Module 4 of 7 · Intermediate · 7 minutes
Storms, Floods and Sewage
Learn how to stay safe during storm cleanup, handle floodwater and sewage as the health risks they are, and protect a damaged roof.
What You Will Be Able to Do
- Treat floodwater and sewage as Category 3 water every time
- Run a generator without risking carbon monoxide poisoning
- Tarp a damaged roof safely or know when to leave it to a pro
- Clean a small toilet overflow by the type of water that spilled
- Protect a basement with a sump pump and backwater valve
Lesson 1
Floodwater Is Always Dirty
Treat all floodwater and mud as if it carries sewage and chemicals. It usually does. Six inches of moving water can knock an adult down, so never walk or drive through it.
Keep the power off until an electrician says the system is safe. Shovel mud while it is still wet, because it sets hard as it dries. Porous materials soaked by floodwater usually have to go.
Key Points
- Floodwater counts as sewage grade water
- Never walk or drive through moving water
- Shovel mud while it is still wet
Lesson 2
Sewage Backups
A sewage backup is Category 3 water that carries real disease risk. Stop using every sink, toilet, tub and washer in the house right away, or you will push more waste into the mess.
Keep children, pets and anyone sick or pregnant out of the area. A small spill on a hard floor can be handled with the right gear. Once sewage reaches carpet, drywall or a finished basement, a trained crew is the safe choice.
Key Points
- Stop all water use in the house at once
- Keep vulnerable people and pets away
- Sewage in carpet or drywall is a pro job
Lesson 3
Toilet Overflows by Type
Turn the oval valve behind the toilet clockwise to stop the flow. Then clean by what spilled. Tank water is clean. Bowl water is gray. Water with feces is sewage.
Hard floors clean up well with detergent, then a disinfectant. Soaked carpet and drywall often do not. If water leaked through the floor to a ceiling below, that ceiling needs a closer look.
Key Points
- Tank water is clean, bowl water is gray, feces means sewage
- Hard floors clean up, soaked carpet often does not
- Check the ceiling below for hidden water
Lesson 4
Generators and Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide has no smell and can kill in minutes. Run a portable generator only outdoors, at least 20 feet from the home, with the exhaust pointed away from doors, windows and vents. Never run one in a garage, even with the door open.
Put battery powered CO alarms on every level and near bedrooms. Never plug a generator into a wall outlet. Use outdoor rated cords to run fans and dehumidifiers.
Key Points
- Generators run outdoors only, at least 20 feet away
- Battery CO alarms on every level and near bedrooms
- Never plug a generator into a wall outlet
Lesson 5
Emergency Roof Tarping
Only go on a roof after the storm has passed and the roof is dry. Never climb during wind, rain or lightning. A good tarp runs over the ridge and extends at least 4 feet past the damage on every side.
Hold it down with boards screwed through the tarp into the roof, not with bricks or tires. Steep, high, tile or badly damaged roofs are a job for a pro.
Key Points
- Tarp only when the roof is dry and the storm is over
- Run the tarp over the ridge and 4 feet past the damage
- Steep, tall or tile roofs go to a pro
Lesson 6
Sump Pumps and Backwater Valves
A sump pump pushes groundwater out. A backwater valve keeps city sewage from rising into your lowest drains. Both only protect you if they work on the day you need them.
Test the sump pump twice a year by filling the pit with a bucket of water. Add a battery backup and a high water alarm, since storms knock out power. Backwater valves need a licensed plumber and usually a permit.
Key Points
- Test the sump pump twice a year with a bucket of water
- Add a battery backup and a high water alarm
- A backwater valve is a licensed plumber job
Storm and Flood Cleanup Checklist
Check What You Learned
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