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Anyone know how to deal with flood damage?

07:29 / 22.06.02

Yeah, so last night, Belfast experiences the worst rain in 16 years. I haven't seen rain like that since living in Singapore. Our uni campus flooded, and quite a bit of the water ended up in the lowest part of it, namely the student accommodation. So now I have a water-logged flat and a private wading pool in my back yard. Any advice on how to deal with water damage and insurance claims related to the same? I've never had to deal with this kind of problem, and it's a bit daunting.

07:35 / 22.06.02

Oh no! This site looks useful: http://www.ciria.org.uk/flooding/

And sending best wishes - sounds dreadful.

07:41 / 22.06.02

It's a pain in the ass dealing with flooding, basically. My parents' basement has flooded so many times it's not even a big deal any more; it's more just like, "Shit. Another flood in the basement."

But don't panic! You should be able to work everything out.

First off here's hoping you're insured because surely you have some items that will now need to be replaced.

Secondly basically what would really help drying out your flat is if it's not too wet to plug things in (which it might be) if you can get your hands on a few fans, open up your windows and just let those fans run all day (and preferably probably all day and all night for the next several days). Should dry out a lot of your flat and also help prevent your place from getting TOO musty smelling (though the musty smell may be impossible to prevent).

As far as the wading pool in the backyard, it SHOULD go down on its own. Just let it be for now.

07:46 / 22.06.02

Just read your abstract -- from reading that site, I think you need to throw the carpet out, because it's too hard to disinfect soft furnishings and the water is likely to be contaminated.

And once your place is dry it would be a good idea to disinfect. No idea about paint and mad - it might just scrub off, I suppose?

At least you're renting and don't need to worry about structural damage - just about recovering your own things and making the place habitable again.

Good luck.

10:14 / 22.06.02

Thanks for the advice! There's a couple of powerpoints high up on the wall (bless those idiosyncratic British architects!) and the electrical curcuits survived, so now I've got two fans going. Up to my armpits in suds, dettol, brushes and rags...I feel ever so domestic.

And at least I'll get a new carpet and half a new wardrobe out of this. Memo to self: Leaving the ironing pile on the floor is now and forever a major no-no.

Another question: Can one use power adapters (those boxy things for laptops, printers, CD-players, fax machines, etc. that go between the powerpoint and the device) after they've dried out? Or should I avoid trying to use them, even if I think they're pretty much dried out? The last thing I need now is to blow every circuit in the flat and fry my equipment, considering it all survived intact (shelves are a good thing).

11:21 / 22.06.02

Most people just call Eno to clear it up. Worked for U2.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

12:03 / 22.06.02

expressionless:- ah-boom-TSCH!

Best wishes and dry thoughts (and I don't have many of them, so use 'em wisely), Grey...

If you are insured, sort it out quickly and have proof of date etc... I read last night that Esure (and, by extension, a bunch of other insurers) are instituting a policy of no insurance to those on flood plains... to backdate this would surely be illegal (and in breach of contract etc), but it'd be worth getting in there before anyone else.

Good luck, anyway. Hope y'didn't lose too much stuff, and just remember- even if you did... IT'S JUST STUFF. (Not much consolation, I know, but...)

12:31 / 22.06.02

I wouldn't use the power boxes, it's just not worth the risk, I'd say. You can get them pretty cheaply at hardware shops.

God, poor you - call up all your friends and demand they come and help with the mopping. And indeed moping.

12:33 / 22.06.02

Ah, sorry - just reread your post and realised what you're actually talking about - I thought you meant extension block things. I'd still be way of using them - maybe call your local electrical shop and see if they can help.

16:33 / 22.06.02

grey area - much sympathy coming your way. yes, these are the times you bless not being a homeowner. not sure what an 'ironing pile' is (don't *all* clothes go straight back in the drawer once they're dry?) but your assertion of being 'up to your armpits in *suds*' has sent my oo-er missus-o-meter into overdrive.....

17:12 / 22.06.02

Baking soda is good for absorbing odors as well- wait until things appear dry, sprinkle it on, leave it for a while, vacuum it up. It may help your carpet a lot. Good luck, sorry about your belongings.

17:29 / 22.06.02

Thanks everyone for the well-wishes. Nearly 24 hours after everything's calmed down the stock-take is surprisingly optimistic. Sure, some stuff is ruined beyond belief and repair, but it is, after all, just stuff (and I was due a clear-out anyway!). Upon reflection, the order in which I flung stuff up onto high surfaces kind of indicates how much I value them...laptop, CD's, books and clothes in that order apparently.

And why's the oo-er missus-o-metre in overdrive? Aren't all guys as domestic as I am?

20:32 / 22.06.02

Yeah, Jordanstown campus of UU. We got hit pretty bad, but nothing compared to Rathcoole estate...there's something like 70 homes that are completely ruined up there. People were up until past 2am building sandbag barricades and all that other stuff people do when water decides to go where water shouldn't go.

Belfast itself didn't seem to suffer that much actually...the damage is pretty much limited to Rathcoole, Jordanstown and parts of Whiteabbey. Guess the sewer system up here isn't up to spec, but then again you'd need a sewer system of titanic proportions to cope with the amount of rain that came down on Friday.

20:54 / 22.06.02

I'm pretty sure those very same machines are in action today...and apologies if I was at uni the same time you were cleaning. Pretty sure I caused a modicum of mess, mostly due to pranks that either went disastrously wrong or very very well.

The university big wigs haven't even been on campus yet as far as I can tell. The situation here on Friday night was so fucked up you couldn't do anything but laugh. Two security guys on duty, one supervisor who didn't have external contact numbers for the accommodation office staff. They couldn't find any of the sparks and techs to come in and switch off the boilers and electrics, so the whole place could have burned down to the ground. Today there was a lot of activity trying to pump out the ground-floor levels and assess the damage to the new library and computer centre. I guess there'll be some sort of "statement" about the whole business on Monday.

We're covered by the insurance policy, thank D.o.y.c. (Deity of your choice), so I'll be getting some money out of this.

21:01 / 22.06.02

grey are you local? 1st year?

21:09 / 22.06.02

Nah, I'm German, but I've been studying at UU for the past five years. Got my BSc here and now I'm doing my PhD...the place kinda grew on me and I decided to stay.

23:59 / 22.06.02

Grey: sorry to hear about your hassle. When I lived in a basement flat that flooded every winter, I found that a dehumidifier worked better than a fan once the initial really-wetness had been sorted. Think they're pretty easy to hire, and the insurance should cover it.

05:13 / 23.06.02

grey area - sorry for confusing you! it's just that i have a terrible, 'carry on', innuendo based sense of humour. bearing in mind we have a barbemember called 'suds', your comment could've had a very rude meaning. won't go into any more detail as i don't want to cause offense. can i rescue this by wishing you luck with your insurance claim and drying your place out?

ahem.

10:34 / 23.06.02

Ah yes..."carry on" flicks. My favourite's Carry On Up The Khyber, I have to say. Haven't thought about them in a while (this sould be considered a good thing by some) and now that you point it out the reference/sound effect should have been fairly obvious. Oo-er missus indeed.

The Accommodation Office has brought in what looks like the big, nasty brother of that blue vacuum-cleaner thing from the Teletubbies. It's making a whole lot of wet, slurpy noises as it sucks the water from the carpet...quite a disturbing thing to be around actually. Not too efficient either, as they're saying it'll take up to four rounds with this...thing...to get the place dry enough to get the shampoo-doodad in.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

11:58 / 23.06.02

"vacuum-cleaner thing"? That'd be the noo-noo, then...

...ummm...

...I'll be over here.