The first steps after Cedar River flood water reaches a home are to keep people out of the water, cut power to the wet area only if it can be done safely, and get standing water out before drying begins. Photograph the damage before moving anything. Call a restoration line that answers at any hour.
Key takeaways
- Keep people and pets out of standing river water, and treat electrical panels and outlets in it as live until a qualified person says otherwise.
- Standing water comes out first, from the lowest point up, because drying equipment cannot dry a surface that is still under water.
- Photograph and list the damage before anything is moved, since an insurer will ask what was there.
- Water that has mixed with sewage is handled as sewage, and that changes the protective steps and the cleanup.
- The City of Cedar Rapids records the June 13, 2008 crest at 31.12 feet, the highest level in the city's recorded history.
- Drying runs until the structure reads dry, which can take several visits, so the first call should start the record.
What is the first thing to do when river water is in the house?
Protect people first. Keep everyone out of the water, keep children and pets away from it, and do not enter a flooded area where the power may still be on. The safest first action is to call for help and to wait for a qualified person before going near electrical equipment.
River water can hide hazards: a cord under the surface, a switch at the water line, a furnace standing in a foot of water. A person who wades in without knowing where the power runs is taking a real risk, and the risk is greatest in a cellar where the panel sits low.
If you can reach the main switch for the wet area from a dry location, cut the power there. If you cannot, leave the power alone and say so when you call. The crew will check the power before anyone works in the water.
Why does standing water come out before anything else?
Drying equipment removes moisture from the air and from surfaces above the water. While the water still stands, the walls and floor keep soaking it up, so the drying cannot catch up. Pumping the water out first gives the drying work a fair start.
River water also brings silt. Left on the floor, it dries into a crust that holds moisture and odor, and it is harder to clean once it has settled. The crew removes the silt as the water drops, which keeps the floor cleaner and the drying faster.
The pumps need a discharge point the homeowner has agreed on. Water should not be sent into a neighbour's property or onto a path where it will pool against the foundation. Agree the route before the pumps start.
How do you tell clean river water from sewage?
You usually cannot tell by looking. River water is often muddy, but water from a sewer backup can look similar. Because the two can mix in a flood, the safe approach is to treat any water that has come up a drain, or that has touched a toilet or sewer line, as sewage.
A sewer backup in a flood often shows as grey water with debris, a smell that is worse than river mud, or water rising through a floor drain while the rest of the floor is dry. If you see any of those signs, tell the crew before it arrives.
The crew uses protective equipment for sewage and disinfects the surfaces that are kept. Sewage-contaminated material that cannot be cleaned is removed. The steps differ from a clean-water job, which is why the distinction matters from the first call.
What should a homeowner photograph and write down?
Photograph the water line, the damage in each room, the contents, and any appliance or fixture in the water before anything is moved. Write down when the water arrived, when you first noticed it and when the pumping started, so the record shows the timeline.
Photographs are most useful when they are dated and taken in a fixed order, room by room. Take a wide shot of each room, then close shots of the water line, the walls and any stored items. Keep the originals on a second device or a backup folder.
The timeline matters as much as the photographs. An insurer may ask when the water arrived and how long it stood, and an honest record made on the day is the best answer. Keep it with the crew's readings and the removal list.
How long does drying take after a river flood?
The time depends on how much water came in, what it reached and how the building holds moisture. Drying runs until the readings show the structure is dry, and that usually takes several visits. No fixed number of days can be promised on the phone.
The first visit sets the equipment and takes the starting readings. Later visits show how fast each surface is drying, and the equipment is moved to the places that are still wet. A surface that feels dry can still read wet inside, so the readings decide when the job is done.
A homeowner should not close up walls, lay new flooring or repaint while the readings are still high. Closing a wet cavity traps moisture and can cause rot or mold that appears months later.
What does the 2008 flood tell a homeowner about river water in Cedar Rapids?
The City of Cedar Rapids records the Cedar River crest at 31.12 feet on June 13, 2008, the highest level in the city's recorded history. The city says the flood water reached about 10 square miles, or 14 percent of the city, and that the flood followed spring snowmelt and several rounds of heavy rain.
That record is a reason to take a river flood seriously even when the water appears to have stopped. A river that has risen once can rise again under similar conditions, and the homeowner who keeps the flood records and the restoration report has a better basis for planning.
The city's own flood pages are the place to read the official figures. They describe the city as a whole, so a homeowner who wants to know about one property should ask the City of Cedar Rapids building and floodplain office, which answers questions about floodplain land and repairs.
When should a homeowner call a plumber or an electrician?
Call a plumber for a broken line or a failed fitting, and a qualified electrician for any panel, outlet, wire or appliance that was in the water. Restoration crews remove water and dry the structure, but they do not repair the systems that failed.
A furnace, water heater or sump that stood in river water should not be switched on until a qualified person has checked it. Starting equipment that has been submerged is a fire and shock risk, and it can damage the unit as well.
The restoration crew's report describes the condition of the equipment it saw. That report helps the plumber or electrician know where to start, which can shorten the visit.
What should I avoid doing in the first days?
Avoid running a generator inside the house or near a window, avoid mixing cleaning products, avoid throwing away damaged items before they are photographed and listed, and avoid closing up walls or floors before the readings show dry.
Generators produce carbon monoxide, and a generator run in a basement or garage can kill. Products such as bleach and ammonia must never be mixed, because the fumes can be dangerous in a closed space.
Damaged items should be listed before they are removed, because the list is part of the record. Sorting into keep, clean and remove, with a note on each, makes the claim and the cleanup much easier to follow.
What should be checked once the water has gone down?
Check the walls, floor and framing with moisture readings rather than by eye, and look for the lines where water stood. Stains, swelling and loose finishes show where the water went, and readings show where it is still going.
Standing water usually leaves a visible line on the walls. That line marks the highest point the water reached in the room, not the full extent of its spread. The space above and behind it should still be checked, because water can wick upward through plaster, lath and paneling.
A careful check covers the outlets and switches that were under water, the lower parts of doors and door frames, every appliance that stood in the water, and the stairs. Anything that looks swollen or soft should be measured, and anything still wet should be dried before the room is used again.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start pumping the water out myself?
Only if the power to the wet area can be cut safely and the pump is kept out of the water near outlets, panels and appliances. The safer course is to call the line, let the crew check the power, and agree a discharge route before any pump starts.
How soon should the water come out?
As soon as it is safe to start. Standing water keeps soaking the walls and floor and spreads silt, so each hour adds to the damage. Call the line at any hour, and a crew is sent as soon as one is free.
Is it safe to walk through a flooded basement?
Not until the power has been checked and the water is shallow enough to move through without stepping onto hidden objects. Wear boots and be careful on the stairs. If the panel or a furnace is in the water, stay out until a qualified person has checked it.
What if I have a river flood and a sewer backup?
Tell the crew about both on the first call. Sewage needs its own protective steps and cleaning, and it changes how the rest of the house is handled. The crew deals with the sewage first and then the river water.
Should I wait for the river to go down before I call?
No. Call as soon as water is in the house. Waiting lets the water soak further into the structure and lets silt dry on surfaces that could otherwise be cleaned.
Who decides whether a rebuild needs a permit?
The City of Cedar Rapids building and floodplain office is the local contact for floodplain and repair-permit questions. It is the place to ask before any wall, floor or foundation is rebuilt.
Can I use the basement while the drying is still going on?
Only the areas the readings show are dry, and only with the drying equipment kept out of the way. Do not store items on wet floors, and do not use any area with electrical equipment that a qualified person has not checked. Ask the crew which rooms are safe to use.
Sources
This guide is general information for Linn County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.