Electrical Safety Tips During Floods

At WattDawg, your safety is our first priority.  As Texans are well aware, severe weather can cause flooding in our homes and neighborhoods.  We wanted to remind you about some important precautions to take during these times:

Water is a conductor of electricity and can shock or electrocute you if charged.

• NEVER step into a flooded room if water has, or could have reached any sources of electricity, like outlets, cords or appliances even if your power is off.

 

• Do not enter any flooded room until a certified electrician has removed the meter from the socket to ensure power is completely shut off and removed from the power grid to avoid electrocution and deemed the area safe.

 

• Do not touch your circuit breaker if you can’t reach it safely while staying dry. If you cannot, you need to call your electricity provider shut it off at the meter safely.  If you are a WattDawg member, we can help with this!

 

• If you can reach it safely, turn off each switch before turning off the main switch.

 

• Water (fresh and salt) and electrical wiring present a risk of fire or shock.  We advise you to contact a professional to handle any interactions with wiring.

 

• Do not contact any electrical systems or tools in your home (water heaters, air conditioners, etc.) that could be wet and/or damaged by the water.

 

• Remove all lights and appliances from the water’s reach if possible while they are dry and safe.  Make sure to unplug them if you can while moving them to a safer/dryer location. Do not touch any that have been touched by water.

 

• Do not try to turn on any appliances that could have gotten wet until deemed safe, as even a small amount of water can cause potential damage.

 

• Do not use any electrical tools if you or the ground is wet or they have been in contact with water.

 

• Do not reenter your home after a flood until it has been deemed safe by a certified electrician.

 

• Do not turn on your electricity after a flood until it has been deemed safe by a certified electricity

 

• Once it is safe, and your power is restored, avoid crashing your circuit breaker by plugging in appliances one at a time.

 

Disclaimer:

We accept no liability or responsibility to any person or organisation as a consequence of any reliance upon the information contained in this site. Under no circumstances, including negligence, shall anyone involved in creating or maintaining this Website be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages, or loss profits that result from the use or inability to use the Website and/or any other websites which are linked to this site.

 

Sources:

https://www.psegliny.com/safetyandreliability/stormsafety/floodsafety

https://social.selective.com/articles/how-to-practice-electrical-safety-during-flooding#:~:text=During%20a%20Flood&text=Do%20not%20touch%20any%20electrical,any%20wiring%20may%20be%20underwater.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/adventure/outdoors/tips/a8231/4-rules-for-electrical-safety-after-a-flood-14261065/

http://floodlist.com/dealing-with-floods/electricity-safety#:~:text=Never%20step%20into%20a%20flooded,electrical%20outlets%2C%20appliances%20or%20cords.&text=Never%20use%20electric%20appliances%20or,feet%20away%20from%20wet%20surfaces.

http://safeelectricity.org/flooding-provides-set-electrical-hazards/