Clean Up Flood Damage Safely

Flood damage is an extreme form of water damage and the majority of people are fortunate enough to live in areas where it is likely they will never be threatened by the prospect of their house being inundated by flood.

In other areas there is a real likelihood that some people will be facing annual flood damage. This may be because they live in close proximity to a river which floods after heavy rain or because naturally occurring phenomena such as hurricanes are common at certain times of the year. Those regularly flooded out would be somewhat used to the clean up process, not that it ever gets easy.

Safety Clothing For Flood Damage Clean Up

When attempting to clean up flood damage you will be handling items that are potentially contaminated with all kinds of mildew or floodwater debris. The potential for sewage to contaminate the water is very real so proper protective clothing should be worn at all times.

The proper protective clothing to use when cleaning up flood damage may include:

• Gloves
• Goggles
• Respirator
• Rubber boots

Safety Steps When Cleaning Up Flood Damage

A flooded home can be a very dangerous place to be. There are some steps that should be followed to ensure your safety.

Turn off the electricity. The electricity may already be turned off or the power to the area may have been lost, but you must also be sure that the mains power has been switched off to cut all electricity to the house.

If it is dark indoors and you need light to see by always use a flashlight. Never strike a match or use open flames in case there is gas present inside.

If you have a flooded basement along with flooding in the rest of the home, only partially remove the water in the first stages. It is likely that there will be water outside the house pushing in and removing the water from the basement could result in the pressure from outside the house becoming too great, pushing against the basement wall causing structural damage.

Fresh food, medicine and cosmetics that have come in contact with the floodwater will have to be thrown out due to the potential for contamination.

Appliances that have come in contact with the water should be examined by someone who is qualified to repair electric goods to ensure they are still in working order.

It’s bad enough to have to pick through the damage that has been caused by floodwaters that have inundated the home. Make sure you don’t make the situation worse by ignoring simple safety steps while performing your flood damage restoration.