The Order the State Gives
A flood leaves you making dozens of decisions in a wet house. The New York State Department of Health puts them in a sequence, and the sequence is the useful part.
Its cleanup guidance runs: wait for the water to go down and check outside and for structural damage, put on the right gear, remove standing water, remove what was soaked, clean what remains, ventilate and lower the humidity, sort and record, and dispose of what is left (NYS Department of Health). The sections below take them in that order.
Before You Go In, and What to Wear
The NYS Department of Health says to wait for the water to go down, then walk carefully around the outside of your home and check for damaged power lines and gas leaks. Call your utility company to report downed power lines or gas leaks. Check for structural damage before you go in (NYS Department of Health).
For gear, it advises rubber boots, waterproof gloves and an N95 mask, so that you do not come into contact with floodwater or sewage (NYS Department of Health). EPA’s longer list adds goggles without vent holes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt (EPA).
Standing Water and Soaked Items
The Department of Health says standing water should be removed as quickly as possible, because water can wick into the walls and cause more damage, and standing water can contain bacteria and mold (NYS Department of Health). The exception is fuel oil floating on the water: the oil should be cleaned up before the water is pumped out, and environmental contractors have special equipment for that (NYS Department of Health).
It also says to remove items soaked by floodwater or sewage promptly, because water-soaked items can grow mold and bacteria. Discarding things with sentimental value is hard, but in general you should not try to save moldy, porous items, meaning items that absorb water (NYS Department of Health).
What Goes and What Usually Stays
Usually has to be discarded
- Wallboard, insulation, wood paneling and wallpaper that were underwater or are moldy.
- Carpet, carpet padding and rugs.
- Upholstered furniture, mattresses and box springs.
- Computers, microwaves, window air conditioners and other electronics and appliances with fans that were in moldy rooms.
- Papers and books.
- Food, including canned food, that was in contact with floodwater.
Can usually be saved
- Nonporous items such as china, glass, jewelry, porcelain and metal.
- Solid wood furniture with mold growth but otherwise in good condition.
- Photographs, books and important legal documents with minor levels of mold growth.
- Artwork, textiles and clothing that are not physically damaged.
From the NYS Department of Health, which says items need to be discarded when you see or smell mold or the materials have been underwater. Condition, contamination and timing change the answer for any one item, so have a professional look at anything you are unsure about before you throw it out.
EPA notes that a restoration specialist for a particular kind of item may be able to clean and dry something precious (EPA).
Cleaning What Stays
The Department of Health says to wash walls, floors, closets, shelves and any hard surface with soap and water, then clean with a mix of one cup of regular, unscented bleach in five gallons of water, and let surfaces air dry. Clean surfaces that touch food or that are in children’s play areas carefully, and follow the label directions on any product you use (NYS Department of Health).
Wash linens and clothing in hot water, and wash and air dry larger items outdoors in the sun. Replace disposable filters in your heating and cooling system and any wet fiberboard and insulation, and have flooded heating and air conditioning ducts cleaned (NYS Department of Health).
Ventilating and Drying
The Department of Health says to open doors and windows during the day if the weather permits, making sure fresh air is coming in if you are cleaning with bleach, and to open closet and cabinet doors. If the power is on, use fans and dehumidifiers to dry the home (NYS Department of Health).
EPA advises drying water-damaged areas and items within 24–48 hours where possible. That is a target worth working toward. It is not a promise that mold cannot grow, and it is not a deadline after which mold appears. If you cannot dry a flooded home and its belongings in that time, EPA says to assume you have mold growth.
If mold turns up
On a New York mold project, H&H performs either the mold assessment or the mold remediation — never both on the same project. See mold services.
Recording the Damage and Disposing of What Is Left
The Department of Health says to list the damage and take photos or video as you clean up, because the record will be needed for insurance claims, applications for disaster assistance and income tax deductions. Items you need to save go to a safe, dry place, and items to be discarded are placed outside to dry until the adjuster confirms your losses (NYS Department of Health). For more on how claims work, see insurance help.
Local authorities will tell you where and when garbage collection will occur. Store food waste in watertight, rodent- and insect-proof containers with tight-fitting covers and plastic liners, and pile it away from your well. Flood-damaged household chemicals such as pesticides, fertilizers, paints and varnishes should go in a leak-proof container and be removed from the home for proper disposal (NYS Department of Health).
Tell your local health department about animal carcasses, rats, hazardous chemicals and physical hazards on your property, and wash your hands with soap and clean water, or water that has been boiled or disinfected, when you take breaks, before eating or drinking, and after handling anything contaminated with floodwater or sewage (NYS Department of Health).
What H&H Does After a Flood or Storm
H&H Environmental has operated since 2005, and storm and flood damage is one of the services we provide. The work falls into these parts. Each is described as a service, not a promise about timing, because every loss is different.
Water extraction. Standing water is removed. (Emergency water extraction)
Removal of wet or damaged materials, where necessary. Materials that floodwater has soaked and that cannot be saved are taken out.
Structural drying and dehumidification. The structure and the air are dried. (Structural drying)
Antimicrobial treatment. Used where it is appropriate.
Monitoring. Drying is monitored so the work continues until the structure is dry.
Documentation and insurance. We work directly with your insurance carrier and provide documentation and direct billing for covered losses. Whether a loss is covered is decided by your policy and your carrier, not by H&H. (Insurance help)
The full list of what we do is on the water damage restoration page.