How to dry your home out after a leak or flood

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Flood water and leaks in your home can cause enormous problems, ruining personal possessions and electrical appliances. They can also lead to the growth of mould and cause serious structural damage.

If heavy rain and flooding from Storm Babet has caused damage to your home, there are a few key steps you can take early on to help minimise the problems in the long run.

Be inspired to make home improvements. 

How to prepare for a flood

Good preparation can help minimise damage in the event of a flood.

Make a personal, community, or business flood plan Sign up for flood warnings Contact your local councilCheck the long term flood risk for your area 

You might also want to prepare an emergency kit. This will ideally include a mobile phone with a selection of pre-saved numbers, along with medical supplies and a torch.

Sandbags in front of doors

Staying safe after a flood

According to advice issued by the Met Office, you should do the following after a flood:

  • Check with the emergency services it's safe to return to your property.
  • Wash your hands thoroughly after any contact with flood water, which can contain sewage, chemicals and animal waste.
  • Stop drinking your tap water if you notice a change in colour, taste or smell.
  • Wear gloves, a face mask and sturdy footwear when cleaning your home.
  • If you're drying your home out with heaters or dehumidifiers, ensure there is good ventilation and never use petrol or diesel-powered generators indoors.
  • Don't start repairs on your property straight away, as your insurance company should appoint specialists to carry these out. Once repairs start, consider placing sockets and fuse boxes higher up.

    • Don Cellini from Trustguard Ltd, a Which? Trusted Trader, said safety must be a priority after a flood.

    "Turn off electricity and gas only if it’s safe to do so," he said.

    "Remove water with pumps or buckets and contact your insurance company straight away.

    "Document any damage for insurance purposes.

    "Your insurance company should be able to instruct property drying professionals to install dehumidifiers and fans promptly to help dry your home."

    Once your home has been thoroughly dried out, he said you should receive a certificate of dryness which is often required by your insurance company to sign off a drying project.

    Do insurance companies pay out for flooding?

    If you have insurance, contact your insurance company and follow its advice.

    01299 403055

    Make a record of the flood damage in your home by writing details down, as well as taking photos and videos. In every room that has been flooded, mark the height the flood water has reached.

    Your insurer should provide industrial dehumidifiers for your home and regularly measure damp levels to ascertain when the property is dry enough to start redecoration. This may well involve taking walls back down to the bricks to see how deeply the moisture has travelled.

    We've partnered with Confused.com to help you get a great deal on your home insurance. Head here to .

    Can a dehumidifier help a flooded home?

    A dehumidifier can be good for removing excess moisture from the air in a damp house. If you've got serious flood damage, it'll by no means solve the issue, but it can help speed up the process of drying out your home.

    Using a dehumidifier to get rid of dampRefrigerant (or compressor) dehumidifiersDesiccant dehumidifiers 

    When running a dehumidifier, keep the windows shut so damp air from outside isn't drawn in – the dehumidifier would then work harder trying to dehumidify a greater area. Keep the doors inside your home open, though, so the air can circulate.

    Nicholas Donnithorne, the national technical services manager from Rentokil Property Care, part of the Which? Trusted Traders scheme, said: "If at all possible, remove wet carpets and furniture that are not recoverable, as this reduces the workload for dehumidifiers and starts to ventilate the property.

    "Carpet will stop water evaporating from the floorboards and this extends the time they are at risk of decay." 

    How to spot a leak

    If you suspect there could be a leak in your home and the cause isn't immediately obvious, take a look at your water bills and look for a sharp increase. It's also worth checking your water meter.

    Visible signs of water damage include staining on the walls and ceiling, peeling paint and soggy patches on the floor. You should also listen out for running water after you've turned all of your water appliances off.

    A professional can help to identify what type of damp you are dealing with and offer advice on how it can best be repaired.

    They may need to be appointed by your insurer, so it's important to find this out before you undertake any repairs yourself.

    Builder with client

    Flooding of rented accommodation

    Inform your landlord as soon as possible See if you can get a temporary rent reduction or claim for one at a later date Consider moving out if your home is seriously damaged from floodingPaying for new accommodation Contact your local council if you have nowhere else to live 

    Depending on your circumstances, and how significant the flood damage in your rented home is, you may have a number of options available to you.

    Flooding in living room0345 988 11880345 602 6340

    source https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/how-to-dry-your-home-out-after-a-leak-or-flood-aqpBo3b5qS0v
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