News
Flood Damage Affects Businesses After Burst Pipe.
Businesses and homeowners in Hammersmith in London are now dealing with the after-effects of a flash flood that was caused by a burst pipe on King Street.
In all, seven businesses and nine homes were affected by minor flood damage and power cuts – including the owner of Drink Me, Eat Me Francesca Hopkinson who said the stock in her basement was ruined after the basement was flooded to the ceiling, the London Evening Standard reports.
She explained: “I got at a call at 8.30pm saying my shop looked like the Thames, I came down and couldn’t get near the cafe. The water was fast flowing and we had search and rescue boats out.
“The hole they dug for the burst pipe was the size of a bus. Today there is still no electricity. They pumped out the basement and everything is gone.”
And owner of Saffaron supermarket Ali Ashfra said the shop has lost everything and it will cost up to £40,000 to put more items on the shelves once again.
Apparently, boats had to be brought in to rescue 70 people who found themselves trapped in cars, restaurants and homes after the pipe burst, which saw the street left under 20” of water.
The UK’s ageing pipe network means that incidents like this may become more and more common as time goes on. As such, it’s important that businesses do take all the necessary precautions when it comes to water leak detection as if this isn’t prioritised leaks can quickly become more problematic – and possibly result in a burst pipe.
Damage to pipes is very common and there are a variety of causes, including weather erosion, age, general deterioration, traffic vibrations, damage from animals, poorly connected joints and valves, and accidental damage (such as from work being carried out around the pipes).
But, of course, it can be very difficult indeed to detect these leaks because pipes are either hidden away inside walls or under the floor, or deep underground a property. Detection and repair can be tricky and much of the time these leaks aren’t discovered until significant damage has already been done.
Once the leaks have been found, gaining access to the pipes in question can prove costly and difficult, with floors and walls having to be ripped out or even ground excavation having to take place.
As to the costs of repair, it very much depends on how quickly a leak is discovered. If it’s found immediately, any damage will be minimal so you can keep the costs under control. But if seeping water starts to do significant damage then the cost impact can be huge.
You may, for example, have to remove any fungal growth, replace rotten soft furnishings and wooden structures, redecorate after the repair work and removing any saturated brickwork or stone.
If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with us here at H2O Building Services today.