Floods And 'contaminated' Items

[crosspatch65]

Whilst I am very sorry about flood victims I am amazed seeing all the items being chucked into skips. Even fencing, tell me am I being harsh isn't there a way of cleaning these items? Why are we such a chuck away society?

[jennyjoan]

Maybe crossy - you need to walk in their mocassins

[gness]

I suppose, Crosspatch.....it's having all the stuff hanging around until you're able to clean and mend them.....whilst waiting for the next storm...x

[gness]

And don't forget.....it's not clean water......I wouldn't want to be cleaning my belongings of the contents of the town sewer......x

[Tilly2]

.....and how are you going to get it dry in incessant rain?

[gness]

Exactly, Tilly.....imagine losing everything at any time of year...let alone Christmas and New Year.......all your belongings covered in slime, grease muck and poo......being exhausted and worn down......
I wouldn't be worrying about temporarily joining the chuck away society..x

[tonyav]

More to come yet by the looks of it.
http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/uk-weather-flood-hit-areas-face-more-rain-and-even-snow/ar-BBo6Nrt?li=AAaeUIW

[VHG]

My house was flooded many years ago (late 1970's in London).

What people who have not been flooded don't realise is that the water goes through places like garages and lifts all the grease and oil and dirt off the floor and then it comes in to your house and garden and it goes all over everything.

Of course there is the water from sewers and toilets as well as the grease and oil so you have that to contend with.

We were told for example to take all our vegetables we were growing out the garden and throw them away as they would be contaminated.

When the water goes you are left with this horrible greasy slime all over your walls and furniture and carpets and kitchen units.

It can take months for your wall plaster to dry out so you cant decorate or put carpets down, it is awful and can takes many months to sort out.

Even though it happened to me many years ago I still get a shiver down my spine when I see these people on TV who have been flooded.

I know it is stating the obvious but it is a horrible experience and it can take a year or more to get your house back to normal (and some things you can never replace - I had a camera with photos of my young baby son on it that was ruined in the flood - pre digital of course).

[jennyjoan]

sista was flooded twice here years ago - everything needed to be threw out. who wants the remnants of the dirty oul flood

[TonyV]

But there are steam cleaners?

[Tilly2]

I suppose steam cleaning all items of furniture and fittings would give you something to do whilst you're waiting for the next deluge. It must be so boring, just standing around in smelly pools of water.

[gness]

There are steam cleaners, TonyV......the filthy contaminated stuff can hang around for a few weeks I suppose.....then you can steam everything...breathing in all that contaminated air....in a still cold, uncomfortable home.

How can anyone who is warm and dry really be expecting these people to start cleaning?

[retrocop]

My B.I.L were evacuated on Boxing day from their house in Radcliff. Water up to their shoulders. All white goods in kitchen written off. Photos and family effects ruined. Plaster to be hacked off above water level on ground floor. Industrial hot air blowers working non-stop to dry out house. All upstairs furniture and clothing to be stored for up to 6 months. The damp WILL rise to 1st floor. Accomodation to be found for up to 6 months.His wife is due to have an operation for a shattered shoulder as a result of a fall before Christmas .
His Christmas present from his family was to be flown out to South Africa to watch the cricket. He saw the Emirates jet land at Manchester Airport that was going to fly him there.

This is a copy of his first e-mail to us (P P is my wife not Peter Pendant)
Hi PP & C & L



Apologies for the delays in replying…….I have been busier than I would like to be between Xmas and New Year !!!



Anyway Dad knows, Ernie knows , everybody knows about the great flood of Radcliffe now, though that scoundrel Cameron avoided going to the North West as he knows he would be abused so keeps to safer cities like York.



What has happened over the past couple of days is , gas back on, electricity back on, ???????'s car a write off, my car taken away with the electrics all cream crackered and likely to be . Courtesy car has arrived (Citroen Picasso). Hopefully tomorrow or Thurs we can get some hot air blowers to dry the house out over the next 2/3 weeks. The next thing on the agenda is look for rented accommodation for a 6 month period of time.



Net, we have to box up as much as possible and put into storage as damp creeps up the wall and damages perfectly good clothes, paintings, other personal possesions. Then we have to go and find a storage company to put all the stuff in and py the rental for 6 months (insurance co. will cover this)



???????? has been advised by the local Dr to still have her op asap , so that just adds to the fun of things over the next few months.



I’ve already said to dad that I may struggle to see him for the next 2/3 months so just keep your eye on him.



Final irony of the day was that I was at the house at 8am and saw the Emirates plane fly over head to land at Manchester airport that I should have been going to join in a couple of hours, ah well….c’est la vie !!!!



Thanks for all your messages of support ithink this is the first rung of the ladder tho I’m knackered at the mo’





I’ve made alternative arrangements for NYE , rather than go to a vineyard in the shadow of Table Mountain I’m going to Phil & Maria for fireworks



Speak soon //

He doesn't want to see his ruined property refurbished. He would rather it replaced. I am surprised he would want to contemplate living there with no guarantee it can't happen again.!!!!

[retrocop]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
My wife informs me that as well as the River Irwell (culprit) not far from her brother's back garden there is a sewage treatment plant also which would of been overwhelmed by the deluge.
I would check my Tetanus jabs etc are up to date as well.!! Definitely would not want to see my contaminated white goods again if I were them.

[TonyV]

Gness I know it's sad I've been flooded before and I found steaming everything was best I now you can't do anything linen but steam will at least sanitise aswell

[TonyV]

Going to rain and flood again this week is prediction from weather forecast

[Tuvok]

Our area has had 3 floods in the lasr 20 years.

I know people affected, some were not long back into their houses when they were flooded again. That was after at least a year out of their houses.

[EDDIE51]

There is no easy / quick way to clean an electrical item or furniture that has been totally immersed in dirty flood water. Cleaning would cost many many times more than the cost of a new item then you have to get them dry. Just imagine trying to dry a sofa or mattress that had been under water! Throwing them out is the only possible answer.

[TonyV]

Guess you are right Eddie after taking second thought providing you are insured

[crosspatch65]

But how will you replace things? Knowing insurance companies they will not .

[Auxarcs]

Contamination and ruin. Wood is ruined by long exposure to water. Fibers swell and are weakened. Its never the same and is susceptible to mold. Many metals rust or corrode, of course. Electronic parts are completely ruined. And there is just the contamination period. Flood water isnt clean and its not just dirty with dirt. Flood water carries EVERYTHING it picks from the ground and objects it washes over, fecal matter, dead stuff, bacteria of every sort, chemicals, oils, all sorts of nasty stuff - then deposits these things on everything it washes over. Would you want to keep furniture that has been soaked by a filthy, disease ridden stew of mud, gore, chemicals and death? Would you want to buy a second hand item if you knew it had been soaked by that sort of filth?