Helpful Tips for Cleaning Up After a Flood and What to Do About Your Air Conditioner

The aftereffects of a flood are devastating. If you or someone you know has been affected by the flooding here in Texas, you know this first hand.

It is difficult to imagine the extent that a flood can damage your home and everything it touches until you experience it for yourself.

Then begins the process of recovery and clean up.

As many of our neighbors are preparing to begin this process of putting their homes back together, we hope that we can provide as much help as possible.

We have put together the following checklist to help.

We are also happy to answer any questions that you have about how to take care of your HVAC system or air ducts after they have been damaged by a flood. Please give us a call if we can be of assistance.

• First, it is crucial to contact your insurance company before beginning any cleaning or salvage. Floodsafety.com recommends listing damage and recording everything with photos or video as you clean. You will need these records for any claims, tax deductions and applications for disaster assistance.

• Second, keep in mind as you clean and begin to salvage items, flood waters and mud can be contaminated with microorganisms like bacteria and fungi.

Take careful precautions to sanitize anything nonporous, such as cooking supplies and glass, and have other salvageable items evaluated by a professional and cleaned.

• Third, Disinfect all surfaces in your home with a bleach solution (test a small area first) or an antibacterial product. The CDC provides valuable instructions for disinfecting your home after a flood here.

• Finally, if your HVAC system was affected by flood waters, it will likely contain dirt or debris and may be contaminated with bacteria or fungi. If salvageable, you will need to clean and disinfect your system carefully and replace any components that cannot be restored.

Before you operate your system again, you will also need to have it inspected to ensure it is safe.

The CDC offers helpful steps to follow before resuming HVAC operations.

If you must replace your air conditioner or other HVAC equipment, be sure to work with a company you can trust to be around when it is time for maintenance or repairs.

For more information about Air Specialist, please visit our website or blog. If you’re in our Houston, Texas service area and need assistance or have a question you need answered, please give us a call or schedule online.