Media Contact: Catherine Dehdashti, U of M Extension (612) 625-0237, ced@umn.edu

Priorities for clean-up and repair after a flood

ST. PAUL, Minn. (4/1/2009) — The following guidelines will help you get your home back to livable standards as soon as possible after a flood. The first priority is your safety.

Buildings may not be habitable during the cleaning process. Before entering the house, shut off the gas. Also, to avoid electrical shock, shut the power off to flooded areas and wear rubber boots. Wear waterproof gloves when handling flood contaminated materials. Finally, before you get started, assemble an essential first aid kit for minor injuries that may occur while cleaning.

Start by taking photos or a video for insurance claims and tax deductions. Keep records of all expenses. Books and papers may be frozen until you have time to work with them. Place waxed paper between layers and place items inside plastic bags before freezing.
Next, examine the building's structure. Check the foundation for settling, cracking or undermining. Examine walls, floors and windows. Have an electrician check the electrical system. If the basement is flooded, pump the water out in stages, about 1/3 each day.
If you have a well you may need to hire a qualified professional to disinfect it.
Your plan of action for the clean-up process starts with removal of standing water. Use pails or pumps, then vacuum with a wet/dry shop vacuum cleaner.
Remove all soaked and contaminated materials. Place in plastic garbage bags and haul them outside. They may need to be tagged and discarded according to local regulations if they've been contaminated with sewer water.
Shovel out mud and silt before it dries. If the walls are salvageable, hose down walls and floors before they dry. Rinse several times, then clean and disinfect them. Start at the bottom and work upward using chlorine bleach. Do not mix bleach with ammonia; the fumes are toxic.
The heating system may need to be cleaned, dried and reconditioned. Turning the heat on will help the drying process. You may want to also use a dehumidifier.
Dry out the walls and floors. This process may take several months. Moisture meters may be used according to manufacturer directions; however, they are not absolutely necessary.
Treat items for mildew if necessary.

The clean-up and subsequent repairs may take weeks, even months. For more detailed information, check Extension's flood impacts website, www.extension.umn.edu, click on "Floods & Rain." This website connects Minnesotans to the most up-to-date information on flood response, safety and cleanup issues. More information is being added to the site each day.

If you do not have Internet access, you can call Extension’s Flood & Farm Information Line (800) 232-9077, staffed by Extension personnel Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Flood & Farm Information Line is a resource for questions about water, crops, horticulture and climatology issues. Questions at other times of the day and on weekends can be left on voicemail and will be returned during staffed hours. In addition, questions can be e-mailed to the Flood & Farm Information Line at fil@umn.edu, and a written response will be returned. For household and family oriented questions, you may call Extension's AnswerLine at (800) 854-1678. AnswerLine is staffed Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.

-------

Source: Richard Stone, U of M Extension

NOTE: News releases were current as of the date of issue. If you have a question on older releases, use the news release search (upper left-hand column of the News main page) or the main Extension search (upper right of this page) to locate more recent information.

Agriculture \ Community \ Environment \ Family \ Garden \ Youth
Home \ Search \ News \ Workshops \ Online Shopping
About Extension \ Extension Offices

URL: http:// www.extension.umn.edu/extensionnews/2009/clean-up-after-flood.html This page was updated April 9, 2009 .
Online Privacy Statement. Contact Information.