Electrical problems are one of the most important safety concerns you should be aware of after a flood. Imagine getting home from work one day to realize your basement flooded. You almost go down into the water to assess the problem until you realize that you may have a live electrical current running through the water. Stepping into the water would have put you at serious risk of electrocution. To help you avoid such a dangerous scenario, below are four tips for safe electrical practices after a flood from our water damage restoration experts at Flood Pro in Mission Viejo.
Don’t Go Back Into The Home Until It Is Deemed Safe To Do So
This is the most important thing you can know about water damage and electrical problems. Don’t enter until the water damage restoration experts have cleaned it up. Entering a home that has standing flood water and live electrical currents is one of the most dangerous things you can do after a flood. It doesn’t require much standing water to conduct a current so even a small amount of water can put you in serious danger. Part of the reason this is so dangerous is that once the current begins going through you your muscles seize up making it difficult or impossible to move out of the water.
Realize That Your Electrical Equipment May Be Ruined
You shouldn’t despair after a flood, but you also shouldn’t set your expectations so high that you assume all of your electrical belongings will be repaired. It is likely that some of them may be saved, but don’t be surprised if you do have to get rid of some electrical equipment.
Pay Increased Attention To Grounding And Bounding
There are two aspects to every home’s electrical system: the parts designed to carry electrical current during normal operation, and the parts designed to carry current safely to ground should something go wrong. The latter is known as the home’s grounding and bonding system and it can be severely damaged by floodwaters. Only a licensed electrician is equipped and trained to evaluate the damage. All metal components of a home’s electrical system should be carefully and replaced if necessary. For example, metal electrical boxes that have been submerged may rust and the rust on the box prevents an adequate connection to the home’s grounding system.
Never Go Into A Flooded Home Alone
Even after taking all of these considerations into mind, you should still never go into a flooded house alone. Flooded buildings are dark, slippery, and disorientating. Even in your own house, you may have a hard time finding your way around. Even a slight misstep causing you to trip could put you in serious danger if you hit your head on the way down. Wait for the water damage restoration experts to come to your aid.
When it comes to water damage restoration, your safety is paramount. We hope you find the above tips helpful for keeping safe from electrical hazards after a flood. At the end of the day, however, the most simple way to ensure that you keep safe after a flood is to call a professional water damage restoration company for help. We at Flood Pro in Viejo are one such company capable of handling all the water damage hazards and restoration to keep you safe throughout the entire process.
