April 9, 2025
- Recovery from a flood is a challenging and complex emotional journey. Quickly reach out to your insurance company and secure your home to avoid additional harm, but take your time cleaning up. After a flood, cleaning methodically and carefully will protect your health and belongings.
- Flood cleanup can appear to be an overwhelming task. It’s essential to plan your approach for repairing the damage. Follow the simple guidelines below to restore your home to safe living conditions as swiftly as possible. Additionally, remember to purchase flood insurance from HDFC Ergo, which covers short circuits, floor damage, furniture damage, water damage, structural damage, and more.
- Water can cause extensive damage that requires prompt and thorough cleanup, whether caused by a river overflowing, heavy rainfall, or flooding from a severe storm. This guide will demonstrate how to clean up after a flood to prevent further damage and provides tips for safely assessing flood-related damage.
- Steps to Clean Your Home
- Below are the steps to follow to clear out your house once you are certain that it’s safe to go back inside.
- Don Protective Gear
There are multiple concerns to address after flooding has occurred in your home. Storm sewers, ditches, and sewage systems can carry debris that floods your space. As the water recedes, they may leave sludge and hazardous substances behind. Coming into contact with sewage or mold can lead to adverse reactions and other complications. You should expect mold to be developing after such an incident. Mold can lead to asthma attacks and respiratory issues.
- Dress in clothing that covers your hands and feet to protect yourself. You need to shield your hands and face to avoid inhaling harmful gases and mold particles. It is advisable to wear an N95 mask, fitted eyewear to prevent dust and other tiny particles from getting into your eyes, and long, snug-fitting latex or rubber gloves. Keep individuals with weakened immune systems away from the home since mold, cleaning agents, and storm debris can significantly worsen their health.
- Dry Out Your Residence as Soon as You Can
- Mold begins to appear within about 24 hours in damp environments, and within two days, if it’s humid, you might start to see clusters form. The initial step in eliminating mold is to clean the indoor air.
- If you have electricity, turn on your air conditioning unit, a dryer, and/or all of your fans. If you have both a dryer and an air conditioner, keep the curtains closed to enhance air circulation and remove excess moisture. If you only have fans, keep your windows slightly open and direct the airflow towards a window.
- Utilize your portable generator to implement the earlier mentioned plan if there is no electricity at your location but you possess one. Just remember that generators emit harmful carbon monoxide; never operate a generator indoors to avoid carbon monoxide exposure. Position the generator at least 20 feet away from your home, directing the exhaust away from your residence. Employ a 12-gauge or thicker electrical cable to securely keep your generator away from the area if it isn’t connected to a converter in your house.
- Complete lack of electricity? Open all doors and windows in your house, circumstances permitting, to allow fresh air in.
- Monitor the Humidity
Utilize a moisture tester available at construction supply stores to track the water content while drying your home. Professionals suggest aiming for a moisture level between 30 and 50% to avert mold growth. Although surfaces, flooring, and furnishings may feel dry, they can still harbor microbial and mold development. Another useful tool is a humidity meter, which can be purchased at hardware stores. This device will help you locate concealed moisture. - Dispose of Trash
Be sure to wear your mask and other protective gear when discarding hazardous waste. To remove damp sediment and debris from your property and dispose of it properly, Jeff Bishop, a former board director of the IICRC, recommends using shovels or rakes. Just ensure to thoroughly wash and sanitize your shoes and clothes, and clean your tools with bleach after every use. Contact your insurance provider to ask about the necessary documentation required for your claim if you possess flood insurance. You may need to take photos of the extent of the damage and keep parts of the carpets, floors, and drywall. You should dispose of any damaged household items, like furniture or carpets, if you did not clean and dry them within 24 to 48 hours after your home suffered flooding. These items likely now harbor mold and are beyond recovery. Take pictures of any valuable items that need disposal to have for your insurance settlement. Get in touch with the local authority in your city for details on how to discard household items from your cleanup. - Remove Damaged Drywall
Reach out to a professional experienced in flood damage management to remove any drywall in your home that has suffered over 10 square feet of total flood damage. However, you can handle any area smaller than that on your own. The drywall should be cut from 15 to 24 inches above the visible water line. Use a sharp knife to slice through the drywall, then pull it away. Check with your local sanitation department to determine if you can simply place the drywall at the curb for collection or whether you need to transport it to a landfill yourself. If the insulation behind the drywall is wet, you will also need to replace that as well. Solid surface items, such as glass and metal, can be sanitized using a mixture of bleach and water and washed completely with soapy water. - Remove Flooring
Flooring, sheet vinyl, lamination, and hardwood flooring should be removed if they appear to dry, since moisture and silt accumulate beneath them and can promote the development of bacteria and mold.
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