Flooding
After a flood, a careful inspection of the property, the exterior of a building and the interior conditions must be completed before any work can begin. Hire a qualified, professional inspector to complete this work.
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***WARNING!***
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Until flood waters have receded from the area and conditions are improving such that no more flooding is expected, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ENTER A FLOODED REGION OR BUILDING!
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AREA HAZARDS: |
- Washed out roads, bridges and walkways - Do NOT proceed into the area unless Emergency Services have cleared travel routes.
- Sinkholes and collapsed ground - Saturation or fast running water may have weakened or damaged underground structure and earth layers.
- Downed trees, electrical lines or poles - Allow emergency services to do their work to remove or repair infrastructure in the area BEFORE you enter.
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BUILDING HAZARDS: |
- Live Electrical - DO NOT ENTER A FLOODED BUILDING UNLESS ELECTRICAL POWER IS CUT OFF. This is a potentially life-threatening situation as water readily conducts electricity.
- Sewage overflow / backflow - Severe flooding may cause sewage systems to back up into a building and mix with flood waters.
- Malfunctioning fuel appliances and lines - DO NOT ENTER THE BUILDING UNTIL FUEL HAS BEEN CUT OFF or REMOVED! If there is a sulphur smell anywhere around the building, CALL EMERGENCY SERVICES! Flooding may have caused gas or oil fired appliances to malfunction, meters to move and /or lines to disconnect.
- Weakened structure and materials - Building materials, framing, brick, concrete and stone may be weak or failing after a flood. Do NOT enter a building unless Emergency Services have cleared the building and ALL flood waters have been removed.
ASSESSING BUILDING MATERIALS AFTER A FLOOD:
A flood may cause total failure in some building materials if they are saturated with water. Structural materials such as concrete, masonry, steel and wood may also be affected if water was moving in and around the building, eroding the surrounding soil or drainage layers that support the structure.
The performance of many insulation and air sealing materials can be affected by exposure to large amounts of moisture. Normal conditions like rain or humidity are normally not a problem, so long as there is drying potential inside and out, but complete saturation may damage insulation or barrier materials beyond saving.
In a post-flood situation, a thorough inspection must be done to assess the integrity of materials and structure in a building. This would be part of the insurance claim process for a homeowner.