What You Should Avoid Doing During & After a Flood

There are hundreds of floods that happen annually across the US. They cause millions of dollars in damage and are one of the most common forms of disaster - while also being some of the most destructive. We may not be able to stop Mother Nature from sending floods, but we can prepare for them to the best of our abilities. The first way to prepare is by stocking up on the best flood barriers on the market. But the second way to prepare is to know what to do and NOT do after a flood has happened. Here are seven things you should NOT do after a flood, and some of them might surprise you.


Ignoring the Flood Stage Warnings

Even if you don’t live in a direct flood plane, knowing what is happening to the areas around you can be incredibly important. In many cases, flooding can reach the neighboring communities well before the flood has reached its peak. If you even live close to a river or body of water, you’ll want to know what’s happening during the storms.

Driving or Wading Through Floodwaters

This seems like a given, but driving or wading through floodwaters is dangerous. If you walk through them, you could be carried away by fast-moving water, you could be hit by debris, or you could even get infections or diseases from bacteria carried in the water (often from sewage).

Driving through water has equally damaging results. If there is water over the road, you will have no way of truly knowing what’s happening under the floodwaters. Cars can be carried away in just a few inches of water, and at the very least, you could become stranded.


Ignore the Growth of Mold and Mildew

After a home is flooded, it’s important to get a post-flood home inspection. One of the things you’ll want to keep an eye open for is any sign of mold and mildew. The growth of mold in your home is not only dangerous to your health, as it can be the cause of many allergies and respiratory problems, but it can also have structural repercussions.





Driving Across Previously Flooded Roads & Bridges

After a flood comes through, you will need to be aware of the bridges that flooded and make sure to follow up on their inspection results. Flooding can cause some extreme damage to bridges, and affect the structural components of the bridge. It may look safe, but that doesn’t mean it is.

Eating & Drinking From Your Home

This may come as a shock to you, but eating and drinking food from your home, unless it has been stored properly is not safe. Tap water can contain any number of bacteria after a flood, and until it has been tested and approved by authorities, you will want to refrain from drinking it. This applies to both city water and well water, as well.

Forgetting to Take Photos

After the rush of the moment, you don’t want to forget to document what has happened. Not only will this be helpful for insurance purposes, but it could be beneficial if you ever experience flooding again. By knowing what happened this time around, you can be better prepared to guard against flooding the next time. Make sure to take photos of all of the damages and then keep backup copies in a separate internet location so that you can access them whenever you need to.

Pumping the Basement Too Soon

As the flood starts to go down, your first instinct may be to get all of the water out of your home. However, one common mistake is pumping out the basement too soon. If there is water inside your basement, chances are that there is also water outside of your basement in the ground. If you pump it out, it will cause too much pressure on the basement walls and cause severe structural damage to your home. Give it time and wait for the water to recede naturally before getting the pump out.



Big Bags USA is Here to Help

Flooding can’t be prevented, but it can be guarded against. At Big Bags USA, we take pride in producing the best flood barriers on the market. Not only are they manufactured right here in the USA, but they are easy to set up and incredibly cost-effective. Our products are one of the best on the market, and we would be honored to help protect your business and your home with our premium flood barriers. You can visit our website (www.BigBagsUSA.com) to learn more about our fast flood barriers, learn how to purchase them, or even contact us with additional questions. We look forward to assisting you during your time of need.

MADE IN THE USA ~ 100% Manufactured in Missouri ~ BUY AMERICAN  

If you have an immediate need for our systems or have any questions for us, please call us toll-free at 1-800-337-0537 or visit www.BigBagsUSA.com.


ALWAYS READY TO HELP LOCAL, STATE, & FEDERAL AGENCIES ... BE PREPARED!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ways to Use Big Bags USA® - Part 1

Image
Big Bags USA Flood Barriers are an innovative solution to a huge problem. Flooding occurs every single year across the nation. It’s caused by many different types of occurrences, both weather-related, and often times from failures due to man-made sources. The devastation that can be caused from a single flood is incredible, but it’s also heartbreaking to watch. This is what drove us to create the Big Bags Flood Barrier. Our system was made to be easy to afford, fast to deploy, and easy to save for the next time. Here are several ways you can use Big Bags flood barriers , and how they can make all of the difference in your situation. Flood Control This is one of the most common and popular uses for our easy deploy flood barriers . From the 2019 spring floods to the hurricanes on the East coast, our barriers are seen across the nation helping to control floodwaters. This could mean that we are protecting buildings from the water with these barriers, or even roads. Flood control ca...
Read more

Cofferdam Construction Barriers Made Easy

Image
Big Bags USA heavy-duty construction barriers provide a re-usable alternative to sheet pile cofferdams, sandbag barriers, water barriers, single FIBC bags, super sacks, and aqua dams. One system (comprised of 5 individual bags connected to one another) is 15’ long, 36” wide, and 40” tall. One, five bag system, can be placed and filled by two men in less than 10 minutes. No other barrier can be filled and placed faster than the Big Bags USA construction barrier system . Fast, reusable barriers that save time and money. Why Big Bags USA is the BEST: 10mm thick polypropylene, made with the highest UV resistant polymers available to increase longevity in sunlight. The flexibility of the barrier allows the product to be used on any an all surfaces without the need for trenching or leveling to get a good seal. 200 times faster to deploy than traditional sandbag walls. Uses 1/2 the amount of sand used in a sandbag wall built to the same height. Not only is the barrier re-usable, the sand can...
Read more

Common Causes of Dam Failures

Image
A dam is built to store large volumes of water, control the flow of water, or divert water flowing from upstream. Nothing is quite as catastrophic as the flooding that is caused from a dam failure. Dam failures may lead to loss of lives and destruction of the environment, and Big Bags USA Flood Barriers wants to help. Our team is honored to get out and support those who are in need of assistance, and we do quite often. Here are a few things you may want to know about dam failures and how Big Bags USA can help with the best flood barriers on the market . What Causes Dam Failures? Extreme Inflow Extreme water inflow from prolonged rainfall and flooding is one the major causes of dam failures. Dams are designed to survive extreme weather conditions, but prolonged seasons of rain and flooding are capable of putting pressure on the dam to cause dam failure, and possible collapsing of the dam. Poor Maintenance Poor maintenance can be a huge trigger for dam failure. Dams require regular mai...
Read more