How to Recover After Your Home Floods

This guide is for householders and renters whose home has been flooded, whether by a river, heavy rain, the sea or a burst pipe. You will learn how to return safely, what to record for your insurer, how to clean up without putting your health at risk, how to dry the building and how to look after yourself through a process that often takes months. If anyone is in danger, call your local emergency number, and always follow official emergency services, government and utility advice, which overrides this guide. Insurance rules and support schemes vary by country, so check official sources and your own policy. General information, not professional advice.

Before You Go Back In

The urge to get home and start saving things is strong, but flooded buildings can hide serious dangers. Wait until the emergency services or local authority say it is safe to return to your area. Flood water often contains sewage, chemicals and debris, and it can hide holes, broken glass and damaged drains.

• Do not walk or drive through flood water. Even shallow, fast-moving water can knock you over or carry a car away.
• Look at the outside of the building first. If walls are cracked, leaning or bulging, or the roof or floors look damaged, stay out and ask the local authority or a qualified surveyor to check it.
• If you smell gas, do not go in. Move away and call your gas emergency line or local emergency number from a safe distance.
• Assume all electrics are dangerous. Do not touch switches, sockets or appliances while standing in water or if they have been wet.
• Wear protective clothing: waterproof boots, rubber gloves, long sleeves and trousers. A well-fitting face mask can help with dust and mould spores.
• Take a torch rather than relying on lights, and go in with another person if you can.

If your electricity supply was affected, it is usually safest to have a qualified electrician check the system before it is switched back on. Only turn off the electricity at the fuse box if you can reach it without standing in water and it is safe to do so. The same goes for gas and water: shut them off only if you know how and it is safe, and otherwise contact the utility.

Record Everything for Your Insurer

Before you clean or throw anything away, document the damage. Good records are the single biggest factor in a smooth insurance claim, and they also help if you apply for any government or charity support.

1. Contact your insurer early Call your insurer's claims line, or your landlord if you rent, as soon as you can. Ask for a claim reference number, what they need from you and whether they will send a loss adjuster. Note the date, time and name of everyone you speak to.
2. Photograph and film Take photos and video of every room, including the water line on walls, damaged floors, furniture, appliances and personal belongings. Take wide shots and close-ups, and include any model or serial numbers.
3. Mark the water level If the water has gone down, mark the highest level it reached on a wall with a pencil or tape and photograph it.
4. Keep samples Your insurer may want to see samples of carpets, curtains or fabrics. Cut a small piece before disposal and keep it in a bag.
5. List damaged items Write a list of everything damaged, with approximate age, cost and where you bought it. Receipts, bank statements and online order histories help.
6. Keep all receipts Save receipts for anything you pay for because of the flood, such as emergency repairs, cleaning materials, temporary accommodation or extra travel. Ask your insurer what they will reimburse.

Ask your insurer before throwing away large items or making permanent repairs. If something is a health hazard, such as rotting food or sewage-soaked bedding, photograph it, note it and explain to the insurer why it had to go. Many policies allow emergency work to prevent further damage, but check first where you can.