Emergency Advice need please!!!

marco_79

Hi,

I need some advice urgently from someone please.

We overflowed the bath tub whilst running a bath for the kids. It overflowed for less than two minutes.

The bathroom floor was soaked, some water has came through the ceiling below through a light fitting and a couple of corners.

We stopped it really quickly, drained the bath and mopped up as much as we could with towels.

Apart from letting this dry out is there anything else I should be immediately worried about. The carpet next to the bathroom is wet but only at the door as is the adjacent bedroom but very localised. All the water drips stopped through the ceiling within 30 minutes.

Worried it has caused damage to the floorboards or something else. The water was clean in the bath. Really don't won't to get the insurance involved unless we have to as the policy renews next week.

Advice greatly appreciated.

silvercar

Leave it to dry out and see.

I would leave the lights for a few days.

dirty_magic

I wouldn't worry too much, it should dry out fine! Unless you can see any major damage there's no point telling your insurers.

We had a leak and we were worried about the lights. We spoke to an electrician and he said it's better for the water to come through the light holes than to pool on the ceiling. Obviously don't turn them on till they're dry!

missile

The floor should dry out. If you have RCD fuse box(?), I would not worry about electrics either.

Try to lift carpets and dry out soonest to avoid smell of damp. Water stain might develop on the ceiling and you may have to redecorate.

Fat_Walt

If you've got the central heating on turn off the radiator in the downstairs room.

marco_79

Thanks for all the advice. All drips have stopped and the plasterboard is drying out already. The only carpet that is wet is an area about a doors width and 6" back. This is where the bathroom meets the hall. The bathroom has a wooden floor and it looks ok apart from one little bit that is warped. There has definitely been no significant structural damage. Only concerns now are mould as time passes. We do have an RCD, one light has stopped working before we switched it off. This was the one where most of the water was coming through. Nothing tripped on the board and all lights apart from one are working fine.

My wife is mega stressed just now, returning to work for the first time after the kids were born 8 years, little one playing up and trying to make dinners whilst I was doing a swimming run with the other child. Think tonight was the last straw!!

FreeBear

marco_79 wrote: »

The bathroom has a wooden floor and it looks ok apart from one little bit that is warped. There has definitely been no significant structural damage. Only concerns now are mould as time passes.

Is this a proper solid wood floor or chipboard and/or laminate ?

If solid wood, just let it dry naturally, and it will be fine. Chipboard and laminate flooring may need replacing if it remains wet for extended periods, but a one off short soak should be OK.

If you are worried about mold, a dehumidifier will help to reduce the dampness. However, mold will only grow and spread in moist environments, so as long as the area remains dry, you won't get mold.