Flood Clean-Up

Before you begin

Exercise caution when re-entering your home. Avoid electrical shock by wearing rubber boots in an area flooded with more than five centimeters (two inches) of standing water.

Electricity

Keep extension cords out of the water. If the power is on in the flooded area, shut it off immediately at the breaker box. If conditions are wet around the breaker box, stand on a dry board and use a dry stick to turn off the switch. Consult your Department of Public Safety's Electrical Inspectors if you require assistance. If your power has been turned off by NB Power, you must contact your local electrical inspector before NB Power will turn on your electrical supply.

If your power has not been turned off by NB Power, you can contact your local electrical inspector, or an accredited electrical contractor.

The department of Public Safety's Electrical Inspector can be reached at the following numbers:

Regional Office

Bathurst, Technical Inspection Services Campbellton, Technical Inspection Services  Edmundston, Technical Inspection Services  Fredericton, Technical Inspection Services

Miramichi, Technical Inspection Services  Moncton, Technical Inspection Services  Saint John, Technical Inspection Services  Woodstock, Technical Inspection Services

The building

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

Private water supplies affected by flooding should not be used until they have been disinfected. This can be done 10 days after water recedes by pouring 1 litre (one quart) of liquid bleach into the well. Taps should then be turned on until chlorine can be smelled from each tap, then turned off for 24 hours. Taps should be run again until the odour or taste of chlorine has disappeared. If possible, avoid discharging this chlorinated water into your septic tank. It is better, for example, to hook up a garden hose to a tap and discharge the water to a ditch. Water should be tested by a Public Health inspector before it is used for drinking. Until tests indicate a safe water supply, water for drinking and personal use should be brought to a rolling boil for at least 1 minute and then stored in clean covered containers.

Private water supplies may also be impacted by chemicals such as furnace oil, gasoline or agricultural chemicals. Should individuals think their well has been impacted by substances like this, the well water should not be used for any domestic purpose whatsoever, even if it has been boiled, before it is deemed safe by health officials.

Equipment

• Assemble equipment and supplies which should include:
• Gloves, masks and other protective gear
• Pails, mops, squeegees and plastic garbage bags
• Chlorine bleach and non-ammonia dishwashing detergent (Note: Never mix bleach with ammonia, since the fumes produced when they're combined are toxic.)
• Large containers for soaking bedding and clothing, and lines to hang them until they are dry.

You may also need to rent extension cords, submersible pumps, wet/dry shop vacuums, a carbon-monoxide sensor and dehumidifiers, fans or heaters.

Remember to store all valuable papers that have been damaged in a freezer until they are needed.
Record details of flood damage, by photograph or video, if possible. Register the amount of damage to your home with both your insurance agent. Make sure that all flood related receipts are kept in a safe place.

First steps for Clean-Up

Water damage

Immediately add about two litres of chlorine bleach to standing water. Do not occupy a house that still contains standing water.

Remove water from your flooded home slowly. Drain it in stages -- about a third of the volume daily. If the ground is still saturated and water is removed too quickly, it could cause the walls or the floor to buckle. Use pumps or pails to remove standing water, then a wet/dry shop vacuum to mop up the rest.

Heating

Do not heat your home to more than four degrees Celsius (about 40 degrees Fahrenheit) until all 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 when they're not tuned-up or are improperly ventilated.

Dirt and debris

Remove all soaked and dirty materials as well as debris. Break out walls and remove drywall, wood paneling and insulation at least 500 millimetres (20 inches) above the high-water line. Remove residual mud and soil, furniture, appliances, clothing and bedding.

Hose down any dirt sticking to walls and solid-wood furniture. Then rinse several times.

Wash and wipe down all surfaces and structures with chlorine bleach, ensuring there is adequate cross-ventilation to remove fumes. Then rinse again. Wear a charcoal respirator (which can be obtained at major safety-supply or hardware stores) when using bleach in any closed space.

Wipe down surfaces that have not been directly affected by the flood using a solution of one part chlorine bleach to four parts cold or tepid water, mixed with a small amount of non-ammonia dishwashing detergent, then rinse.

Structures

Ventilate or dehumidify the house until it is completely dry. Tape clear food wrap to sections of material. If these sections are still damp inside, they will turn darker than the surrounding material. Dry until this does not occur.

Rinse, 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, chlorine bleach and non-ammonia dishwashing detergent then dry thoroughly.

If regular checks reveal mould, kill it with chlorine bleach. Mould can lead to serious health problems.

Floor coverings

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.

Floor drains

Flush and disinfect floor drains and sump pumps using undiluted chlorine bleach. 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.