FEMA/SEMA After The Flood Home Maintenance Series: (1) Be Careful When Pumping Out Flooded Basements
Release Date: July 22, 2003
Release Number: 1476-13
» More Information on Indiana Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
Kokomo, IN -- Indiana residents who return to flooded homes are urged to take care when pumping water out of basements. Draining the water too fast could cause the collapse of the cellar walls, floors and foundation of the house. The water must be drained slowly to equalize pressure on both sides of the wall.
Although the flood has receded, water still in the ground outside your house may be pushing hard against the outside of your basement walls. The water in your basement is pushing back. If you drain your basement faster than the water in the ground is draining, the outside pressure may be greater than the inside pressure and may cause the foundation or the floor to crack or collapse.
The proper way to remove basement water is to drain it slowly:
- Begin pumping when floodwaters are no longer covering the ground outside.
- Pump the water out one foot at a time. Mark the water level and wait overnight.
- Check the water level the next day. If the level went back up (covered your mark) it is still too early to drain your basement.
- Wait 24 hours, and then pump the water down one foot again. Check the level the next day.
- When the water in the basement stops returning to your mark, pump out two to three feet and wait overnight.
- Repeat daily until all the water is out of the basement.
Things to keep in mind:
- Never enter a flooded basement unless you are absolutely sure the electricity has been turned off.
- Do not use gasoline-powered pumps or generators indoors or in a confined space. Gasoline engines emit deadly carbon monoxide exhaust fumes.
- Be cautious around floodwater contaminated by sewage. Tetanus shots are strongly recommended when working around contaminated floodwaters.
Mold growth in water-damaged homes is a potential hazard from flooding. When molds are present in large quantities, they can cause allergic reactions similar to those caused by plant pollen.
Molds are simple microscopic organisms found virtually everywhere, on plants, foods, dry leaves, and other organic material. Mold spores are very tiny and lightweight, allowing them to travel through the air. Mold growths can often be seen in the form of discoloration, ranging from white to orange and from green to brown and black.
Mold could become a problem in your home if there is enough moisture available to allow mold to thrive and multiply. Dampness in basements, walls, carpets, and wood caused by flooding provides an environment for mold to flourish. You can also be exposed to mold through skin contact and eating.
For some people, a relatively small number of mold spores can cause health problems. The basic rule is, if you can see or smell mold, take steps to eliminate the excess moisture, and to cleanup and remove the mold. It is important to quickly identify and correct any moisture sources before health problems develop. Infants, children, immune-compromised patients, pregnant women, individuals with existing respiratory conditions, (allergies, multiple chemical sensitivity, and asthma) and the elderly appear to be at higher risks for adverse health effects from mold.
You can tell if you have mold in your home if you can see it, or if there is an earthy or musty odor. Visible mold growth is found underneath materials where water has damaged surfaces, or behind walls. Look for discoloration and leaching from plaster.
For more information on cleaning up after a flood, visit a FEMA/State Disaster Recovery Centers at: Corp Community Center at 1615 Meridian St. in Anderson; Worthman Office Mall (Suite 140) at 5800 Fairfield Avenue in Fort Wayne; Wells County EMA at 223 West Washington Street in Bluffton, Johanning Civic Center at 1500 N. Reed Road (U.S.31) in Kokomo, and Tippecanoe County EMA at 629 North 6th Street in Lafayette.
Cleanup Strategies for Removing Mold
Before beginning work on a flooded home, make sure the electricity is turned off. Unplug appliances and lamps. Remove light bulbs and cover plates of wall switches and outlets that got wet. If local building inspection code allows you to disconnect wiring from switches and outlets, do so and throw them away. If your building inspector says that you cannot disconnect the wiring, pull them forward, away from the wall, and leave them connected.
- Remove as much mud as possible. Once you have checked the water system for leaks, hose down the inside of the house and its contents. It is best to use an attachment that sprays soap to wash and rinse the walls, floors, furniture, sockets, electrical boxes, and other major items that got muddy.
- Use a non-ammonia soap or detergent, or a commercial cleaner, in hot water, and scrub the entire area affected by the mold. A stiff brush or cleaning pad works well on block walls or uneven surfaces. Rinse clean with water. A wet/dry vacuum is handy for this process.
- After thorough cleaning and rinsing, disinfect the area with a solution of 1 cup of chorine bleach per gallon of water. Never mix bleach with Ammonia - the fumes are toxic. Avoid excessive amounts of runoff or standing bleach. Make sure the working area is well ventilated.
- Remove heating and cooling registers and ducts, then hose them to prevent contamination when air blows through the ducts. Next, wash with a disinfectant. If ducts are in a slab or otherwise inaccessible, have them cleaned professionally.
- Moldy materials should be removed as follows (Wear gloves when handling moldy materials):
- Remove porous materials like ceiling tiles, drywall, carpeting, insulation, wood products. If flooded, remove all drywall to at least 12 inches above the high water mark.
- Visually inspect the wall interior (behind the wallboard) and remove any other intrusive molds. (This step may have to be carried out by a licensed contractor).
- Carpeting can be a difficult problem - drying does not remove the dead spores. Most carpeting will need to be replaced.
- Moldy materials should be removed as follows (Wear gloves when handling moldy materials):
- Allow the area to dry 2 or 3 days. (It is critical to remove the source of moisture, before beginning to cleanup, as mold growth will return, if the area becomes wet again.)
- Bag and dispose any material that has moldy residues, such as rags, paper, leaves, or debris. Harder materials such as glass, plastic, or metal can be kept after they are cleaned and disinfected.
Points To Keep in Mind
- Try cleaning a small test patch of mold first. If you feel that this adversely affected your health, you should consider paying a licensed contractor or professional to carry out the work.
- Ask others to leave the areas being cleaned. Work over short time spans and rest in a fresh air location. Air your house out well during and after the work.
- Use caution, as spores are easily released when moldy material is dried out. When cleaning these damaged materials, consider wearing a mask or using a respirator. Respirators can be purchased from hardware stores; select one for particle removal (sometimes referred to as a N95 or TC-21C particulate respirator). Respirators are not as effective removing bleach fumes, so minimize your exposure when using bleach or other disinfectants.
- If mold odors persist, continue to dry out the area and search for any hidden areas of mold. If the area continues to smell musty, you may have to re-clean the area. Continue to dry and ventilate the area. Don't replace flooring or begin rebuilding until the area has dried completely.
This Press Release Was Updated on 06/28/05
Last Modified: Tuesday, 28-Jun-2005 14:33:14