Pump Solutions Australasia Warns Homeowners: “Don’t Electrocute Yourself Trying to Pump Flood Water from Your Basement”
Announcement posted by Pump Solutions Australasia 28 Feb 2013
Leading pump distributor provides safety tips to keep homeowners from being electrocuted after a flood.
In the wake of the Queensland floods, homeowners all across Australia are asking themselves, “Could this happen to me?” Pump Solutions Australasia has received numerous enquiries from homeowners concerning water pumps for their basements in case of flooding in their areas.
Consequently, Pump Solutions Australasia devoted a blog post to instructing homeowners how to safely pump water out of their basements. The post focused on how to safely avoid two dangers of pumping water out of a basement after a flood: electrocution and causing the basement walls to collapse.
The main hazard associated with pumping water out of a basement after a flood is electrocution. Most people are in a distressed state after a flood, and often forget that water conducts electricity. If the electricity in a house is turned back on, but flood waters are covering a “live” electrical outlet, anyone who steps into the water can be electrocuted.
Pump Solutions Australasia recommends that all electricity in the basement is turned off, and that the homeowner doubles their protection by wearing heavy rubber boots and gloves, thus preventing their body from coming into direct contact with any flood water. They also recommend using a submersible pump that is plugged in somewhere outside of the basement.
The optimum situation is a submersible pump that runs on a 12-volt marine or car battery, which is outside of the house or a petrol / diesel driven pump.The submersible pump transports water from the basement, a base, and into a discharge hose. That hose must be pointed away from the house, or the water can flow right back into the basement.
Another danger is pumping the water out too fast. The flood waters can recede above ground, but the water table is often still up to the very top of a homeowner’s basement in the days immediately following a flood. This creates tons of pressure from the outside of the walls, and the flood water in the basement is actually helping to keep the walls from caving in.
The standard recommendation is to only pump out a foot of water the first day, mark the water level, and see if the water has gone back up the next morning. If it has, that means it is too early to pump water, and it is recommended to wait another day before pumping out another foot and taking the same test.
Once it is okay to pump water, the homeowner should never pump more than three feet of water out in any one day. This ensures that water isn’t pumped out faster than the groundwater recedes. If the water is pumped out too fast, the basement walls can cave in, causing severe damage to the foundation of the house.
Mike Hurlbatt, owner of Pump Solutions Australasia, urges homeowners to be careful: “The most important thing to remember is to keep from electrocuting yourself over a basement full of water. In the aftermath of a flood, a lot of people forget how dangerous it is to mix water and electricity. The second thing to remember is to go slow. It simply isn’t worth the time you gain by pumping the water out fast if you put your entire house at risk.”
Pump Solutions Australasia is Australia’s leading importer of submersible pumps, water pumps, and carries a full line of pumps for residential, commercial, and industrial uses. For more information, call them at 1300 922 973 or check out their website: http://www.pumpsolutions.com.au/.
Consequently, Pump Solutions Australasia devoted a blog post to instructing homeowners how to safely pump water out of their basements. The post focused on how to safely avoid two dangers of pumping water out of a basement after a flood: electrocution and causing the basement walls to collapse.
The main hazard associated with pumping water out of a basement after a flood is electrocution. Most people are in a distressed state after a flood, and often forget that water conducts electricity. If the electricity in a house is turned back on, but flood waters are covering a “live” electrical outlet, anyone who steps into the water can be electrocuted.
Pump Solutions Australasia recommends that all electricity in the basement is turned off, and that the homeowner doubles their protection by wearing heavy rubber boots and gloves, thus preventing their body from coming into direct contact with any flood water. They also recommend using a submersible pump that is plugged in somewhere outside of the basement.
The optimum situation is a submersible pump that runs on a 12-volt marine or car battery, which is outside of the house or a petrol / diesel driven pump.The submersible pump transports water from the basement, a base, and into a discharge hose. That hose must be pointed away from the house, or the water can flow right back into the basement.
Another danger is pumping the water out too fast. The flood waters can recede above ground, but the water table is often still up to the very top of a homeowner’s basement in the days immediately following a flood. This creates tons of pressure from the outside of the walls, and the flood water in the basement is actually helping to keep the walls from caving in.
The standard recommendation is to only pump out a foot of water the first day, mark the water level, and see if the water has gone back up the next morning. If it has, that means it is too early to pump water, and it is recommended to wait another day before pumping out another foot and taking the same test.
Once it is okay to pump water, the homeowner should never pump more than three feet of water out in any one day. This ensures that water isn’t pumped out faster than the groundwater recedes. If the water is pumped out too fast, the basement walls can cave in, causing severe damage to the foundation of the house.
Mike Hurlbatt, owner of Pump Solutions Australasia, urges homeowners to be careful: “The most important thing to remember is to keep from electrocuting yourself over a basement full of water. In the aftermath of a flood, a lot of people forget how dangerous it is to mix water and electricity. The second thing to remember is to go slow. It simply isn’t worth the time you gain by pumping the water out fast if you put your entire house at risk.”
Pump Solutions Australasia is Australia’s leading importer of submersible pumps, water pumps, and carries a full line of pumps for residential, commercial, and industrial uses. For more information, call them at 1300 922 973 or check out their website: http://www.pumpsolutions.com.au/.