1. Wash out mud, dirt and debris as soon as possible with a hose and mop, cloth or sponge. Clean walls and floors before silt or mud dries.Use nonsudsing household cleansers, or laundry soap or detergent. Rinse with 1 cup of household chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Scrub with a brush. Rinse again with clean water.
2. Start cleaning from the top floor or upper limit of flooding and work downward toward the first floor or basement.
3. Check walls with a level or plumb bob.
4. Brace walls where necessary.
5. Check mudsills, plates, soles, and anchorage. Replace or repair where necessary, using redwood, cedar or treated lumber.
6. Dry thoroughly. If utilities are on, use heater, fan or air conditioner to speed drying.
7. To speed up drying of flooded studs and insulation, remove all siding strips or plaster from upper and lower parts of the walls. Do not repaint walls until they are completely dry. This might take several months. Flooded insulation may be ruined.
8. Remove loose plaster. After house is completely dry, repair damaged plaster on walls and ceilings. Badly damaged plaster walls can be resurfaced with gypsum board or plywood.
Inner Walls
Walls must dry from the inside out. The interior framing of walls should be allowed to dry thoroughly. Sometimes this process takes weeks or even months. To release water and mud from walls remove top and bottom strips of siding on the outside of the building. Drill several holes in walls near the inside floor line. If water drips out of the hole, drill or cut a larger hole to allow the water to drain out.
The total drying time will depend partially on the amount of dry air that can circulate through the studding.
Insulation
Many types of insulation will be ruined if water-soaked and will need replacing.
1. Loose-fill insulation, such vermiculite, will settle to the bottom of walls and can be removed as it dries. If not removed, loose-fill insulation will create odors and eventually cause studding to decay.
2. Rock-wool batting insulation also will bunch and settle. If it is absorbent, it will create odors and could cause studding decay.
3. Fiberglass batting also will bunch but will not develop odors. Its insulating value will be greatly reduced.
4. Reflective surfaces, such as aluminum foil, probably will lose their reflective ability, thus decreasing their insulating effectiveness. The material itself should be undamaged.
Wall finishes and coverings
1. Plaster will take weeks or even months to dry but may not be ruined by water. Old plaster, however, may disintegrate after being wet for a long time.
2. Drywall (plaster board) will warp and disintegrate in water. Warping above the water level also can be expected. Submerged drywall must be replaced.
3. Laminated paneling (plywood or masonite) will separate and warp above and below the water level. The extent of damage will depend on how long the paneling was submerged and how quickly moisture is removed from the studding. Slow drying decreases the possibility of delamination.
Reviewed 12/12/07
