Anyone who has dealt with a flooded basement knows that cleanup is complicated, costly and potentially dangerous. You will likely feel in over your head if trying to tackle the job alone. Below are some general guidelines and things to look for when doing flood cleanup, but consider consulting City Vibe as our professional technicians can identify safety hazards and handle ongoing concerns such as mold growth.
Basement Flood Cleanup Checklist
- Inform your insurance company.
- Do not enter the basement until the water level has fallen to reduce risk of electrocution or contamination from sewage.
- Shut off all electricity.
- Wear rubber gloves, boots that are waterproof and a face mask. Avoid touching your face during clean up.
- Seek medical help for injuries right away as the risk of infection in flood waters is very high.
- Do not turn on faucets below flood waters.
- Call your gas company right away if you smell gas and do not turn on any electronics or light any open flames.
- Remove everything from the flood area and let everything air dry.
- Replace your air filters and get your HVAC system and all other appliances inspected after cleanup.
- Once it’s safe, run the air conditioning, furnace, fans or a dehumidifier to hasten the drying process.
- Remove any chemicals stored in the area such as cleaning supplies.
- Wash all affected floors, walls and faucets with clean, warm water.
- You can disinfect cleaning equipment with a mixture of eight tablespoons of chlorine bleach per gallon of water, but never mix bleach with ammonia because the fumes produced would be highly toxic.
- You can wash rugs and cushions with hot water and bleach, but don’t hesitate to dispose of anything you think could be hazardous.
- Install new dry wall to prevent mold from growing after cleanup.
As you can see, cleaning up a flood site is sensitive and time consuming work. You may be tempted to do it all yourself, but calling on City Vibe for help can save you from maintenance costs and a health issues down the road.