Water in the house or shed
If floodwater has reached power points, a heat pump, a pump or the switchboard, keep the power off to that area and don't use anything that got wet until a licensed electrician has tested it. If a line is down, stay 10 metres clear and call 111.
Kumeū and its valley
Flood after flood
Auckland Council lists floods in 1928, 1954, 1961, 1979, 1988, August 2021, and January and February 2023, and says the latest ones hit many low-lying homes and businesses hard.
Some homes too risky to stay
By December 2024, 12 of the 34 Kumeū-Huapai homes that asked for a flood risk categorisation had been found to have an intolerable risk to life.
Lifestyle country
Kumeū has a lot of lifestyle blocks and vineyards. Kumeū-Huapai had 2,280 dwellings in 2023, and the rural areas around it another 1,218.
Hail too
In November 1984 hail up to 2.5 cm across hit near Kumeū, damaging glasshouses, sheds and houses.
More renters arriving
Renting households in the Kumeū statistical area went from 543 to 906 between 2018 and 2023.
After a flood
Floodwater carries silt and contaminants into power points, junction boxes and appliances. Even after things look dry, the insulation can be damaged. A licensed electrician tests each affected circuit, replaces fittings that were under water, and gives you paperwork for the insurer.
If you're rebuilding after a flood, it's worth asking whether the board, power points and heat pump outdoor unit can sit higher than before.
Power on a lifestyle block
Sheds, workshops, water pumps and gate motors are often a long way from the house. Long cable runs need the right cable size, and outdoor or buried cable needs proper protection. A new circuit or sub-board to a shed is general work, so expect a Certificate of Compliance and an Electrical Safety Certificate.
Where we'd start in Kumeū
On a flood-prone section, we'd ask the electrician to put the switchboard and key outlets as high as is practical, and to split the circuits so the wet zone can be switched off while the rest of the house keeps running.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.