What to do in the event of Extreme Flooding

9/20/2018 (Permalink)

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Historic flooding occurred on August 20th in our SERVPRO of Dane County West territory from over a foot and a half of rain in six hours. A state of emergency was declared by the State of Wisconsin for Dane County. Officials here said flooding caused more than $150 million in damage locally. And all local lakes reached 100-year levels.

What to do after clean water floods your house or business! 

DO:

• Do: Shut off the source of water if possible or contact a qualified party to stop the water source.
• Do: Turn off circuit breakers for wet areas of the building, when access to the power distribution panel is safe from electrical shock.
• Do: Wipe excess water from wood furniture after removing lamps and tabletop items.
• Do: Remove and prop up wet upholstery cushions for even drying.
• Do: Place aluminum foil or wood blocks between furniture legs and wet carpet.
• Do: Remove to a safe, dry place any paintings, art objects computers, documents and other materials that are valuable or sensitive to moisture.
• Do: Hang draperies with coated hangers to avoid contact with wet carpeting or floors.
• Do: Hang furs and leather goods to dry separately at room temperature. 

Don't:

• Don't: Enter rooms with standing water where electrical shock hazards may exist.
• Don't: Enter affected areas if electrical outlets, switches, circuit breakers or electrical equipment are exposed to water.  Always avoid electrical shock hazards.
• Don't: Leave books, newspapers, magazines or other colored items on wet carpets or floors to cause staining.
• Don't: Use your household vacuum cleaner to remove water, possibly causing electrical shock or damage to the vacuum cleaner.
• Don't: Use TVs or other appliances while standing on wet carpets or floors, especially not on wet concrete floors.
• Don't: Turn on ceiling fixtures if ceiling is wet or enter rooms where ceilings are sagging from retained water. 

What to do after  contaminated water or harmful waste floods your house or business! 

• Do: 

• Do: Avoid all contact with sewage and items contaminated by sewage. 
• Do: Wash your hands thoroughly after contact with contaminated items. 
• Do: Stay out of affected areas of harmful waste (sewage, blood borne pathogens, etc.)
• Do: Call emergency service personnel if the situation is life-threatening.
• Do: Treat all bodily fluids as if they are contaminated.

• Don't: 

• Don't: Spread contaminated water by walking unnecessarily on damaged or wet areas.
• Don't: Turn on the HVAC system if there is a possibility of spreading contaminated air.
• Don't: Use household fans to dry the structure and spread the contaminants. 
• Don't: Use products for personal hygiene and cleanliness if exposed to the contaminated areas. 
• Don't: Attempt cleanup of any kind.
• Don't: Touch or handle items that might be contaminated with bodily fluids. 

  Help is on the way! Call SERVPRO of Dane County West - Fire and Water Cleanup & Restoration - #608-497-3331 

  www.SERVPROdanecountywest.com