Electrical safety must come first

RESIDENTIAL Property

With flood-affected homes widespread across Queensland, Master Builders is advising home owners with flood damage that electrical safety should be their first priority when returning home.

Any home owner unfortunate enough to experience flood damage will want access to their home and power restored so they can have the damage assessed and fixed quickly.
In flood situations, electrical safety is particularly relevant and home owners (as well as business owners) whose electrical distribution board has been submerged should contact their local power provider to determine the steps to be taken before power will be returned to their home or business.
Checking some plumbing fixtures may also be on the priority list, with Master Builders recommending home owners use a licensed plumber to ensure any on-site sewerage facilities and hot water units are working satisfactorily. Once the electrical and plumbing items are addressed and in working order, other repairs can commence.
Unfortunately, there are some operators within the community who will try to take advantage of those whose homes have been affected by the floods. Be on the lookout for “blow-in” contractors who are out to make a quick buck.
To minimise your chances of getting caught up with these types of contractors, ask a builder or trade contractor if they are licensed in Queensland to perform the type of work they are quoting on. Ask them to produce their Building Services Authority (BSA) licence.
Take note of their name, licence number, expiry date and class of licence. Details of their licence are available online at www.bsa.qld.gov.au, where you can also perform a licence search.