RIA Offers Tips for Returning to Flooded Buildings

COLUMBIA, Md., May 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Restoration Industry Association (RIA) has many members on the ground throughout Tennessee helping residents restore their homes and businesses to working order and a livable condition.

The organization also offers these cautions and recommendations for returning residents and business owners.

Immediately

• Don't return home unless the proper authorities allow you back in.
• Wear heavy rubber gloves or leather work gloves, thick-soled shoes – not tennis shoes.
• Only enter during daylight hours if there is no electricity.
• Leave immediately if you smell gas or the structure is unstable.
• If the power is off – turn the main breaker off and tape it down to prevent it from accidentally turning on when the power is restored.
• If you have fuel oil or propane, turn off the valve at the tank. Turn natural gas off at the meter.
• Notify your insurance carrier. Most policies require you to take reasonable action to prevent further damage.
• Go room to room and document the contents and damage – camera, video, lists.
• Stay out of rooms with sagging ceilings.
• Do not turn on any electrical appliances that have been damaged by water – there is a risk of electrical shock.
• Remove any valuables if you are not staying in the house – jewelry, important papers (passports, licenses, insurance papers, birth certificates).
• Because you don't know what was in the water, treat all water affected surfaces and furnishings as toxic until properly decontaminated.
• Open windows to ventilate the area.
• Remove standing water from flat surfaces by sponging and blotting.
• Transport computers and musical instruments to a dry environment.
• Remove lamps, telephones & decorative items from wet furniture tops.
• Open drawers and cabinets for interior drying, but don't force them open.
• Mold starts to grow in about 48 hours in a wet environment with humidity and a food source (drywall) – it is important to dry out as much as you can to prevent further damage.
• If the power is off for more than 24-48 hours, food will spoil and need to be removed.
• When leaving, secure the building to prevent further damage.

Health Issues

• Pregnant women and people with health problems like asthma probably shouldn't be in the flooded area – check with your doctor.
• Keep a first aid kit handy.
• Tetanus shot should be current.
• Be careful reaching into muddy water – can be sharp items, broken glass.
• Avoid cross contamination – wearing dirty clothes or shoes to the clean part of the house.
• Drink lots of water to stay hydrated.
• Wash your hands frequently – especially before touching your face or eating.

Restoration

• Restoration firms can help with drying structures and cleaning contents.
• You can hire any company you choose.
• See if they are a member of their trade association.
• Restoration Industry Association members abide by a specific code of ethics.
• Can find clean up tips, information on hiring a contractor, general restoration & remediation information at the RIA website – www.restorationindustry.org.
• Electronics – computers, home theatre systems, etc. can often be cleaned and restored.
• Hard surfaces can often be disinfected, soft goods may be depending on washability and the cleaning process used.
• Don't use bleach because it is corrosive, reacts with other chemicals, is not a good cleaner and its usefulness lasts only as long as it sits on a surface.
• Drywall & insulation saturated by the flood waters will need to be removed.
• Wall cavities need to be dried out to prevent mold growth.

For clean up tips, information on hiring a contractor, and restoration & remediation in general, visit the RIA website at www.restorationindustry.org and click on the Consumer link.

The Restoration Industry Association (formerly the Association of Specialists in Cleaning & Restoration) has member firms worldwide. RIA provides industry leadership, supports science, and promotes best practices for cleaning and restoration. More information is available on the RIA website: www.restorationindustry.org.

SOURCE Restoration Industry Association