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Healthy Living

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  • Attacking Allergens

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  • Natural Remedies for Allergy Sufferers

  • Real Help for Hay Fever: Prevention

  • Gifts of Good Health for Valentine's Day

  • Improve Indoor Air during Winter Months

  • After a Flood

  • Houseplant Confidential

  • A Good Home First Aid Kit

  • Keeping Good Health Records

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  • Easier Entertaining: Get Ready for Guests with Less Hassle and Stress

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  • Five Easy Ways to Reduce Household Chemical Use

  • Rediscover the Art of Hanging Laundry

  • Safely Recycle Paint, Motor Oil & Electronics

  • Natural Remedies for Garden Pests

  • Best Bets for Buying End-of-Season Plants

  • 7 Strategies to Reduce Back-to-School Stress

  • Scents Do More Than Smell Pretty

  • Indoor Plants for the Black-Thumbed

  • Lose Holiday Fat without Sacrificing Flavor

  • Recycled Christmas Trees Give Twice

  • Winter Dreaming

  • Break Winter Doldrums with $10 or Less

 


After a Flood

After a flood

Flooding can be a disastrous event for a homeowner. But even if your basement collected just an inch of rainwater during a fierce storm, you’ll need to follow certain cleanup procedures to ensure your home does not incur serious permanent damage.

A major post-flood hazard is compromised indoor air quality that can make you and your family members sick. Children and residents with asthma or allergies are especially vulnerable to chemicals and organisms in the air, so if the cleanup process will be prolonged, it may be necessary to find temporary housing for them until safer indoor air can be provided.

Here’s an at-a-glance guide for preventing indoor air quality problems after a flood, based on recommendations from the Environmental Protection Agency. Always wear protective gloves during flood cleanup. Keep hands away from face. A mask is advisable. Wash hands thoroughly after leaving the flooded area. Remove clothing and especially shoes before entering an uncontaminated area.

  • Remove standing water as soon as possible. Even clean rainwater breeds microbial growth that can then be inhaled. If there has been sewage backup, or animal feces or carcasses have entered the flood water, even more serious health concerns are present. In addition, the longer water is standing, the more threat it poses to the structure of your home.
  • Dry out your home. Start this process as soon as possible but bear in mind that the drying process can take several weeks. It’s important to remain patient with this all-important step, so that humidity levels can return to normal and not harbor increasing populations of dust mites and harmful micro-organisms.
  • Remove wet materials. It’s hard to let go of items that have sentimental value, but some things can never be fully restored and the health hazards they present are not worth the risk. Rule of thumb is that anything that cannot be thoroughly cleaned and dried within 24 to 48 hours is probably not worth saving. That includes carpeting and drywall.
  • Exercise caution when using cleaners and disinfectants. Follow directions when using cleaners to disinfect affected areas, as they can build up harmful toxins if not vented properly. Open windows and doors while cleaning. If the home is dry and electricity is available, run fans as well. Do not mix bleach with other cleaners, as harmful and even fatal fumes can result.
  • Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. In the event of power outages, do not use camp stoves, gas-powered generators and other items designed for outdoor use indoors.
  • Beware of airborne asbestos and lead dust. If you live in an older dwelling, there may be lead in paint and asbestos in the structure of your home that could be stirred up when cleaning up or removing walls and other affected areas after a flood. Air-borne asbestos and lead can cause severe harm, especially to children.

For information on steps to avoid asbestos exposure, call the EPA at 202-554-1404. If you suspect there is lead in your home, call the National Lead Information Center Monday through Friday from 8 am to 6 pm (except Federal holidays) at 1-800-424-LEAD [5323].

For more detailed information on flood cleanup, consult the following web sites:

Environmental Protection Agency:
www.epa.gov/iaq/flood/index.html

American Lung Association:
www.lungusa.org/air/flood_factsheet99.html

American Red Cross:
www.redcross.org/static/file_cont333_lang0_150.pdf

Federal Emergency Management Agency:
www.fema.gov/hazards/floods

 



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