumping and repair work to protect your property from further damage.
  • Do get advice from your insurance company on reputable contractors and builders.
  • Do check with your insurer if you have to move into alternative accommodation, as this is often covered by your policy.
  • Do make sure your insurance company knows where to contact you if you have to move out of your home.
  • Do keep an inventory of all your correspondence with your insurance company.
  • Don’t begin any work without the approval of your insurance company.
Department of the Environment, Heritage & Local Goverment - Local
Authorities - to check your own Local Authority [broken link removed]

Building Control Officers in each Local Authority can provide advice and guidance on ensuring that any works planned to be carried out will comply with the building regulations - Technical Guidance Documents A-M [broken link removed] [broken link removed]Local Authorities may provide advice on drains and drainage in your area, and whether roads are flooded etc.

Met Eireann - www.met.ie

National Flood Hazard Mapping - [broken link removed]

Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland (ACEI) - For advice on
structural surveys. For a directory of ACEI structural Engineers see
website www.acei.ie
 
Herewith a brief list of comments I've heard or thought about in the past two days; -

  1. buy your house on well-founded higher ground [no this is not as obvious a comment as it might seem, even today - people buy because of proximity to goods services amenities and facilities - they won't choose elsewhere because of flood risk]
  2. consider locating home offices with electrical equipment/filing cabinets upstairs, together with any precious family photos or official documents [passports. T.V. licenses, etc]
  3. do not be in a hurry to redecorate too quickly in the rainy season
  4. do not claim on the insurance too quickly or you might forget things to claim about
  5. do have the damaged professionally assessed [surveyor, engineer, architect as required] - many insurers allow you to claim for professional fees, but check beforehand - otherwise you might miss whole categories of things to claim on if you're unaware for example how the building might be affected. The list of items requiring replacement/remedial works can include; -
    • subsidence/structural cracking
    • wiring
    • sewers
    • partitions
    • insulation
    • plasterboard
    • warped frames/doors/windows, etc.
      [this is not an exhaustive list]
  6. always used rubber gloves when removing flood water as its not clean water
  7. clear all wet things out of the house as soon as possible and lift floor coverings to let help the drying out process
  8. do keep a sample of the carpet/floor covering - [check with your insurer as to what level of proof they need]

Hope this helps and my commiserations to all those who are caught up in the current flooding.

ONQ.
 
Get the biggest de-humidifier you can get in the door, from rental store. Bin everything quickly before mould starts to develop.
 
Just remembered, do NOT use a gas fire to dry out the house.

1 litre of gas produces 1 litre of water vapour when burning.

Thus a gas heater may well make the situation worse!

ONQ.
 
[broken link removed]

"The Community Welfare Service is funded by the Department of Social Welfare Services to make Exceptional Needs Payments (ENP) to people on social welfare or HSE payments. Alternatively, an Urgent Needs Payment (UNP) can also be made to people who would not normally be entitled to Social Welfare Assistance, to assist in cases of flood damage with immediate needs such as food, clothing, fuel, or household goods."

If possible bring proof of identity e.g. drivers licence / passport. Proof of pay e.g. Payslips, employers letter.

"We are particularly encouraging people who may have lost everything in the floods and those who don't have household insurance to attend one of our community welfare clinics for assessment."

"The money is to be provided to people in immediate need of food, clothing and replacing household items."
 
Location of community welfare services.

Put in your full address & select search.
Click on the address link that is shown and this will show your home on a map.
Choose the service, Health Centre (blue box in a blue square).

The Health Centres nearest you will be shown on the map.

There are full details of address & phone numbers for each centre.

General HSE Info Line
1850 24 1850
 
To make a donation of goods, contact SVdP in the regions affected to find out what goods may be required e.g. nappies, blankets, sheets, clothes etc.

Specific cash donations can be made to the SVP Ballinasloe Credit Union A/C. No. 989898 or via their website. You can [broken link removed]



(As an aside, I'm surprised there isn't a central call for donations, goods or volunteers to assist with clean up. People are only too willing to help)
 
Link: Irish Red Cross

To make a donation to the floods appeal please callsave 1850 50 70 70 or log onto www.redcross.ie .
Irish Red Cross launches appeal for flood victims


"The Irish Red Cross is accepting donations for victims of the recent floods in Ireland from today.

“This is an appalling catastrophe for the people whose homes, livelihoods and lives have been destroyed or damaged by these floods. Our volunteers are already working in the towns and areas most affected and we will gladly accept donations to help them in this work,” said Irish Red Cross Vice-Chairman, Tony Lawlor.

“Already we are receiving calls from people around Ireland who have seen our volunteers in action in the areas affected and who want to send donations to fund this work which is most generous of them,” he added.

Today’s announcement comes as Irish Red Cross volunteers continue to provide help to victims of floods throughout Ireland. To date Irish Red Cross ambulances in Cork, Galway, Tipperary and Waterford have been working with state agencies to assist victims of the floods.

In Cork today, Irish Red Cross volunteers are working with the Gardaí, delivering meals-on-wheels to people who are stranded in their homes on the north side of Cork City. This follows extensive operations throughout Cork City and affected towns around the county since last Thursday, helping hospital staff reach their workplaces and providing blankets to those affected.

In Galway, two 4×4 ambulances and their crews are available to help in the Ardrahan village area and in Connemara. Red Cross ambulance crews – who are all volunteers – have also been made available to the state to help people in the Tipperary town of Clonmel, should the state emergency services need this additional support.

In Clare, local members of the Irish Red Cross in Ennis distributed blankets to householders."
 
SVdeP now have a general fund raising site where [broken link removed]

They also have drop centres where you can "donate high quality bedding, clothing or furniture, we have set up drop off centres in the following areas:

Athlone: Athlone Town Centre, New Shopping Centre, Flood relief advice centre (Lower level beside H&M). They are accepting clothing, bedding and other smaller items.

Cork: For details on making clothes and bedding donations in Cork, please contact the regional office directly on 021-4270444

We have also set up the following designated bank accounts to accept donations:

Athlone: Athlone Credit Union St. Vincent de Paul Flood Relief Fund Tel 0906-472497

Ballinasloe: SVP Credit Union Account: 989898. Phone Ballinasloe Credit Union on 090-9643179"
 
a word of caution also when hiring builders, in 2002 the area i live in was seriously flooded, people wanted to move back into their homes so quickly that they didnt do all ,if any checks on the builders and as with any disasters there is always someone out to make a fast buck. Jesse James and his gang is alive and well. You've Been Warned.
 
If your house has been destroyed and is liable to flood in the future and you have insurance I would be very slow to go back to the house.

I notice there are a lot of volunteer services, is there a coordinated approach to this by the relevant government departments? From what I heard on the radio yestereday in Gort I understood that people were left to deal with the mess themselves or with just neighbours. This cannot be true or right. Why haven't they sent in the army?

Other than money is there anything more practical than can be done, like machines to pump out the water?
 
D8Lady thanks for the links for donations. Mods, is there any chance these could be added as a sticky post in the short term? I don't know about anyone else but I find it very upsetting watching the news each evening from the comfort of my home when I see what these people are going through. I'm not in a position to donate my time unfortunately but would like to help in any way I can so as well as donating money is there anything else being organised around the country in terms of maybe clothing collections and such (apart from the SvP listings above)?
 
If anyone doubts the seriousness of the situation, please reads Kate Holmquist's "[broken link removed]" article in Irish Times today.

"No State agency has come forward to assess the needs of these homeless people, or to offer support. “We were critical of the US over Hurricane Katrina – but the same thing is happening here,” says Anne. “Thank you for coming here and seeing this. Please tell the world because no one is listening to us.”

-----
How many hotels have empty rooms?

If SVP put out detailed list of what is needed and where, surely we could arrange drop off points locally & have the army deliver the goods to where its needed. They are the only organisation who know emergency logistics.
 
Update on SVP donations. Below are [broken link removed] on local drop off points for donations.
They also have local numbers for anyone looking for help.
(They appear to be hampered by inability to deliver goods - are there any man-with-van drivers who could contact in locations bleow to see if they can assist?)



North Midlands:
Ballinasloe St. Vincent de Paul
 They have set up an Emergency Fund to which donations can be made. As of today (Thursday 26th) they have sufficient clothes and furniture.
SVP Credit Union Account: 989898
 Phone: Ballinasloe Credit Union: 090-9643179
 Athlone St. Vincent de Paul
 They have set up an Emergency Fund to which donations can be made
 Athlone Credit Union
 SVP Flood Relief Fund
 Tel 0906-472497

 As of today (Thursday 26th) a number of depots for donations of clothes and furniture have been established in Athlone:
 Athlone Town Shopping Centre, lower level (beside H&M)
 Bags of clothes, bedding and smaller items
 Flood relief advice centre (where people can call for help)
Furniture and larger items: Depot supplied by Oyster Homes
 (rear of Athlone Springs Hotel) Contact: David on 086-8196496
 However they cannot do collections outside the Athlone area.

West Region
Galway City: a depot for clothing and bedding has been established in Galway city, located at Prospect Hill in Galway City opposite Galway County Council Offices. Contact: Derek on 087 2494824 or Colm on 091 563233

Cork Region
Cork City: A depot for clothes and furniture has been set up in Cork City, at Wm O Brien Public Storage, Bandon Road Roundabout, Bishopstown, Cork. Opening hours: weekdays 8 am to 7pm, Saturdays 9 am to 4pm, Sunday 2 pm to 6pm.


 For details of making a donation contact the Cork Regional Office 021-4270444 alternatively donations can be lodged directly to a Flood Relief Fund at AIB Bank, 66 South Mall 93-63-83 A/c No 47092772.

South East Region
Clonmel: No specific measures have been put in place because the extent flooding in Clonmel has been less than in previous years because of the development of flood defenses. Those that have been affected have already been assisted by the SVP and
we will continue to work with them over the coming weeks.
Midwest Region
 People who need assistance as a result of the flooding should contact:
 - SVP Ennis on 065 6824188
- SVP Limerick on 061 317327 (office hours) or 087 985 68 96 anytime
 For those who wish to help by making a cash donation this can be done through the Regional Office by contacting 061 317327
Those wishing to donate clothing or bedding can do so at
- Shop, 84 Parnell St. Ennis, 065 6824188
- Shop, 2 Limerick Lane, Little Catherine St. Limerick061 315505
 - Regional Office, Ozanam House, Hartstonge St. Limerick061 317327

Financial donations .
We ask people to donate to our general funds so that we can respond as flexibly as possible to those in need of assistance now and in the coming weeks and months as people move back into their homes.
 Financial donations can be made in a number of ways:
  • Make a donation to our general National funds
Bank Bank of Ireland
Address Phibsborough Dublin 7
Name ST Vincent De Paul Council of Ireland
Number 80005599
Sort Code 90-06-23
Bank Identifier Code BOFIIE2D
IBAN Code IE70 BOFI 9006 2380 0055 99

  • Make a donation through our website: www.svp.ie (click on Donate Now) The region in which you wish your donation to be used can be selected.
  • Make a donation to the local Regional funds by contacting the Regional Office
  • Donate directly to the accounts set up in the affected areas (see details below)
Specific accounts have also been set up in Credit Unions in Ballinasloe and Athlone.
Ballinsaloe Credit Union SVP a/c 989898 (Tel: 0909 643179)
Athlone Credit Union, SVP Flood Relief Fund (Tel. 0906 472497).
 
I would appreciate advise on what to do after our house was flooded. We have been concentrating on finding alternative accomodation and now feel ready to tackle the house. We do not know what to do next. Would appreciate if someone could list a step-by-step approach to same.

We have pulled up all flooring and removed all the skirting boards and doors. We are in the process of removing the kitchen units etc.

The house was dry-lined all over and there is one stud wall.

The ceilings in the bedrooms were timber panels and they have started to bow so will have to be replaced in some areas.

Do we just get a builder in to remove the lower part of the dry-lining?

Do we remove the floor and wall tiles?

The electricity is still turned-off - do we get an electrician in to check the electricity?

Do we hire de-humidifers and turn them on in the house - obviously would have to have electricity for same.

Sorry - am pretty clueless about this and feel that everyone expects people to know what to do next.
Thanks
Tommygirl
 
Hi TommyGirl, I've moved your post in here to keep all the flood related topics in the one place.
Leo
 
Tommygirl,

Very sorry to hear of yours and so many others plight.

The reinstatement of a home after flood damage is a difficult process and is really needed on a case by case basis to evaluate the extent of damage in each structure.

Assuming your house is safe to work in ie no structural failure or heave in the floors and foundations, cracks in the walls, subsidence of foundations or serious problems like that you can go ahead.

Everything in the house must be decontaminated / di-infected and allowed to dry properly if it is being retained. One of the key Health & Safety risks (apart from fuel oil contamination) is Weils disease from the presence of rats in the water.

The only way to get your house to dry out is to completely gut the structure.

Your house is designed to prevent water penetrating the structure from the external side. There is little to prevent water causing serious headaches once within the property as it can soak into structures.

Assuming that everything has been decontaminated and disinfected, scrubbed and cleaned the following is a recommended guide:


  • Masonry walls - remove contaminated insulation from cavity walls. remove impermeable finishes, this could be gloss paint or vinyl wallpaper. Allow the blockwork to dry - surface dry is not enough, the core of the block must be dry and depending on the situation, can take several weeks to achieve.
  • Timber frame - remove plasterboards, debris deposited in the frame and contaminated cavity insulation. A timber moisture reading of 20% or less must be achieved before covering up to avoid rot. Again this is core dryness, not surface moisture reading.
  • Solid doors and other joinery will be treated in the same manner as timber frame. Hollow core doors should be replaced with solid doors.
  • Remove double glazing units and allow frames to drain, remove debris. Failed units should be replaced.
Internal walls after prolonged flooding or exposure will require all plasterboard and impermeable coverings removed to allow proper drying out. Short term damage may dry naturally without having to remove plasterboards.

Solid concrete floors should be allowed to dry to recommended levels before reinstating any floor covering. The manufacturer's will have a level of moisture reading that must be achieved as a minimum. This is the same as when the house was new and floors had to be dry before covering.

You will need an electrician and RGI plumber for gas installations. These will be there to check the systems are safe to use.

Dehumidifiers may need a separate feed and fuse from the fuseboard directly to allow their safe operation while keeping the rest of the house isolated from power.

The risk with dehumidifiers is that you will achieve surface dryness very quickly in materials. This can be misleading as the core will hold the moisture for much longer and will resist forced drying. In timber this can lead to the development of moulds and rot in the core of the timber if closed up too quickly.

Above all have you costs agreed with the insurance company ( PG you are covered), appoint your contractor (after getting quotes) and hopefully get returned to your property.

HTH

Sean
 
Thanks for your reply Sean,

We are in a bit of an unusual situation as we were planning a large extension in the next few years and we were going to rennovate the existing cottage also. With the amount of damage that has been inflicted, there is no point in re-instating the existing structure until we apply for planning for the extension and do all the work together.

The walls are mass-concrete and I have been advised that these will take time to dry. There also does not appear to be a damp-proof course.

From an insurance point of view (we should be covered TG), we have been advised to start the drying-out process and then re-assess our situation. We do not want to put too much money into this as maybe we would be better-off knocking the existing cottage and building a new house altogether (obviously higher up!) Apologies if this comment is insensitive to those who are trying to recover from the floods and reinstate their homes.

We feel like leaving the original for the moment until an insurance amount has been agreed and then make a decision on what we will do. Unfortunately as far as I understand it, we have to do some work so the insurance can re-assess. Rock and a hard place comes to mind.
Thanks for the advise
Tommygirl
 
Best of luck to you tommygirl, lets know how you get on.

---------------
Irish Red Cross are now taking applications of assistance from people who have been affected.

"This humanitarian relief fund is not means tested and is independent of any other compensation or assistance received by households. The scheme is administered by Designated Assessment Officers at the local level with administrative support and funding coming from the Head Office of the Irish Red Cross.

WHAT IS COVERED BY THE SCHEME?
The Irish Red Cross Flood Relief Fund is a general humanitarian fund intended to provide emergency payments to households affected by flooding. The relatively small sum available for distribution means that the amount of money that can be given to individual households is strictly limited. For instance, the fund will not compensate households for structural damage.
Due to limited funds, the Irish Red Cross humanitarian fund is only available to households. Funds cannot be made available to commercial entities.

CONDITIONS OF ELIGIBILITY
+ Your home has suffered flood damage and this has been verified by the Irish Red Cross and/or a relevant external agency
+ Households must fully complete the application form
+ One application per household

HOW TO APPLY
An application form can be downloaded below. Once fully completed, it should be returned to the Flood Relief Coordinator at 16 Merrion Square, Dublin 2.
Revised Application Form 2009

Revised Application Form 2009.pdf "
 
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