The Changing Face of Water Damage Restoration
Large water damage events used to rare. My experience experience goes back to 1999 in Sydney. We had the worst hail storm in Sydney ever. The damage was enormous. At the time, it was the biggest insurance claim event in Australia’s history. Fast forward a few years. 2003 saw water inundation in Sutherland Shire. Berowra suffered extensive flooding in 2004. Canberra had a rough 2007 with three events. Newcastle was also affected by 190mm in June 2007. Who could forget the Pasha Bulka?
Then in 2010, Sydney (twice), Melbourne and Perth was hit in one after the other. Brisbane 2011, Central Coast 2014, Sydney 2014.
Who will ever forget the bushfires of 2019. 2448 homes were destroyed. 26 Lives were lost.
More recently in 2022, Sydney again had a serious event, Lismore and the Northern Rivers had a water damage event not ever seen before. Brisbane suffered a similar catastrophe.
What is Happening?
Rain events are much more intense that they used to be and more frequent. Droughts and fire events are longer and also more intense. Our climate is changing before our own eyes and creating havoc. Insurers are no longer providing affordable homes/contents insurance in certain parts of Australia. The loss suffered by affected households is considerable in many instances. Some lose everything. Without insurance cover, there is an immediate loss of wealth in some areas of Australia. Climate change is destroying the wealth of some of our most disadvantaged citizens.
Through decades of mismanagement, governments and local councils have allowed the building of homes in flood and fire prone areas. As if to double down, homes were also approved in bush fire prone zones. This practice is still going on. Current insurance for households in flood or fire zones may cost 10 to 20 times more that what the rest of us pay. People cannot afford the insurance premiums so they are mostly uninsured.
So What Can We Do?
If you are thinking of buying a home next to a river or in the bush, think again. Adverse weather events make the possibility of your wealth a distinct possibility. Do not be seduced by the affordability of these kinds of properties.
If your home has been wiped out by a fire or flood, do not build there again. Our building codes cannot handle the most severe weather events. If at all possible, move to a safer location.
Be weather alert. It may be possible to move your contents to a safer place in your home or to higher/safer ground. Have a action plan ready. Make sure you have the capacity and assistance needed to pull this off. Act early. Do not wait and see.
Water damage tips are really good for instances of minor water damage inundation. When two metres of water rushes towards a home, the best plan of action is to leave early.
Conclusion
Chem-Dry Action has 30 years of water damage restoration experience. We have invested in equipment and training through the years to ensure a speedy and effective response to the changing face of water damage restoration.
We cannot c
hange the weather. Our company will however, always be there to help in flood/fire emergency cleanups.