Extreme Weather Prepping

[CharlesHarris]

I have considerable experience cleaning up after floods in the US, resulting from hurricanes and storm surges. The most important thing is decontamination, because flood waters carry all manner of pollution from sewage, agricultural chemicals, petroleum releases, etc.

Flood waters wreak havoc on the structure of the house, personal belongings, and the health of the indoor environment.
Everything which gets saturated is ruined all at once, carpeting, wallboard, appliances, and furniture. A deeper flood damages HVAC equipment, sewage and well systems, utilities, and can undermine the building foundation.

Cleaning up is a long and hard process.

If you have flood insurance, list and photograph the damage. You'll need complete records for insurance claims, applications for disaster assistance.

Shovel out as much mud as possible, then use a garden sprayer or hose to wash away mud from hard surfaces.

Clean and disinfect every surface. Scrub surfaces with hot water and a heavy-duty cleaner. Then disinfect with a solution of 1/4 cup chlorine bleach per gallon of water.

Immerse glassware, porcelain, china, plastic dinnerware and enamelware for 10 minutes in a disinfecting solution of 2 tablespoons of chlorine bleach per gallon of hot water. Air-dry dishes. Do not use a towel.

Disinfect silverware, metal utensils, and pots and pans by boiling in water for 10 minutes. Chlorine bleach should not be used in this case because it reacts with most metals and causes them to darken.

Cupboards and counters need to be cleaned and rinsed with a chlorine bleach solution before storing dishes.

Take furniture, rugs, bedding and clothing outside to dry as soon as possible. Use a dehumidifier to remove moisture or open windows to ventilate with outdoor air. Use fans to circulate air through the house. If mold and mildew have already developed, brush off items outdoors to prevent scattering spores in the house. Vacuum floors, ceilings and walls to remove mildew, then wash with disinfectant. Wear a two-strap protective mask to prevent breathing mold spores.

Mattresses should be thrown away. Upholstered furniture contaminated by floodwaters and should be cleaned only by a professional.

Wood veneered furniture is not worth the cost and effort of repair.

Solid wood furniture can usually be restored, unless damage is severe.

Toys and stuffed animals have to be thrown away if they've been contaminated by floodwaters.

Photographs, books and important papers can be frozen and cleaned later. They should be dried carefully and slowly. Wash the mud off and store the articles in plastic bags and put them in a frost-free freezer to protect from mildew and further damage until you have time to thaw and clean them or take them to a professional.

Wallboard acts like a sponge when wet. Remove all wallboard, plaster and paneling to 10cm above flood level. If soaked by contaminated floodwater, these materials are a permanent health hazard and should be removed.

Plaster and paneling can sometimes be saved, but air must be circulated in the wall cavities to dry the studs and sills.

Different types of building insulation must be treated differently. Styrofoam only needs to be hosed off.
Fiberglass batting must be thrown out if muddy but may be reused if dried thoroughly. Blown-in cellulose should be replaced since it holds water for a long time and when wet loses its antifungal and fire retardant abilities.

Electrical systems must be shut off and repaired and inspected by an electrician before it can be turned back on. Wiring must be completely dried out behind walls. Switches, convenience outlets, light outlets, entrance panel, and junction boxes that have been under water may be filled with mud.

Heating and cooling systems and ductwork will need inspection and cleaning. Flood-soaked insulation should be replaced.

Appliances will be stained, emit odors, and contain silt and gritty deposits and need to be serviced, cleaned and sanitized. Running equipment before being properly cleaned could cause a fire or electric shock. Inexpensive equipment is not cost-effective to repair and should be thrown out and replaced. Gas appliances may be professonally cleaned and service and usually remain useable,

If your basement or cellar is full or nearly full of water, pump out no more than 1/2 metre of water each day. If you drain the basement too quickly, the pressure outside the walls will be greater than the pressure inside the walls and the walls and floor may crack and collapse.

In floors wood subflooring, floor coverings (vinyl, linoleum, carpet) must be removed so that the subflooring can dry thoroughly which may take several months. Open windows and doors to expose the boards to as much air as possible.

C lean and dry carpets and rugs as quickly as possible. If sewage-contaminated floodwater covered your carpeting, discard it for health safety reasons. Also discard any carpet under water for 24 hours or more. To clean, drape carpets and rugs outdoors and hose them down. Work a disinfecting carpet cleaner into soiled spots with a broom. To discourage mildew and odors, rinse with a solution of 2 tablespoons bleach to 1 gallon water, but don't use this solution on wool or nylon carpets. Dry the carpet and floor thoroughly before replacing the carpet. Padding is nearly impossible to clean so should be replaced. If the carpet can't be removed, dry it as quickly as possible using a wet/dry vacuum and dehumidifier. Use a fan to circulate air above the carpet, and if possible, lift the carpet and ventilate with fans underneath.

Wooden floors should be dried gradually because sudden drying causes cracking or splitting. You may accelerate drying time by forcing air through the fluted underside of hardwood floorboards. Remove hardwood floor boards to prevent buckling. Remove a board every few feet to reduce buckling caused by swelling. Clean and dry wood before attempting repairs.

Remove defective roof flashing used in waterproofing roof valleys, hips and the angle between a chimney and a roof. Wet spots near a chimney or outside wall may leak due to defective flashing, narrow flashing or loose mortar joints. Look for corroded, loose or displaced flashing on sloping roof valleys and at junctions of dormers and roof.

Clear choked downspouts. Accumulated water or snow on the roof above the flashing causes water damage. Ice damming on eaves causes melting snow to back up under the shingles.

Roofing (especially wood or composition shingles) eteriorates first on southern exposures. Check southern slopes for cracking or deterioration.

Missing shingles or holes in roofing cause wet spots. To find holes, check for a drip trail or spot of light coming through in the attic. Stick a nail, straw or wire through the hole to mark the spot on the outside.

Flooding home sewage systems is hazardous for homeowners and may lead to back-up of sewage in the home, contaminated drinking water and poor sanitation until fixed. Soil treatment systems for wastewater rely on aerobic (with oxygen) regions to reduce the amounts of chemicals and living organisms (viruses, bacteria and protozoa). When the soil is saturated or flooded, those hazardous materials can enter the groundwater and your drinking water supply.