Blog / Safety Alert - For Flood Victims

SAFETY ALERT!

Safety Tips for Flood Victims 

Here around the Atlanta area we have had some serious rain in the past 24 to 36 hours.  Any additional heavy showers and thunderstorms could produce local heavy rainfall amounts today, which would cause or worsen flooding or flash flooding problems on creeks and rivers already at or above flood levels. Some parts of Georgia have had more than 20 inches of rain since Friday and forecasters say the region will get even more rain. 

Many homeowners are currently feeling the affects of this rain and experiencing flooding in their homes.  During times of flood many homeowners may be tempted to engage in some dangerous practices in an effort to repair and restore their damaged homes.   Houses or basements exposed to standing water can damage your home’s water heater, furnace, boiler, air conditioning, ventilation and heat pump system – causing a dangerous situation for your family. 

Below are some Important Safety Tips for Flood Victims:

• Replace, don’t repair flood-damaged heating and cooling equipment, this is according to the AHRI (Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute).  Make sure to have a qualified service technician inspect and replace your equipment.  This is a good opportunity to consider new, energy-efficient equipment that can lower your monthly energy bills.
• Check your ductwork.  If you have a central forced-air furnace you are repairing, make sure to have your ducts checked by a qualified service technician.  Your technician will be able to clean, dry and disinfect your ductwork.  Duct insulation that has been in contact with floodwater will need to be thrown out.  This cannot be decontaminated.  While working on your ductwork, your technician has the opportunity to seal joints in the ductwork and improve insulation, helping reduce heat loss.
• DO NOT turn on damaged electrical appliances.  The electrical parts can become grounded and pose an electric shock hazard or overheat and cause a fire.  Before flipping a switch or plugging in an appliance have an electrician check the house wiring and appliance to make sure it is safe to use.
• To prevent a gas explosion and fire, have gas appliances (natural gas and LP gas) inspected and cleaned after flooding.  Have gas appliances that have been under water, inspected and cleaned and gas controls replaced (if necessary) by a qualified professional.  Water can damage gas controls so that safety features are blocked, even if the gas controls appear to operate properly. 
• If you suspect a gas leak DO NOT light a match, use any electrical appliances, turn lights on or off, or use a phone – these may produce sparks and cause an explosion. Sniff for gas leaks starting at the water heater.  If you smell gas or hear gas escaping, turn off the main valve.  Open windows and leave the area IMMEDIATELY.  Once out of your home you need to call the gas company or a qualified technician to perform repairs.
• Check, repair, and or replace Propane Heating equipment as quickly as possible after a flood.  There is the potential for dangerous propane leaks.  Your service technician should at a minimum replace all valves and controls that have been in contact with flood waters.  These systems also need special attention paid to their gas pressure regulators.  This regulator has a small vent hole in its body that senses outside pressure.  During a flood this may become obstructed by debris causing dangerous malfunctions or corrosion.
• If you suspect floodwater reached your Electric Furnace, have it checked by a qualified service technician.  Just like the gas-fired warm-air furnace, the electric furnace is susceptible to corrosion and damage, resulting in reliability problems or safety hazards.
• If you have a Radiant Ceiling Heat system and have ceiling damage have it checked out.  This type of system has electrically-heated cables that are embedded in the plaster or drywall of the ceiling.  The cables warm the ceiling, which in turn will warm the room.  If the ceiling is wet and needs replacement it is possible that the electrical cables will have damage even if they appear undamaged.  Consult a qualified electrician to make sure these cables are reusable.
• Heat pumps and split air conditioning systems have power and control wiring between the indoor and outdoor units. Piping moves the refrigerant from the inside to outside the home and back.  Even if exposed to flood waters, this type of system should remain intact, however, if the floodwater has repositioned the unit (indoor or outdoor) there is a potential for a breach in the refrigerant system.  This may require major repair or even full replacement.  Even if the refrigerant is not breached, the entire system should still be cleaned, dried, and disinfected after being exposed to flood waters.  You should have a qualified service technician check all electrical and refrigeration connections for both the indoor and outdoor units as well as the control circuits.  If replacement is necessary consider a new energy efficient system that can save you money in monthly utility bills.
• If your water heater, gas-fired, oil-fired, or electric, is exposed to flood water it should be replaced.  In a gas unit the valves and controls will likely corrode.  In an electric unit the thermostat and controls will likely corrode.  In both types of water heaters, the insulation will be contaminated and nearly impossible to disinfect.  Insulation also takes a really long time to dry and will lead to corrosion on the inside of the tank anyway.  Even if the unit seems to be operating well after you’ve cleaned it, parts may corrode in the future.  Both gas and electric water heaters have pressure relief valves that can corrode and stick after being exposed to flood water.  Replacement is a small investment and your best bet. 

Homeowners can contact the office of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which provides aid to flood victims.  They also provide information on their website to help homeowners clean up after a flood disaster, www.fema.gov.