After a flood, all sorts of risks lurk in waters along with your property. Whether it’s bacteria, mold, power, or rapid flows — all pose a threat to your health and safety if you’re not careful. Here are the most frequent hazards following a home flooding, and tips to prevent them:
Infections
- You can deal with a disease by eating or drinking contaminated products. Floodwaters can directly infect food with bacteria like E. coli or Salmonella or during a power surge.
- Throw away food that has come in direct contact with floodwater, including bottled drinks and products in jars, or some other food that smells and looks unusual. Intact, canned goods may be cleaned and cleaned.
- Discard perishable foods like eggs or meat, which have been abandoned at over 41 degrees Fahrenheit for over four hours.
- Throw away all medicines, cosmetics, and other toiletries that have touched floodwater.
- If you’ve made contact with floodwater, practice good hygiene — wash hands frequently with soap and warm water.
- Don’t let children play in floodwater or with toys contaminated by floodwater.
- If you’ve got an open wound, keep it clean, cover it with a waterproof bandage, and also avoid exposure to floodwater.
- Don’t drive through flowing water even if it’s just a few inches deep. Your car or truck may break down or have swept away.
- If the roads are flooded and you absolutely must drive, track road conditions and follow closure signs. Be conscious of road hazards such as sand, construction debris, tree limbs, and potholes. Rapidly moving water could be fatal, even if you’re able to swim.
Respiratory Hazards
- Prevent areas with mold growth — it may sort within 24-48 hours of a flood. Mold has to be eliminated before moving back to your own home. For water and mold damage cleanup, employ a professional water damage restoration near me, such as PuroClean.
- Run gasoline, propane, and diesel-powered equipment just in well-ventilated outdoor areas to prevent carbon monoxide buildup.
- Stay away from creating materials that may contain lead, such as painted surfaces and plumbing.
- Be aware of asbestos poisoning. Don’t enter areas where asbestos may have been used as a construction material.
- When returning to your home following a flood, know about possible chemical hazards which floodwaters could have carried.
- Don’t move propane tanks yourself as they may cause a fire or burst.
- If you see car batteries in floodwaters, don’t get near them to avoid electrical shock.
Gas and electrical Dangers
- Never touch electric lines, wires, equipment, and fittings during and after a flood.
- Do not walk or drive through floodwater if downed power lines are in it.
- Never enter your house if the main power switch was not turned off prior to flooding. Wait until a qualified electrician has announced your home safe before re-entering.
- Evacuate your house when you detect or smell gas and notify the gas company.
Debris
- In the aftermath of a flood, all children of debris might be potentially harmful. Watch out for broken glass, building or demolition debris, and tree limbs.
To learn more about home flooding safety, check out the way to shield your home from flooding and everything to do after a basement flooding. For flooding water damage repair and mold remediation service, speak to your local PuroClean office. Click here for more information.
