After river water reaches a Stockade house, the first steps are to keep people out of the water, cut power to wet rooms, photograph the high-water mark and call for a crew. Floodwater is treated as contaminated, so it is separated from clean water and removed before any drying begins.
Key takeaways
- Keep out of standing river water, and cut power to wet rooms at the panel only if the panel itself is dry and reachable.
- Photograph the high-water mark, the silt line and each wet room before anything is moved, because the insurer will ask for them.
- River floodwater carries silt, debris and contamination, so it is handled as contaminated water from the first visit.
- Removal of silt and porous materials comes before drying, because drying cannot finish while the wet material is still in the house.
- In August 2011 the Stockade was evacuated during the Mohawk River flood from Hurricane Irene, and that event sets the local case for this plan.
What is the first thing to do when river water reaches the house?
Stay out of the water and call for a crew with the depth and the rooms affected. Shut off power to wet rooms only if the breaker panel is dry and you can reach it safely. Do not wade into a cellar that is still full.
River floodwater can carry sewage, fuel, chemicals and debris picked up from streets and yards. Direct contact is a health risk as well as a damage problem, so the first rule is to stay out of it. Children and pets should be kept away from the water and from any wet electrical equipment.
If the panel is wet, or the water is over the breaker, leave the power off and call the power company. Do not touch the panel. In the Stockade, where houses are close together, neighbors may also be dealing with water, so a call to the crew should include the rooms affected, the depth and whether the water is still rising.
Why photograph the damage before cleanup?
Photographs taken before anything is moved are the best evidence of how high the water rose and what it touched. The high-water mark, the silt line and each stored item in the water are the pictures an insurer asks for first.
Take a wide shot of each room to show the layout, then close shots of the silt line on the walls and the damage on the floor. Photograph the stairs, the furnace, the water heater and any stored boxes that stood in the water. Date each set and keep the original files.
Once the crew has started, photograph again from the same spots, so the change is visible. The before and after pictures together show what the cleanup removed and what it dried, and that is the record an adjuster reads first.
Why is river water handled differently from a pipe leak?
River water comes from outside the house and has passed over streets, yards and buildings before it arrived. It carries silt and contamination, so it is handled as contaminated water from the start. A pipe leak inside the house usually begins clean.
The source of river floodwater is mixed, so the crew does not assume it is harmless. Porous materials that soaked up the water, such as carpet, pad, some insulation and some drywall, are usually removed, because they cannot be made safe once they have held floodwater.
Hard surfaces are cleaned and disinfected where that is possible. The crew explains each removal to the owner and records the reason for it, so the decision can be checked later by the insurer or by any repairer.
How is river water separated from clean water in the plan?
The crew keeps the river water apart from any clean water in the house, so it does not run through rooms that were not reached. Supply lines and drains are checked, and the work is ordered so that contaminated water is removed before the clean water is handled.
A house that has floodwater on its lower floors may still have clean water in the upper rooms or in a supply line that was not affected. The crew checks which lines carry clean water and makes sure floodwater is not pushed into them.
Pumps and hoses are arranged so that discharge does not return to the house or flow back across the wet area. The crew plans the route for the water before pumping starts, which keeps the work safe for the people doing it and for the neighbors.
What did the 2011 flood show about the Stockade?
Officials called the August 2011 Mohawk River flood from Hurricane Irene a 500-year event. The Stockade was evacuated, and a regional newspaper report said houses that had never flooded before took more than four feet of water.
A regional newspaper report from 2011 said officials expected the river to crest at least six feet above its 1914 record. That height reaches cellars and low rooms that are dry in an ordinary storm, and it leaves silt behind when the water goes down.
The lesson for a first-hour plan is that high water in the Stockade can reach rooms that have no history of flooding. The plan is to act on the first sign of water, photograph it and call for a crew before the water has time to soak the framing.
What does a crew do in the first visit?
The first visit checks the building, the power and the gas, then maps the water and starts removal. Readings and photographs are taken before the crew begins to remove material, and the first scope is written for the owner.
The technician confirms the stairs, the floor and the structure are safe before entering. The power is checked, and any gas appliance under water is left for a qualified person to inspect before it is used again.
Standing water is pumped out and silt is removed from the floor. Material that cannot be cleaned is taken out, and the crew records what it removed. The first readings set the dry standard, and the drying stage begins only after the silt is out.
When is the house safe to use again?
The house is safe to use once the structure is stable, the power and gas have been checked by the right people, the silt is removed and the materials have reached the dry standard. Until then, the rooms the water reached stay closed off.
Dust from dried silt can irritate the eyes and lungs, and a room that looks clean may still hold material in its cavities or under the floor. Keep out of the affected rooms until the crew says each one is cleared and dry.
Electrical and gas checks belong to qualified professionals. The crew will not restore power to a wet area, and it will note any appliance that still needs an inspection before use.
What should I do in the first 24 hours after the water goes down?
Once the water has gone down, keep the building closed, document what the water left behind and avoid turning on systems that were under water. The first 24 hours are for safety, records and a crew on site, not for cleaning.
The water line moves as the river falls, so the high-water mark on the walls is the most important record you can make at that point. Photograph it before anyone wipes it, and note the time the water was at its highest and the time you first saw it going down.
Do not turn on the furnace, the water heater, the electrical panel or any appliance that was under water. A qualified technician checks each before it is used again. Keep pets and children out of the house until the crew has cleared the rooms, because silt and debris can hide sharp or contaminated material.
How does a Stockade crew plan for a house that holds both river and clean water?
The crew treats river water as one source and any clean water in the house as another, and keeps them apart in its plan. Clean supply lines and drains are checked, and removal starts with the contaminated water.
A house in the Stockade may have a supply line that was not wet, a water heater on a dry floor or a bathroom on an upper floor that stayed dry. The crew checks each of those before it begins, so clean water is not carried into rooms the river reached.
The plan also decides where contaminated material is staged and how it leaves the house. The route for carrying out soaked carpet, drywall and cabinet bases is set first, so the work does not spread silt into rooms that were clean the day before.
Frequently asked questions
Should I turn off the water to the house after a river flood?
Close the main if it can be reached safely, especially if a supply line is wet or has been damaged. Water already in the lines drains slowly, so open a low faucet to let the pressure fall. Do not restore water until a plumber has checked the lines.
Can I clean the silt myself?
It is better to wait for the crew. Silt is contaminated, and sweeping or vacuuming it with household equipment spreads it into the air. The crew removes silt with the right equipment and protective gear.
How long does the Stockade cleanup usually take?
It depends on how deep the water reached, how long it stood and what it touched. The crew gives an estimate of the stages after the first visit and updates it as the readings come in.
Does a river flood cover the same things as a pipe leak in the insurance policy?
Not necessarily. Flood losses are often handled under a separate policy or endorsement. Read your policy, and ask the insurer in writing which terms apply to river water. This guide does not state coverage or limits.
What if my neighbor is also flooded?
Each house is handled on its own readings. If you share a wall or a cellar stair with a neighbor, tell the crew, so the adjoining area is checked as well.
Who do I call first?
Call the crew, and call the power company if the panel or a line is wet. Call the insurer when you are ready to start the claim, with the photographs and the first notes in hand.
Should I photograph the neighbors' houses too?
Photograph your own house, its high-water mark and the damage to it. Photographs of other buildings are not part of your claim, and you do not need them for your file.
This guide is general information for Schenectady County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.