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Things to be Aware of During Post-Flood Cleanup

Jace Anderson/FEMA
Manchester, IA, July 28, 2010 -- FEMA and state officials, along with a representative from the Small Business Administration, talk with a local survivor during the first response phase of the flood recovery.

 

No matter how intrigued you may be about the impact of a flood, it’s best to avoid exploring the waters until some time has passed.

“I see people wading in that water and I think, ‘would you go wading in sewage water?’ Because that’s exactly what it is,” says home improvement expert Bill McAnally. “Whatever is in your yard, it comes around the gutter and down the storm sewer... I see everything possible come floating into that river.”

 

During this hour of Talk of Iowa, Charity Nebbe talks with McAnally about the cautions of post-flood clean-up.

 

If your basement has water in it - even if it’s not too much - McAnally says to be careful when turning off the electrical panel. It’s better to bring in an electrician, he says, to make sure you don’t get shocked.

 

“The articles online very seldom say if there's water down there, don’t walk through and flip the switch, even if it’s dry on your floor where you’re standing,” McAnally says.

In some cases, there might be water damage to the panel’s circuits.

“And you might complete that circuit,” McAnally cautions. “That’s the scariest thing to me.”

Things you can do? Take photos to document the situation for insurance purposes, put in fans, open the windows to air the space out, and put valuables like photos or memorabilia in a dry freezer.

“Get the largest dehumidifier in there you can,” McAnally says.

 

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floodingEnvironment