Cleaning Up After a Flood: Safety Guidelines

​Cleaning up after a flood is a serious task for any home or establishment owners. But your health and safety are still a top priority. When re-entering your home, you should be aware of structural, electrical, bacteria and other hazards.
 
Here are a few guidelines that you should follow to keep yourself and your family safe during clean up.

1. First Things First
   Wait until authorities have deemed it safe to get back to your homes. Contact local official or watch the news to keep updated on the announcement. While waiting, you should be preparing the things that you may need during clean up.
   
   
2. Start from The Outside
   Look for any signs of electrical or structural damage to help you determine when it is safe to enter the house. Turn off any electric and gas services right away. Remember to hire an electrician to check for grounds and other issues before turning back the system.
   
   
3. Gear Up
   To protect yourselves from any untoward injuries wear:
     - Pants
     - long sleeves
     - rubber gloves
     - boots or sturdy shoes
     - N95 masks
     - goggles
   
   
4. Dry Everything That is Wet
   Your priority is to clean and dry everything you can within 24 to 48 hours to avoid mold growth. Mold exposure can trigger asthma attacks, skin and eye irritation as well as allergic reactions. In some serious cases, it leads to infection for those who have a weak immune system.
   
   What’s more, contaminated water from the flood may be exposing you to bacteria, virus, parasite and disease carrier hazards.
   
   
5. Cleaning Tips
     - Wash with hot water and soap curtains, bedding, and clothing. Use bleach if possible, then dry and iron.
     - Shampoo, flush, and air-dry rugs and furniture.
     - Ensure that the rooms you are currently working on are well ventilated.
     - Use damp rags to wipe to avoid dust from flying around.
     - Throw away everything else that cannot be cleaned.
     - Don’t forget to be cautious and wash your hands carefully after you’re done the cleaning. Use warm water and soap
   
   
6. Bleach Safety Reminder
   When working with bleach, make sure you’re wearing gloves, masks, and goggles. Don’t mix it with other cleaning products, especially with ammonia. You need good ventilation. You can only mix one cup or less, of bleach per every one gallon of water. Avoid getting it on your skin, eyes, mouth, and nose.

 
Floods can cause great devastation to your home, that is why it is imperative that you have flood insurance. At Sherzer Insurance Agency, we aim to make our client's life easier with policies that are tailored to their needs. You can get more information about our products and services by calling our agency at (239) 673-9301. Get your free quote today by CLICKING HERE.