With the buckets of rain and bank-busting rivers we’ve had in the Northeast starting with Hurricane Irene last week, lots of us are dealing with major flooding problems.

Cleaning up and getting your house back together after a flood can be overwhelming. Some of it you can do on your own, and sometimes, well, you might need a pro. With that in mind I thought I’d re-post an interview I did back on May 15, 2010 following the massive flooding in Nashville.

For those of you dealing with your own mess, or want to learn how to prepare for an impending one, I hope this helps.

This post is especially for our friends in Nashville and the rest of flooded Tennessee. I know most of you are well under way with your clean up, but floods are a regularly-occurring phenomenon and you never know when you’re going to get swamped. With that in mind I contacted Scott Mims, who owns a  ServiceMaster Clean franchise in Anniston and Birmingham, Alabama, and he too has been busy over in Tennessee with flood relief.

I asked Mims for some helpful tips for cleaning up your own home or business in the wake of flood. He’s legit. Not only does his franchise specialize in water and fire damage restoration and mold remediation, but he also the Restoration Division Chair and Vice-Chair of the Certification Council for the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification (IICRC). Mims is a Master Water Restorer, Master Fire & Smoke Restorer, and Master Textile Cleaner.

John Galvin: Okay, Scott, brace us for the worst. Let’s say we had to evacuate, and our home was flooded, what’s it going to look like when we get back in there?

Scott Mims: Expect to see your belongings in different places than where you left them. Large items such as couches and beds can be turned about and rearranged by the floodwaters. Some belongings may be carried off all together. There will also be a potential for silt and debris that will look very similar to mud throughout your home. The smell will be very unpleasant, as the river water will mix with sewage and other potentially harmful substances. There will be a visible water line as well as discoloration of the walls and belongings.

JG: Give us a realistic scenario. If your house has been flooded, what’s the first thing you should do to start clean up?

SM: The first thing you should do is to provide for your own safety and the safety of those that may enter the structure. You want to ensure the structure is safe to enter. Once in the structure before beginning any cleanup you should document the conditions via photographs and/or video then start the mitigation process immediately. Once safety issues and documentation are addressed here are some additional tips:

• Be cautious of electrical shock hazards

• Ventilate the structure as this can help to reduce the amplification of microorganisms.

• Use appropriate personal protective equipment including but not limited to, boots with hardened shank, eye protection, hard hat, respiratory protection, gloves, water proof clothing or Tyvek suits to protect yourself from exposure to microorganisms.

JG: Okay. Now that we know it’s safe to at least go inside, what’s next? Even if we wanted to call in the pros I would imagine the odds are that you’re going to be overwhelmed with calls and not able to respond to everybody right away, so what’s the first thing we should tackle? And what are the tools we’ll need?

SM: Let me first start by saying there are many organizations that send crews to a disaster such as flooding. I am a ServiceMaster Clean franchise owner and being a part of the largest restoration franchise in the US we are able to mobilize multiple crews from all over the country to work with the local franchises in assisting those in their time of need. Help is not hard to find.

It is highly recommended that you use a restoration professional but if you are unable to afford one or want to get the restoration efforts underway here are some helpful tips.

• Remove debris with shovels and rakes making sure to clean the tools thoroughly with proper detergents after use.

• Remove any wet drywall or insulation as well as wet finished flooring materials and other porous building components that have been saturated with flood water such as doors, baseboard, hardwood flooring, etc… Your goal is to expose any potential pockets of saturation down to materials that can be properly cleaned and salvaged. It is very likely that you will only have exposed studs and subfloor left. When removing drywall make sure to remove the drywall up to 24” past the known wet line to account for potential wicking of the water. This can be accomplished with pry bars, shovels, pickaxe and many other tools.

• Once fresh water is restored to the home or business you will want to clean the affected materials. Start by using a household cleaning agent mixed according to label directions and spray it liberally on the affected surfaces. Allow it to dwell. Agitation may be needed to loosen debris and soil. Then wash with a water hose or pressure washer to remove soils. A pressure washer is recommended to loosen debris and give a better overall cleaning.

• Mop up or extract any excess water

• Repeat as needed.

• Once clean you may apply a disinfectant such as a 6% solution of household chlorine bleach mixed 1 part bleach to 11 parts water may be used on durable, colorfast surfaces. Never mix chlorine bleach with ammonia or strong acids. An alternative to chlorine bleach may be a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide. You will want to agitate and work this in with a brush to make sure it penetrates cracks and crevices. Professional restorers have specific products for this purpose rather than using the aforementioned products.

• The next step is to dry the structure using high velocity air movers if possible. It is highly recommended that you contact a qualified restoration professional for assistance. Replacing building materials before the structure is properly dried could result in microbial growth and subsequent damage.

JG: How long before the mold sets in? And if mold is already in place is there anything that can be done except for calling in a pro?

SM: There are 5 conditions for mold growth:

• Organic food source (wood, paper, etc…)

• Moisture (even high humidity above 60% Relative Humidity)

• Temperatures between 68 F – 86 F result in most prolific growth

• Stagnant Air

• Time (several hours to several days)

You would try to alter these conditions to avoid mold growth. The most affective method to limit mold growth is to act fast. It is highly recommended that a qualified professional be contacted and ANSI IICRC S520 standard for Mold Remediation be followed.

JG: What else is in that muck that you always see in storm-flooded homes? Motor oil? Ethylene glycol? What else?

SM: Rising water from floods can carry many harmful substances such as sewage and other harmful microorganisms. Your best bet is to assume all water and debris to be potentially infectious and treat it as such making sure to protect yourself using appropriate personal protective equipment.

JG: Thanks, Scott. If you want more tips from the IICRC visit their page on cleaning storm damage.

If you have other questions for Mims send them to me at suggestions@gettingprepared.info and I’ll see about scheduling a follow-up Q&A.