With the recent flooding across our country, there are a lot of Americans who are trying to salvage their homes. Flooding can destroy anything from carpet to appliances, and one of the more expensive casualties may be the heating and air conditioning systems. However, these units will be well worth the cost to either repair or replace when compared to the dangers that they can cause. There are several measures that homeowners must take to ensure renewed safety in your home after a flood.

Before reentering the flooded area, there are a few steps you must take to ensure your safety. You must first turn off the electricity and the gas. Then, enter the area wearing protective boots and gloves and begin removing any submerged appliances from the water to allow them to dry out. Any excess water can be removed using a wet/dry vacuum. However, once the water is gone you are not yet in the clear. The area that was exposed to the water needs to be dried and sanitized. You need to keep the area well ventilated and use a dehumidifier to keep the air as dry as possible. A dehumidifier can prevent the growth of mold and mildew by keeping the humidity below 50% in the home. You may also want to consider using an air purifier. An air purifier will destroy microorganisms, mold, spores, fungi, viruses, and much more. The use of fans and air dryers are useful for carpet and walls. The carpet may need a professional steam cleaning. If the flooring is wood, a slow drying technique should be used to prevent the wood from warping.

Now comes the hard part. Many of the major appliances that are touched by water can become severely damaged. In the case of refrigerators and dishwashers, it is often easier and less costly to replace the unit rather than repair it. If your home has insulated duct work that got wet, it must be replaced. There is no way to efficiently clean this type of duct work, and if left alone it can produce mold growth. The furnace, air conditioner, and hot water tank can be a bit more tricky. First and foremost, an inspection must be done by a licensed HVAC technician before any of the units are used. If neglected, a furnace or hot water tank that is severely water damaged my not light and simply leak gas into the home. Also, the water may have created cracks in the internal components of the unit that can lead to the release of carbon monoxide into the home. Depending on the degree of water exposure, the technician will suggest one of two things: repair or replacement. If at all possible, the units should be replaced. Even if problems are not apparent now, the unit is now more likely to rust out or have individual parts fail. Many companies may not even work on or warranty work done on damaged units because there is no guarantee that other parts won’t break in the near future. You could either continue throwing money away with useless repairs or just scrap the unit and start from scratch.

Once you have cleaned up after a flood chances are you never want to do it ever again. If you are willing to dedicate the funds to the effort, there are several options the proactive homeowner can do to prevent the same level of damage from ever happening again. If you are replacing the duct work because it was insulated, then you may want to consider a more modern style of duct work that doesn’t require insulation. If you are replacing the HVAC units because of a flood, it would be a good idea to take the opportunity to move them to a higher level of the home. It may require rewiring and plumbing work, but this is the best way to protect your investment from meeting the fate as the units before it. If this is not an option for you, another option would be to create a flood wall around the unit. They are usually built by a professional contractor and are made of cement. These are more difficult because if not designed properly the unit may become inaccessible by a service technician if a repair is needed in the future or not actually protect the units from future flood waters.

Flooding is an unfortunate part of being a homeowner. It can become costly to repair and replace all that was damaged by the flood, but its better to do it right the first time then to take a chance with your safety and your currency.

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