Post-flooding action to be taken

In the wake of flooding and depending on the damage that you sustain, you must take steps to ensure your safety and your home’s sustainability.

If the authorities allow you to do so and your safety is not compromised, you can go home. Make the first visit during the daytime since it will be easier to see problems and threats.

If your home was flooded, promptly contact your municipality to identify yourself as a disaster victim.

If you have home insurance, contact your insurance company to submit a claim. Request a written response regardless of whether your request is accepted or rejected.

If you have insufficient flood insurance or no such insurance, you might receive Québec government financial assistance.

If the situation prevents you from paying the bills of service providers or creditors, contact the customer service of each provider or your financial institution’s customer service to make arrangements.

Once floodwater has receded or when you go home, do not wait for a damage assessment expert to visit to take stock of damage.

Make an inventory of damage supported by photographs or videos. Upon request, you could be asked to submit this inventory to your municipality, insurance company, and the financial institution that granted you a mortgage loan.

Check to see whether significant work is necessary before you go home. Walk around your residence to pinpoint problematical elements such as:

• electric wire on the ground;
• the smell of gas;
• significant debris.

Never approach an electric wire that has fallen to the ground. Immediately call 911. There is an elevated risk that a wire touching the ground is hot and that the surrounding ground is also live.

Enter your residence cautiously and note signs of structural disorder stemming from water damage:

• part of the roof is weakened;
• damaged framing;
• inclined walls;
• ceiling cracks;
• sagging floors;
• doors that no longer close.

In case of doubt, contact a building professional to verify the building’s condition to ensure the occupants' safety and your home’s sustainability.

Barricade the windows, lock the doors, and cover damaged areas. You will thus protect the building from severe weather and keep out malicious or curious individuals.

Choose specialized firms recognized for evaluation, cleaning, or disinfecting services, or for repair work.

Keep receipts for all expenses related to cleaning and repairs.

Within 24 to 48 hours of flooding or when you return to your residence following an evacuation, clean, disinfect, and dry all water-damaged items and surfaces to avoid mould.

Before carrying out cleaning operations:

• open windows and doors to air the rooms and lower humidity to less than 50%;
• turn off the power in the flooded area using the breaker box and avoid contact between electric appliances or extension cords and water;
• consult the safety instructions to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning before using fuel-burning appliances such as power washers, generators, or other gas-powered equipment;
• be sure to have the necessary personal protective equipment such as goggles, gloves, masks, and boots to avoid any contact between the skin, the respiratory tract, the eyes, or the mouth and water and soiled materials.

Consult the Clean up your house and yard page to obtain additional information on the steps to be taken during cleaning operations and advice on preventing injuries and infections.

Once the residence and materials are completely dry, you can undertake reconstruction work.

Contact your municipality to find out about the applicable by-laws and determine whether a permit is necessary.

Consult the following pages to find out about safety procedures and the steps to follow if you plan to carry out work in your home.

If your car or caravan was flooded, do not start it since the water may have affected its operation. The vehicle must be towed or transported. It must not, under any circumstances, be driven since it is no longer safe.

To obtain addition advice, consult the Flood-Damaged Road Vehicles page of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec.

If you have to replace cards, licences, or certificates issued by government departments and bodies or if you want to obtain information on government programs and services, please contact Services Québec.