Flood clean up questions

[Grahame Collins]

Hi Everyone
Thanks for all your kind thoughts re our water problems,
We are all so lucky,the water was almost lapping the floor boards
Even now I am finding out there are many that were not.

A bit of advice is sought about procedures related to the cleaning up and start up issues from those that know.

Split system ground units. I have hosed out the silt and was going to let them dry and test run-good or bad idea?

Motor vehicles .Water up to the tops of the tyres -was some internal leaking through sills and such and am going to washout and out with dewatering spray.

I have already done the submerged power outlets and washed , dryed and sprayed them with RP7.

The rest of the electricals is just a matter of washing the stinking silt out and a respray.
I am off to the hardware for a carton of the good stuff

Grahame

[dazzler]

Hi Grahame

WRT to the vehicles, I would pull the carpet out and remove any plugs from the underside. Give it a few days in the sun (big yellow thing in the sky sometimes ) with the windows down.

Spray liberally into the channels with INOX or something similar. Water should not have got into the gearbox/diff as that normally happens when they are hot and hit water (creek crossing) and there is some heat loss and it sucks in.

I would drive around for a couple days and get them checked at the service centre for water (greyish coloured oil)

good luck

[Cliff Rogers]

If it was NOT salt water & if there was no power on the electrics while it was wet, a good flush with clean water & then time to dry out is all that it needs.

If it was salt water and/or there was power applied to the electrics, then there will be some electrolysis damage & it may need more than a flush out with clean water.

[Grahame Collins]

Thank for your prompt reply lads,

Only a bit of salts in the water, and that were I had to have an urgent leek.Well after all, the water was 100mm over the top of our dunny lid.

We intend to get the cars going and will go through the rest- scratch that RACQ just rang and a flat top is coming to take the them to a central area for assessment.- flat top just went with only one car as wife has taken by ute up to get essential eats. It escaped not too badly with only water in the footwells.The seats are dry.Thank goodness for 15"wheels

Neighbor went to his 12 months old Magna and put key into ignition and a heap of security codes came up. He rang the insurance and from that they reckoned a write off, sight unseen.Myself I'd want a second opinion.

My sons Magna is a few years old but was not insured so I am looking at engine management computers and slave motors for seats and windows to wash and spray.

The seats particularly the ones in my wifes small sedan were soaked and are the HD sponge crap inside of the vinyl cover .Its and 95 Dai Wu and there not to many fancy electronics to go wrong.

All we need is a break from the rain the down pour has backed off and now its never ending scuds that chase one back inside as soon as you get started on something outside.

At this stage it is look like the high levy banks 4metres high and about 6 metres thick had collapsed. Much inundation you will see on the media in North Mackay around the gooseponds and is because people choose to live in a natural watercourse. Quite a few expensive flash houses went under.

The one I feel desperately sorry for a re the old people and this living alone

A little creek that normally runs between 1 & 2 meters had 6 metres and enough force to lift shipping containers and dump them across a bridge.

Methinks its about time for a permanent move to higher ground.

thanks again
Grahame

[Gingermick]

We were very lucky here. It is quite low, RL5.4 (5.4m above mean sea level in Canberra) I think. (Slade Point). The area drained fantastically.
But it's still raining.

[wheelinround]

http:/In this link is what Graham was saying about toilet there is a video to the right from Sky News.

www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23223358-2,00.html

Graham glad your Ok GingermIck too

What everyone has said re dry outs in auto's a hair dryer can do wonders where you can get to.

Sadly the electrics in cars today can suffer badly many computer units although well sealed are located where water may not disperse well. If water has gone over the motor and they are injector type plugs or long life plugs in recessed wells they need to be air blown out or left to dry, if removing and gunk is still in them it could go into pistons chamber.

Insurance co's from Newcastle floods then flooded the auctions and of course 2nd hand dealers with those cars.

If you can raise the vehicle by jacking putting on stands or blocks might give you an extra few inches. A clean out of break drums and discs area, radiators clog up with mud etc carefull spraying with high pressure.