What to do about a Severely Flooded Home

Especially considering the horrific incidents of late in places like Louisiana, it becomes more and more important to understand what to do if your home is ever flooded. If you’re in one of the northern states and maybe even getting a home inspection in Queen’s, you might not think that flooding issues pertain to you, but it’s always a good idea to at least have a plan for any and all eventualities.

The first thing that you’ll want to do is make sure that there’s no imminent danger of the home collapsing. Make sure as well to turn off the gas service for the home and open a door to let the air circulate for enough time so that you can be sure that no gas is left inside. Make sure when you do go inside, to use a battery powered flashlight instead of anything with an open flame because there still may be some gas trapped inside the building. You’ll also need to keep an eye out for electrical shorts or live wires before you can get to the main breaker. Of course you don’t want to turn on any lights until you’ve had an electrician come and make sure that everything is safe to run electricity through.

The next step is to cover damage in the roof or walls so the elements don’t make the situation any worse. Around this time, it’s a good idea to take any pictures of the structural damage for insurance purposes. You’ll also want to throw out any food items that may have gone bad or will rot if the refrigeration isn’t coming back on right away. That goes for any previously opened medicines that may have come into contact with the flood water. Keep an eye out for any public health notices about the quality of the drinking water as well. Before you get a notice that everything is safe, make sure to boil water for drinking and prepare foods in boiling water for at least ten minutes.

Unfortunately along with all the others things that you’ve got to deal with, there might be a quantity of mud in your basement as well that needs to be removed. You should shovel out most of this mud while it is still moist as this gives the walls and floors a chance to dry. Once the basement has started to dry out, you can clean the walls by brushing off the loose dirt and then cleaning them with a mild soap solution. Finish this procedure by rinsing the walls with clean water. As far as the furniture goes, move all the wooden pieces outside to let them dry but keep them out of the sun until an adjustor has had a chance to see them.       

Return To Our Home and House Learning Library

Visit Our Home Inspection Supersite