After a flood
Restore your home to good order as soon as possible to protect your health and prevent further damage to the house and its contents.
Protect Your Health
Even if the water in your home is clear, it could be contaminated by sewage or household chemicals. Ramirez recommends wearing waders, hip- or waist-high waterproof boots. In addition, wear rubber gloves to remove water-damaged possessions and to avoid contaminants, Ramirez notes. Be sure to throw out any food that may have come into contact with flood waters. FEMA recommends boiling water until authorities declare the water supply is safe.
Hygiene
The Department of Health stresses the necessity of guarding against contamination from polluted water.
1. Disinfect surfaces that have been submerged in flood water in order to reduce the danger of infections, paying special attention to areas children can reach.
2. Wash and disinfect your hands frequently during clean-up.
3. Until the latest flood updates confirm that tap water is safe to drink, boil for one minute all water for drinking and washing, including dishes.
4. Discard all food that has come into contact with flood water, even sealed cans and jars.
Re-entering your home
- Do not return home until authorities have advised that it is safe to do so.
- If the main power switch was not turned off prior to flooding, do not re-enter your home until a qualified electrician has determined it is safe to do so.
- Use extreme caution when returning to your home after a flood.
- Appliances that may have been flooded pose a risk of shock or fire when turned on. Do not use any appliances, heating, pressure, or sewage system until electrical components have been thoroughly cleaned, dried, and inspected by a qualified electrician.
- The main electrical panel must be cleaned, dried, and tested by a qualified electrician to ensure that it is safe.
- Depending on where you live, your municipal or the provincial inspection authority is responsible for the permitting process required before your electric utility can reconnect power to your home.
Ensure building safety
- Make sure the building is structurally safe.
- Look for buckled walls or floors.
- Watch for holes in the floor, broken glass and other potentially dangerous debris.
Water
- Flood water can be heavily contaminated with sewage and other pollutants. It can cause sickness and infections.
- If your house has been flooded and you have a well, don't drink the water. Have it tested first.
- Household items that have been flood-damaged will have to be discarded according to local regulations.
Documentation
- Store all valuable papers that have been damaged in a freezer until they are needed (After your cleanup, consult your lawyer to determine whether flood-damaged documents, or just the information in them, must be retained).
- Record details of flood damage by photograph or video, if possible.
- Register the amount of damage to your home with both your insurance agent and local municipality immediately.
Cleanup
Maintain good hygiene during flood cleanup. Minimize contact with floodwater or anything that may have been in contact with it. Keep children away from contaminated areas during cleanup operations.
Recommended flood cleanup equipment
- Gloves
- Masks and other protective gear
- Pails, mops and squeegees
- Plastic garbage bags
- Unscented detergent
- Large containers for soaking bedding, clothing and linens, and clotheslines to hang them to dry
Additional equipment
- Depending on your situation, you may need to rent additional equipment such as extension cords, submersible pumps, wet/dry shop vacuums, a carbon monoxide sensor and dehumidifiers, fans or heaters.
- When using the equipment, keep extension cords out of the water.
Water
- Remove water from your flooded home slowly. Drain it in stages - about one third of the volume daily - because if the ground is still saturated and water is removed too quickly, the walls or the floor could buckle.
- Use pumps or pails to remove standing water, then a wet/dry shop vacuum to mop up the rest.
- For instructions on how to disinfect and restore wells and cisterns, contact your local or provincial health authorities or emergency management organization.
Heating and appliances
- Do not heat your home to more than 4°C (about 40°F) until all of the water is removed.
- If you use pumps or heaters powered by gasoline, kerosene or propane, buy and install a carbon monoxide sensor. Combustion devices can produce large amounts of lethal carbon monoxide if they're not tuned-up or are improperly ventilated.
- Do not use flooded appliances, electrical outlets, switch boxes or fuse-breaker panels until they have been checked by your local utility.
- Whether you use a wood, gas or electrical heating system, have it thoroughly inspected by a qualified technician before using it again. Replace the furnace blower motor, switches and controls if they have been soaked.
- Flooded forced-air heating ducts and return-duct pans should be either cleaned or replaced.
- Replace filters and insulation inside furnaces, water heaters, refrigerators and freezers if they have been wet. However, it is often cheaper to replace this equipment.
Dirt and debris
- Remove all soaked and dirty materials as well as debris.
- Break out walls and remove drywall, wood panelling and insulation at least 50 centimetres (20 inches) above the high-water line.
- Hose down any dirt sticking to walls and solid-wood furniture then rinse several times.
- Wash and wipe down all surfaces and structures with unscented detergent and water. Rinse.
Floor drains
- Flush and disinfect floor drains and sump pumps with detergent and water. Scrub them to remove greasy dirt and grime.
- Clean or replace footing drains outside the foundation when they are clogged. Consult a professional for advice or service.
Structures
- Ventilate or dehumidify the house until it is completely dry.
- Rinse and then clean all floors as quickly as possible.
- Replace flooring that has been deeply penetrated by flood water or sewage.
- Clean all interior wall and floor cavities with a solution of water and unscented detergent.
Carpets and furniture
- Carpets must be dried within the first two days. For large areas, hire a qualified professional to do the job. Carpets soaked with sewage must be discarded immediately.
- Remove residual mud and soil from furniture, appliances, etc.
- If items are just damp, let the mud dry and then brush it off.
- To test if material is dry, tape clear food wrap to the surface of the item. If the covered section turns darker than the surrounding material, it is still damp. Dry until this no longer occurs.
- For upholstered furniture you should consult a professional to see what can be salvaged. In the meantime, remove cushions and dry separately. Do not remove upholstery. Raise furniture on blocks and place fans underneath.
- Wooden furniture: Remove drawers and open doors. Do not dry quickly or splitting may occur.
Mould
- Mould can lead to serious health problems.
- You may need to have your home professionally cleaned for it to be covered by insurance. Check with your insurance company.
- If you are cleaning up in a room where mould is present, wear a face mask and disposable gloves.
- To minimize mould growth, move items to a cool, dry area within 48 hours and set up fans.
- Alternatively, textiles, furs, paper and books can be frozen until they are treated.
- Wet mould will smear if wiped. Let it dry and then brush it off outdoors.
- You can also kill mould spores by lightly misting the item with isopropanol (rubbing alcohol).
Food and medicine
- All undamaged canned goods must be thoroughly washed and disinfected.
- Dispose of all medicines, cosmetics and other toiletries that have been exposed to flood water.
- Dispose of any of the following food items if they have been exposed to flood water:
- Contents of freezer or refrigerator, including all meats and all fresh fruit and vegetables
- All boxed foods
- All bottled drinks and products in jars, including home preserves (since the area under the seal of jars and bottles cannot be properly disinfected)
- Cans with large dents or that reveal seepage
What to discard
All insulation materials, particleboard furniture, mattresses, box springs, stuffed toys, pillows, padding, cushions and furniture coverings that have been exposed to flood water.
What is salvageable
- Frames of high-quality furniture can often be saved. However, they must first be cleaned, disinfected and rinsed, then dried by ventilation away from direct sunlight or heat. Drying too quickly can cause warping and cracking.
- Clothes can be cleaned. Scrape heavy dirt from washable clothes. Rinse and wash them several times with detergent and dry quickly.
Before moving back in
Once the flood waters have receded, you must not live in your house until:
- The regular water supply has been inspected and officially declared safe for use.
- Every flood-contaminated room has been thoroughly cleaned, disinfected and surface-dried.
- All contaminated dishes and utensils have been thoroughly washed and disinfected - either by using boiling water or by using a sterilizing solution of one part chlorine bleach to four parts water. Rinse dishes and utensils thoroughly.
- Adequate toilet facilities are available. (For more information, consult your local health authority.)
