Flood Damage Safety Tips- Clean Water

4/9/2019 (Permalink)

Our excellent, highly trained team and top-of-the-line equipment can help make a water damage situation "Like it never even happened."

Floods can cause catastrophic damage to your property and can be very dangerous. It's important to understand the three different types of water in a flood situation. Clean water is water from a burst pipe or rainwater and is safe although it will become grey water if left untreated. Grey water is slightly contaminated water and has contaminants like bacteria. This water could be hazardous. The third type is black water which is highly contaminated and is filled with sewage, chemicals, bacteria and fungi. Here are some important safety tips to keep in mind while waiting for professional help in the event of a flood involving clean water:

• Shut off circuit breakers for wet areas in the building if access to the power distribution panel is safe from potential electrical shock. Do not go in any rooms that have standing water as there is a risk for electrical shock.
• Don’t use a household vacuum to remove water- this also puts you at risk for electrical shock and could ruin your vacuum cleaner.
• Don’t go into rooms where ceilings are sagging from retained water.
• Don’t turn on ceiling fixtures if the ceiling is wet.
• Watch your step- the floors could be slippery.
• If you decide to move any items that are wet, be careful as wet items can be deceptively heavy! If you aren’t sure you can safely move an item, it is best to wait for help.
• Assess the situation and always put safety first.