Seen as we are having nearly 100 flood warnings across the U.K. and some people may be looking on the internet for advice I thought I'd start this thread incase any body came across our forum from a Google search.
First point of call is to look at this web site:- News : Electrical Safety Council
This is very useful information if you believe that your home or business is likely to be flooded.
As an electrician may I add:-
Please find out if you don't already know, where the main switch is for your electrics. This will be on or near the consumer unit aka fuse box. It is a switch, up is ON and down is OFF in the majority of switches but some older models may be the other way around, please check. If you are leaving your house to avoid the waters please turn it off before you leave. This will prevent damage to your circuits in your home. If the water is coming in and your electricity is still on, please switch it off using dry hands the same as you would do if you were switching anything off.
Once the waters have drained away you need to call an electrician to test and inspect the damage to the cables that run throughout your home. Cables need time to dry out so don't think that he/she can switch everything back on, that won't be possible and please please please don't switch on the main switch until you've consulted a professional electrician. We are trained to save lives in these type of things, a friend from the pub that knows how to wire up a light fitting is not the best person to offer advice in these matters.
I hope that other members will add advice to this thread and even if it only helps one person stay safe through these difficult times, It's been worth it.
Ps, hope that you don't need this advice.
Paul M.
First point of call is to look at this web site:- News : Electrical Safety Council
This is very useful information if you believe that your home or business is likely to be flooded.
As an electrician may I add:-
Please find out if you don't already know, where the main switch is for your electrics. This will be on or near the consumer unit aka fuse box. It is a switch, up is ON and down is OFF in the majority of switches but some older models may be the other way around, please check. If you are leaving your house to avoid the waters please turn it off before you leave. This will prevent damage to your circuits in your home. If the water is coming in and your electricity is still on, please switch it off using dry hands the same as you would do if you were switching anything off.
Once the waters have drained away you need to call an electrician to test and inspect the damage to the cables that run throughout your home. Cables need time to dry out so don't think that he/she can switch everything back on, that won't be possible and please please please don't switch on the main switch until you've consulted a professional electrician. We are trained to save lives in these type of things, a friend from the pub that knows how to wire up a light fitting is not the best person to offer advice in these matters.
I hope that other members will add advice to this thread and even if it only helps one person stay safe through these difficult times, It's been worth it.
Ps, hope that you don't need this advice.
Paul M.
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