Water damage and flood restoration
Burst pipe, leak or flooded cellar? We attend water damage and flood jobs across North Tyneside and Newcastle, then dry the structure and put the rooms back. Ring us now and we will tell you when we can be there.
What to do in the first hour
If water is coming in now, these steps limit the damage before we arrive.
- Turn off the water at the stopcock. It is usually under the kitchen sink or where the supply enters the house.
- If water has reached sockets, light fittings or the consumer unit, turn the electricity off at the consumer unit if it is safe to reach. If it is not safe, keep out of the room.
- Move furniture, rugs and anything valuable off wet floors.
- Take photographs and video of the damage and the source before anything is moved or cleared. Your insurer will ask for them.
- Ring your insurer to open a claim, then ring us on 0191 676 7900.
Do not put heaters on full and close the windows. That moves water into the rest of the house as vapour. Leave windows open where you can until drying is set up properly.
Burst pipes and leaks
A burst pipe in a loft or under a floor can put a lot of water into ceilings, walls and floor voids in a short time. A slow leak from a shower tray, radiator valve or waste pipe can do just as much damage over months without anyone noticing.
Once the leak is fixed by a plumber, we find out how far the water has travelled. We take moisture readings across walls, floors and ceilings, lift boards where needed, and check timbers and insulation that have been soaked. That tells us what can be dried in place and what has to come out.
Escape of water
Escape of water is the term insurers use for water that has leaked from inside the property, such as a burst pipe, a failed tank, a washing machine hose or a leak from the flat above. It is one of the most common home insurance claims.
We assess the damage, record readings and photographs, and write up what is needed to put it right. That record is useful when you or your loss adjuster are agreeing the scope of work.
Flooded cellars and basements
Cellars flood from heavy rain, rising ground water, blocked drains or burst pipes. Older Tyneside cellars were never designed to be dry, so they can take on water quickly and hold it.
We pump out standing water, remove saturated materials and set up drying. If a cellar floods more than once, the fix is usually waterproofing rather than repeated clean ups. See our basement tanking and waterproofing page for how we keep cellars dry long term.
Drying and dehumidification
Once standing water is gone, the walls, floors and timbers still hold a great deal of moisture. We use dehumidifiers and air movers sized to the rooms affected, and we monitor readings during drying so we know when the structure is dry rather than guessing.
Drying time depends on how much water got in, how long it sat and what the building is made of. Solid brick and stone walls hold water far longer than plasterboard. We tell you what to expect after the first set of readings.
Structural drying after a flood
After a flood, water gets into wall cavities, under floors and behind plaster. Drying the surface is not enough. Left wet, timbers can start to rot and walls can stay damp for months.
Structural drying targets those hidden areas. That can mean lifting floorboards to ventilate floor voids, drilling small holes to dry cavities, and removing plaster that has been badly soaked. We check joists and skirting timbers for wet and dry rot before anything is closed up.
Making good and replastering
When the structure is dry, we put the rooms back. That covers replacing floorboards and joists where needed, replastering and dry lining, and getting the walls ready for decoration. The same team that dried the property does the reinstatement, so there is no gap between trades.
Insurance work
We work with homeowners, landlords and loss adjusters on insurance claims. We provide readings, photographs and a written scope of work so the claim can be agreed. Tell your insurer you would like us to carry out the work, and we will deal with them directly where they allow it.
When water damage turns into long term damp
Most water damage dries out fully if it is dealt with properly. Some does not. Salts carried in by the water stay in plaster and keep pulling moisture from the air. A flood can expose a damp proof course that was already failing. Repeated flooding in a cellar shows the walls need waterproofing.
If readings are still high once drying is complete, we tell you why. Where the cause is rising damp, we explain the options on our damp proofing page and in our guide to damp proof courses. Where it is below ground, see tanking and waterproofing. We will not sell you damp proofing for a wall that only needs time to dry.
Recent water damage jobs
We cover North Shields, Tynemouth, Wallsend, Whitley Bay, Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Shields and the surrounding areas. CHAS Elite accredited, and the people who survey your property carry out the work.
Frequently asked questions
Water coming in now?
Turn off the water at the stopcock, then ring us. We will talk you through what to do next and tell you when we can attend.
