Re-Entering Your Home After a Storm
First, you need to make sure that the power to your home is completely turned off before entering it. Do not assume that just because the home next door to you has no electricity that yours does not, either. This can be a potentially fatal error, especially if there is still standing water in your home. If you see any downed power lines on your street or in your yard where there is standing water, do not go there and do not attempt to drive your vehicle over these areas. Risk of electrocution is extremely serious when downed power lines are concerned, as even someone who has been an electrician for years cannot tell by looking if such a line is live or not. You simply cannot tell.
Get rid of as much of the standing water in your home as possible. If there are holes in your roof or your windows, they should be covered with tarps, especially if you are expecting more rain within the next week. Inspect your attic and its contents to see just how much water leaked inside. Any insulation that has gotten wet must be replaced. It is useless once it gets wet.
Do not attempt to use a normal vacuum cleaner to remove standing water from your home. A wet vacuum cleaner can be used, but only after you are certain that the electrical circuits in your home have not been irreparably damaged. Do not use artificial heat sources such as space heaters or blowers to speed up drying out your home. All carpets and their padding must be torn up and thrown away after being flooded, especially if you think the water was contaminated with sewage.
