Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon, OX14 3JE
Email: comments@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Telephone: 01235 520202

Vale of White Horse District Council

Flooding - advice if your home has been flooded

The following help and advice will help you get back to normal as quickly as possible after a flood.

Do not attempt to reoccupy your home until the floods are receding, the mud has been removed, it has been cleaned and disinfected and it has dried out. 

Cleaning up

• Do not re-occupy your house until all floodwater has been removed. Remember that while sandbags help to keep water out, they will also keep it in as the water goes down. 
• Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service may be able to help you with pumping floodwater out of your house, although they may well be very busy. Your insurance company and yellow pages may offer alternative sources of pumps.
• There is no point pumping out rising water as it will come straight back in! 
• Put on protective clothing before starting any clean-up. Always wear rubber gloves to clean surfaces or move objects that have been in contact with the floodwater - the water may have been contaminated with sewage and other pollution.   
• Ventilate your building after flooding - less damp is less damage.   
• Remove all soft furnishings and fittings that are damaged beyond repair. 
• Remove dirty water and silt from the property including the space under the ground floor if you have wooden floors. This space may need pumping out. 
• Initially wash down all hard surfaces with hot soapy water and then use a domestic disinfectant to wipe them down. 
• Clothing, bedding and other soft/fabric articles including children's toys etc should be laundered at the highest temperature as indicated on manufacturer's instructions. If this is less than 82 degrees Centigrade the articles may still contain bacteria. 
• Other soft furnishings that have been contaminated and cannot be put in a washing machine on a hot wash (as above) will have to be professionally cleaned or if this is not possible may have to be disposed of. 
• Don't use electrical circuits or equipment exposed to flood water until checked by a qualified electrician. It may be necessary to contact utility suppliers to reconnect electrical or gas supplies. 
• As floorboards and walls start to dry out loose material and dust should be vacuumed up on a regular basis. 
• The Yellow Pages lists details of qualified assistance such as plumbers and electricians as well as suppliers of cleaning materials and equipment. This can be found under "flood damage". 
• Seek professional advice (structural engineer) if your property is damaged.         

Insurance

• Contact your insurance company immediately if your home has flooded, the majority of household policies provide insurance cover for flooding. If you are the property owner and insured, your insurers will most probably appoint a structural engineer or loss adjuster to carry out an assessment of your property and arrange repairs. If your home is uninhabitable, and you are insured, your insurers may help you arrange emergency accommodation. 
• Don’t throw away any damaged goods before your insurers have inspected them. Make sure that you keep a photographic record of any damaged caused. 
•   If you are a tenant and have taken out contents insurance, household contents, fixtures and fittings should be covered; it is normally the responsibility of your landlord to provide building insurance. However you are advised to check your policy. 
• If you are uninsured you will most likely be responsible for covering all costs of flood damage. Contact the Citizens Advice Bureau for further advice.           

Reducing the risk of infection

• Use protective clothing such as wellington boots and household rubber gloves if involved in the clean up to minimise the risk of infection. 
• Cover any cuts with waterproof plaster. 
• The single most important precaution is washing your hands after any contact with flood water or sludge and particularly before eating or preparing food
• Do not use food which the floodwater has reached as it may be contaminated. 
• Any utensils which have been in the floodwater must be cleaned and boiled in fresh water before use. 
• Floodwater and sewage often leaves a muddy deposit that may contain bacteria and other micro-organisms. However experience from previous flooding has shown that any risk to health is small if proper precautions are followed. You do not need any booster immunisations or antibiotics. 
• If anyone in your family does become ill contact your doctor and tell him your house was flooded.           

Food preparation and storage

• Don’t eat any food that has been covered by or come into contact with sewage or floodwater. 
• Wash your hands before and after preparing food. 
• Ensure all surfaces that food will come into contact with are sound and disinfected. If work tops and other areas show signs of damage, avoid food contact with these areas. Particularly make sure that the shelves including those in your refrigerator where food is stored are cleaned and disinfected. 
• Food preparation surfaces should be wiped down using hot tap water containing washing-up-liquid, and dishes and other utensils should also be washed in hot tap water containing washing-up-liquid. You could also use food safe disinfectant to sanitise the surfaces, dishes and other utensils. 
• All crockery, pots and pans should be thoroughly washed and rinsed with hot soapy water before using. If any of these are badly chipped or damaged do not use. You could use a food safe disinfectant to sanitise them after cleaning. 
• To be absolutely safe do not use food from a deep freezer or fridge which power has failed. Check with insurers before disposal. 
• Don’t be tempted to try and salvage damaged food – including tins as they may be contaminated with sewage and chemicals left from the floodwater.            

Gardens and play areas

• Do not let young children play on affected areas until they have been cleaned down and restored to their normal condition. 
• Children should always wash their hands after playing outdoors, especially before eating or preparing food. 
• Don't eat garden or allotment vegetables that have been covered by sewerage or floodwater. 
• Although any health risk may be small, it is better to dispose of any contaminated produce and start again.        

Flood damaged property collection advice

If you have any large items of furniture or carpets damaged by the floods you must contact your insurers before getting rid of it – their assessors may need to inspect any items first. They may also have their own arrangements about disposals. If you are a tenant you should contact your landlord first to check if they have made arrangements for you.

If not, please contact the Council on 01235 520202 to arrange collection.

Any smaller items which have been flood damaged should be placed in black bins and put out for collection with your rubbish. 

Please do not put sandbags out for collection with your rubbish. Residents can store them for future use by removing the sand and drying out the bags and storing them separately. If you do not want to store them empty the sand over your garden and put the empty bags out with your rubbish. 

Recycled furniture available at discounted rates 

The Furniture Store in Oxford has recycled furniture at discounted prices for people in need, including victims of flooding. Householders will need to visit the store - for more details see the Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action Furniture website.