After the Storm: Drying Out a Flooded Florida Home Safely
Once floodwater has been inside a house, the clock starts. In South Florida heat, wet drywall, carpet and furniture can begin supporting mold within 24 to 48 hours, and the power is often out during exactly that window. The urge is to rush in and start hauling things to the curb. Slow down for a moment: a flooded house has hazards that have nothing to do with mold, and doing things in the right order makes the drying faster and safer.
Before you go in
- Electricity: do not enter standing water if the power may be on. Have the electricity shut off at the meter or main panel, and only if you can reach it from a dry spot. If in doubt, wait for the utility or an electrician.
- Gas: if you smell gas, leave and call the gas company from outside.
- Structure: look for sagging ceilings, shifted walls and soft floors before walking through.
- Contamination: storm surge and rising water carry sewage, fuel and chemicals. Treat it as contaminated. Wear rubber boots, waterproof gloves, eye protection and an N95 respirator, and keep children and pets out.
- Wildlife: snakes and insects shelter in flooded homes. Use a flashlight and watch where you put your hands.
- Generators: run them outdoors only, well away from doors and windows. Carbon monoxide is a serious risk after every storm.
Document, then remove the water
Take photos and video of every room, including the high-water line on the walls, before moving anything. Contact your insurer early and ask what they need you to keep; some want samples of flooring or a list of discarded items.
Then get the water out with pumps, a wet/dry vacuum, mops and squeegees. Shovel out mud and silt while it is still wet. It is much harder to remove once it dries and it holds moisture against the floor and walls.
What to take out and what can stay
Porous materials that soaked up floodwater generally cannot be cleaned and dried well enough to keep.
- Usually discard: carpet and padding, mattresses, upholstered furniture, pillows, particleboard furniture and cabinets that have swollen, wet insulation, ceiling tiles, cardboard and paper goods.
- Usually salvageable with cleaning: solid wood furniture, metal, glass, hard plastic, tile, and concrete.
- Judgment calls: washable clothing and linens can often be laundered; valued documents and photos may be worth taking to a restoration specialist.
Drywall that was under water should be cut out above the water line, since it wicks moisture upward, and the insulation behind it removed so the wall cavity can dry. Take off baseboards and open the bottoms of cabinets where water got underneath. If the house may contain older materials you are unsure about, check before cutting or sanding.
Drying the structure
- With power, run the air conditioning along with fans and dehumidifiers. Have the AC system checked first if the air handler or ductwork was flooded, so it does not circulate contamination.
- Without power, open windows and doors when outdoor air is drier than indoors, usually during the day, and close up when it rains.
- Open closets, cabinets and interior doors. Pull furniture away from walls.
- Point fans so they push air out of the house, not from a moldy room into clean ones.
- Empty dehumidifiers frequently or route them to a drain.
- Keep going longer than seems necessary. Framing and concrete block hold water well after surfaces feel dry.
The most common mistake is rebuilding too early. New drywall or flooring installed over damp framing or a damp slab traps moisture, and the mold shows up weeks later behind fresh paint.
Cleaning hard surfaces
Scrub hard surfaces with detergent and clean water, rinse and let them dry. Never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners. Bag debris and take it outside promptly instead of piling it in the garage. Wash hands and exposed skin well after working, and see a doctor about any cuts exposed to floodwater or any symptoms that concern you.
When the job is beyond DIY
- Water stood in the house for more than a day or two.
- Mold is already visible across walls, ceilings or large areas.
- The water was sewage or storm surge and reached wall cavities.
- The AC system or ducts were affected.
- Anyone in the household has asthma, allergies or a weakened immune system.
- You cannot get the house dry with the equipment you have.
If you want measurements or lab results to confirm conditions before rebuilding, an independent licensed mold assessor provides that service; Florida requires assessment and remediation on a property to be done by separate companies.
Getting help
Drying a flooded home is hard physical work in difficult conditions, and there is no shame in handing off the part that involves mold removal. Request an on-site remediation estimate at drymiami.com or call (954) 778-7999. The visit is $79, credited in full toward the job if you hire DryMiami.
Mold problem at home?
We come out, find the moisture source and give you a written remediation estimate. The visit is $79, credited in full toward your job if you hire us.
