Dealing with Flood Damage

Whether you have one inch or one foot of water in your basement, you need to know how to clean up the mess. You should start clean up as soon as the water recedes.

For your safety:

  • Be sure the electricity is turned off. In the case of severe flooding, do not use the electricity until a licensed electrician has checked your home.
  • When using a flashlight, turn it on prior to entering the house. Do not use matches or any type of flame until you are sure there are no gas leaks, and the area has been aired out. Check to see if the pilot light is out.
  • After outside flood waters have receded, drain only about 1/3 of the water in your basement initially. Outside pressure pushing against your basement walls can cause the basement walls to collapse. Start by pumping the water level down 2-3 feet, marking the level & wait overnight. If the water level goes up, wait 24 hours, and then repeat process.
  • Destroy all fresh or frozen food, medicine or cosmetics that have been in contact with flood water, as they may have been contaminated.
  • If you suspect your water supply is contaminated, have it tested. Call the City of Minneapolis Water Department laboratories at 612-661-4999.
  • If any appliances were touched by flood water, have them checked by a qualified serviceperson before operating them.

For information about safety before and during a flood, see Flood Safety. Also see the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website.

Cleaning Up:

  • Take pictures of flood damage and your clean up efforts. Photographs are extremely helpful in documenting flood damage for insurance purposes. Keep good records, including how much of your personal time was spent on debris removal and cleanup.
  • Record the amount of time it took you to clean up.
  • Use a disinfectant, such as 1 part bleach to 32 parts water, to scrub walls, floors, household items and appliances – everything that got wet. Protective gloves and appropriate eye protection should be worn. Test solution on a small discreet location to check for discoloration.
  • Make sure that heating systems are operable as soon as possible. You can use them to help dry out the basement.
  • Clean all clothing, bedding, rugs, curtains, etc. as soon as possible, disinfecting if necessary.
  • Clean and dry furniture and mattresses, using a bleach solution.

Flooded lawns:

If your lawn has been underwater for less than four days, it should survive. To help it along:

  • Use a rake to clean away as much silt as possible.
  • Break up the silt crust with a rake or aerator until the grass has recovered.

Resources

For more information about cleaning up, go to the University of Minnesota Extension Service home page and search for "floods".

For multiple articles about coping with floods and their aftermath, see:
http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/flood/home.htm
http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/flood/afterpkt.htm
http://www.extension.umn.edu/administrative/disasterresponse/flood.html

Flood threat precautions are summarized by the Provincial Emergency Program on the website for British Columbia in Canada:
http://www.pep.bc.ca/hazard_preparedness/flooding_preparedness.html

This link to the American Red Cross website contains a summary of the booklet Repairing Your Flooded Home and a link to the entire booklet in pdf format. The booklet was prepared by The American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The American Lung Association website offers information about the dangers of floodwaters and their aftermath: http://www.lungusa.org/air/flood_factsheet99.html

For detailed suggestions about cleaning furniture, floor coverings, books, and many other items, see: http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/flood/furnitur.htm

Disclaimer: The items listed on this page are merely summaries of possible measures that can be used for dealing with flood damage. For more information about some specific how-to steps that you may want to consider, follow the provided links to other websites.