The dangers of flood water damage
Floods can happen anytime. There are many reasons behind it, such as leakage of a broken pipe, irregularities in the sewage system, dysfunctional toilets, washbasins, and some plumbing problems. Heavy rains can also be a major reason for flooding; it is more devastating for the people living on the ground level.
In these cases, flood restoration has to be done because it can result in a lot of damage to the property and the people living in it. Flood water damage brings many dangers along with it which can’t be avoided.
Dangers related to flood water damage
- Electrical hazards
Water and electricity when they get in touch, can cause a lot of harm. Contaminated water is a great transmitter of electricity and heat. Electrical shocks can cause death, so you have to be extra careful and keep this danger in mind if there is a flood at your home.
Preventive measure- do not touch electrical appliances that are situated at lower levels or those who have water near them. Please stay away from metal or metallic tools as they are good transmitters of electricity. Try wearing plastic gloves or rubber gloves; they are insulators of electricity. Electrical shock can be prevented through insulators such as wood, plastic, rubber.
- breeding ground for insects
Mosquitoes and many other insects lay their eggs in contaminated water. Flood water is mostly contaminated, and in no time it will become a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other insects. These insects can be responsible for the spread of many diseases such as diarrhea, filariasis and malaria. There are possibilities of getting water-borne diseases such as cholera, hepatitis. Getting water-borne diseases will make the situation even worse.
Preventive measure- keep mosquito repellents handy with you and keep on spraying them even if there are no mosquitoes as a preventive measure. Don’t let the water stagnate at one place; it will become a hotbed for mosquitoes and other insects.
- Foul smell
Most of the time, the water is contaminated; it contains plastic waste and wet waste. If the water comes out of the sewer, then it has a very bad odor. This rotten smell can have harmful effects on one’s health. People can start feeling vomiting and can cause headaches. The foul smell also results in air pollution, which can cause major problems in breathing.
Preventive measure- keep on checking if there is any leakage, if there is one fix it, keep on spraying room fresheners or call for professional help.
- Skin infections
Since the water is polluted, it can cause skin infections. There is a lot of waste in impure water, and there are thousands of insects breeding in them which can also cause skin infections such as swimmer’s itch( skin irritation), skin redness. It can also result in chronic skin diseases and infections.
Preventive measure- wear full covered clothes and keep on changing them from time to time. Maintain proper hygiene. Wear gloves if you are fixing the problem yourself.
- Property Damage
The leakages can result in a lot of property damage. It can bring damage to the walls as well as the flooring. Walls can get stained and moulded.
Preventive measure- when there is a leakage, discover the starting point of the leakage and fix it, whenever you get a whitewash done, make sure to get waterproofing of the walls done.
To sum up
It is important to fix this problem as soon as possible if the problem is a small one, then you can fix it yourself if it’s out of your control call for professional help before you have to face the damages done due to flooding in your home.
