Flood water damage????

[ian65]

Hi first time I have had to come across this, hope it's the last!!

Straight to the point, following last weeks floods here in Lowestoft. I have been clearing a flat and the council sparkie came in killed all sockets and made safe.
He said to me as I agree with the 17th consumer unit on both Basement and the upstairs as the one fitted no RCD...

He said it would need re wiring??? But to what degree just sockets and consumer unit? Or all wiring around the building???
The water level went over most of the lower sockets yes they are to be replaced for safety (The feed 2.5)????
The shower is now the cooker so new point in there as there isn't one at all...

My main question is to use already installed red & black T & E or replace it all some might say all and some might say not????

Any answers welcome please.
PS The flood water was a mix of salt and black water as it is very low and near the sea. Thanks Ian. :juggle:

 

[Marvo]

If the wiring and cabling is in good physical condition and IR tests fine once it's dried out then I wouldn't see why it needs to be replaced.

I'd replace any MCB's, RCD's, sockets, switches or isolators that were submerged as a matter of course. If the CU was submerged or has silt/debris in it then I'd replace it entirely with the latest type, if it's an insurance claim they shouldn't have a problem with that.

 

[ian65]

Thanks for the reply,

No the CU is up high but no RCD in either of the two know where he is coming from and yes I agree that as long as all T & E reads OK just the sockets replaced...
The shower is now the cooker so that's where the cooker point comes into play would need a completely new feed for that as the other is now cut off...

Thanks Marvo for getting back got some thing to work on but be a while while the place dry out

Ian resents1:

 

[ian65]

One other Marvo, it's not an insurance claim she can barely survive now, chat to her tomorrow thanks Ian

 

[gnuuser]

the only thing i would be concerned about was the salt water as it can cause the cores to corrode.
but as long as they test ok they should be good for a while anyway

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Agree with above, as in it's unlikely to need rewiring as a result of the flood.

I did many a flood damaged property over 5 years for a local builder, and found it quite interesting as there was usually a different conundrum each time.

Difficult to comment without seeing it and testing but as has been said as long as the cable comes back top marks, has cpc, hasn't been chewed by rodents, etc then probably okay.

What did happen however, especially when the flood warranted a complete gutting back to brick, was a rewire if there was any doubt / things were a bit 'knocking on a bit'. As many know a house with no ceilings and plaster is dead easy to rewire.

 

[Octopus]

Why is it not an insurance job?

 

[telectrix]

probably a customer either could not afford the exhorbitant premium, or insurance co refused cover due to high risk of flooding.

 

[Rockingit]

I can speak from personal experience on this - we had a vertical (from the top down - tank in the loft split) flood about four years ago whilst we were away for a few days and spent 11.5 months living in a holiday cottage down the road whilst the insurers messed about with lowest price contractors (who we eventually managed to fire and finished the work off ourselves). Place needed gutting back to principal block and EVERYTHING else got written off. At one point you could walk through the front door and look up and see the roof felt. I used it as an opportunity to rewire and pass the cost of accessories on to the insurers - they know that the cable normally dries out OK. However, we had a conflict of interest over the consumer unit as the insurers liability is to replace to 'as before' which obviously conflicts with BS7671 in terms of not being able to reinstate a 3036 board with no RCD protection (having altered circuits), and also 6mm > 10mm bonding and so on.

Thankfully, we were completely covered insurance wise and they didn't try to dodge anything (other than trying to use cheap contractors), but they know what does and doesn't need doing work wise - they see it all the time! Cable will dry out OK, might just need a bit of cleaning up at the terminations.

 

[ian65]

Sorry guys now been 4 weeks and been busy with other bits and pieces.

Now the person who owns the building and where she was living is trying to sell but needs planning permission for some work that has been done. Her Husband passed away a few years ago settling the house up with insurance, not been able to pay for insurance her self as on a low income etc.

So with my help and a couple of others we are looking at getting her back in where she wants to be bless her.

Thanks for all comments and I will be taking it on for just my time as I would like to help her out borrowing a megger for testing resents3:

I have enjoyed the time helping her outand met my new partner at the same time Hi Hi Thanks once again Ian.