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Flood Damage Assessment: How to Safely Enter & Inspect a Building After a Flood
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If your building has been flooded, this website provides an easy to understand guide for flood damage assessment, setting priorities of action, safety, and we provide special information about avoiding or minimizing mold damage.

This chapter outlines how to enter a flood-damaged building after it has been flooded. We discuss when to stay out, when you can enter, and safety considerations on entry of flooded buildings. Our "Flood Response Checklist" lists key actions you should take after building flooding to minimize mold damage, and includes some safety warnings.

We also list after-flood "anti-mold" procedures that do not work or are unsafe - to help you avoid unnecessary expense in dealing with mold after a building flood. If your building is already moldy or if you suspect mold related illness in your building, we link to a step by step "Mold Action Guide" dealing with toxic or allergenic indoor mold and other indoor contaminants: when and how to inspect or test for mold, when to hire an expert, how to clean up a moldy area, when and how to perform post-remediation mold testing.

If your septic system has been flooded we link to an article outlining what to do about that system as well. Extensive, technically detailed in-depth articles on other mold detection, testing, and prevention methods are organized at our Mold Information Center © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

BUILDING ENTRY PROCEDURE - Procedures for Entering a Safe, Previously-Flooded Building

When entering buildings, use extreme caution. Building damage may have occurred where you least expect it. Watch carefully every step you take.

• Wear sturdy shoes. The most common injury following a disaster is cut feet. If there is extensive visible mold, wear a HEPA-rated respirator during your initial walk-through, and if you are asthmatic or otherwise at particular risk, stay out of the building.
• Use battery-powered lanterns or flashlights when examining buildings. Battery-powered lighting is the safest and easiest, preventing fire hazard for the user, occupants, and building.
• Examine walls, floors, doors, staircases, and windows to make sure that the building is not in danger of collapsing.
• Inspect foundations for cracks or other damage. Cracks and damage to a foundation can render a building uninhabitable.
• Look for fire hazards. There may be broken or leaking gas lines, flooded electrical circuits, or submerged furnaces or electrical appliances. Flammable or explosive materials may travel from upstream. Fire is the most frequent hazard following floods.
• Check for gas leaks. If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas at the outside main valve if you can and call the gas company from a neighbor's home. If you turn off the gas for any reason, it must be turned back on by a professional.
• Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell burning insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker. If you have to step in water to get to the fuse box or circuit breaker, call an electrician first for advice. Electrical equipment should be checked and dried before being returned to service.
• Check for sewage and water supply line damage. If you suspect sewage lines are damaged, avoid using the toilets and call a plumber. If water pipes are damaged, contact the water company and avoid using water from the tap. You can obtain safe water from undamaged water heaters or by melting ice cubes.
• Watch out for animals, especially poisonous snakes, that may have come into buildings with the flood waters. Use a stick to poke through debris. Flood waters flush snakes and many animals out of their homes.
• Watch for loose plaster, drywall, and ceilings that could fall.
• Take pictures of the damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance claims.
• If water is of questionable purity, boil or add bleach, and distill drinking water before using. (See information on water treatment under the "Disaster Supplies Kit" section.) Wells inundated by flood waters should be pumped out and the water tested for purity before drinking. If in doubt, call your local public health authority. Ill health effects often occur when people drink water contaminated with bacteria and germs.
• Throw away food that has come in contact with flood waters. Some canned foods may be salvageable. If the cans are dented or damaged, throw them away. Food contaminated by flood waters can cause severe infections.

Building Flood Damage, Cleanup, and Mold Prevention Articles (Green Links shows where you are)

MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE A Guide to Mold Cleanup Procedures FLOODS & MOLD CLEAN/PREVENT A Guide to Dealing with Flood Damage & Mold Prevention or Cleanup for Flooded Homes
FIRST PRIORITIES When Responding to a Flooded Building
BUILDING ENTRY PROCEDURE How to Enter a Building After a Building Flood
FLOOD RESPONSE CHECKLIST Checklist of Key Steps to Minimize Mold Damage After a Building Flood
INEFFECTIVE PRODUCTS Ineffective Mold Products and Procedures to Avoid in Mold Cleanup/Prevention
FURTHER STEPS PREVENT MOLD Further Steps to Avoid Mold Damage After a Building Flood
WHEN TO STOP LOOKING FOR MOLD after Flooding: When is a Mold Cleanup Job Complete?
GENERAL MOLD PREVENTION Preventing Future Mold After a Flooded Building Cleanup
RFERENCES References on Mold Prevention and Flood Damage
FLOOD VENTS How to Use Flood Vents for Structural Protection from Flooding - Flood Venting in Foundations and Enclosures Below Design Flood Elevation

SEPTIC SYSTEMS What to Do after a Flood - Septic Flood Response, Safety, Health, Maintenance, Repair Advice

Use the links just above or other links at the left of each page to navigate this website.

Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. If you just "scroll down" you'll miss some important articles. See links at page left.

REFERENCES and Information Sources Used in This Document

• Repairing Your Flooded Home American Red Cross and FEMA - PDF - English
• Como Reparar su Hogar Inundado American Red Cross and FEMA - PDF - espanol
• Flood Cleanup - Avoiding Indoor Air Quality Problems US EPA Fact Sheet
• Cleaning Up After a Flood Texas Department of State Health Services.

Technical Reviewers

Particular thanks are due to experts and also consumers who read these articles and suggest corrections, changes, and additions to the material. Content suggestions, technical corrections and content critique are invited for any of the content at our website.

• Mark Cramer Inspection Services Mark Cramer, Tampa Florida, Mr. Cramer is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors and is a Florida home inspector and home inspection educator. (727) 595-4211 mark@BestTampaInspector.com 11/06
• Hankey and Brown home inspectors, Eden Prairie, MN, technical review by Roger Hankey, prior chairman, Standards Committee, American Society of Home Inspectors - ASHI. 952 829-0044 - hankeyandbrown.com 11/06
• Arlene Puentes, a licensed home inspector, educator, and building failures researcher in Kingston, NY. 11/29/06
• Daniel Friedman - principal author/editor of the InspectAPedia ^TM Website
• Technical reviewers are invited to comment or ask questions - contact us

Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

More expert information on this topic

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

THE MOLD ACTION GUIDE
MOLD DOCTOR?
MOLD EXPERT, WHEN TO HIRE
DO IT YOURSELF MOLD CLEANUP
HOW TO FIND MOLD
MOLD CLEANUP GUIDE
MOLD KILLING GUIDE
MOLD CLEARANCE INSPECTIONS
ACCEPTABLE MOLD LEVEL
AFTER THE MOLD CLEANUP
MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE
OTHER IAQ ISSUES

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