Should You Move After a Major Storm?

By Scott Boone

Image courtesy of Wikimedia

As I write this, Hurricane Irma is lashing Florida with winds of up to 130 MPH and more rain in a couple of days than most places will get in a year.  Once the storm passes and any flooding subsides, there will be those who rebuild and those who decide it’s time to move out of the state for good.  Inland migration is a common occurrence after major storms.  After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2004, more than 24,000 residents reportedly left the area.  No doubt Houston will also see a decline in population, having recently been flooded after catastrophic rains brought on by Hurricane Harvey.  So, it goes without saying, that the areas hit hardest by Irma will more than likely experience a sudden migration of residents.

If you happen to live in one of those locales and decide it’s high time to move to higher ground, there are a few things you need to know before you begin to pack your belongings. This is especially true if your home is damaged by rain and/or flood waters, you need to make an informed decision as to whether you should pack or discard anything touched by the storm. 

What to Keep

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When it comes to anything kept in your refrigerator, if the power was off for no more than three days, it is safe to keep hard cheeses such as cheddar, swiss, Parmesan and provolone.  You may also keep barbecue sauce, raw vegetables, oil-based salad dressings, ketchup, mustard, olives, relish, jelly, and salsa.

If water has entered your home, you need to seriously determine the extent of the water damage in order to decide what can be salvaged and what cannot.  Hopefully, you prepared for the worst by putting your clothing and electronics as high off the ground as possible to keep them out of harm’s way in case your house became inundated.  If you did so and the flood water came no higher than 3 feet into your home, you should be able to salvage most of your belongings.

Even if some of your things wound up in the drink, they might be salvageable if they are non-absorbent.  In other words, you can keep your bowling ball, golf clubs, dishes, and glasses.  They will all have to be sanitized, but they will then be good to go.

What to Chuck

If your power was off for even two days, you need to start by discarding eggs, milk, mayo, sour cream and any salad dressings that contain sour cream, along with casseroles, cooked vegetables, cookie dough, soft cheeses, cooked pasta, and pies with custard or cheese.  You also need to chuck anything in your freezer that has thawed, with the exception of bread, flour, and hard cheese.

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The remainder of your household goods depends upon the severity of damage and/or the amount of time they were left submerged.  The real danger to most household goods left in or near flood water is mold.  Almost as soon as the flood waters subside, mold begins to make its way into every nook and cranny of your home.  With that in mind, any clothing, bedding, linens, furnishings or any other item you own that has been soaked by flooding, needs to either be discarded or professionally cleaned (and I don’t mean a dry cleaner).  

There are firms that specialize in remediating homes that have been flooded.  While they aren’t cheap, these companies have the equipment and training to deal with the aftermath of a major storm.  You don’t.  Even if you decide you are going to pack up and move out, the last thing you want to do is haul away potentially toxic material.  This goes double if your home experienced any kind of sewage backup during the storm.  Better to get rid of that sodden sofa than risk bringing a mold factory to your new domicile.  When in doubt, throw it out.

Here’s a quote from a Storm Remediation specialist, JMKeystone:

“Standard upholstered furniture consists of a frame, some type of stuffing and a fabric cover. While the furniture’s cover can be removed and often laundered or cleaned, the filler material usually has to be replaced. The frame can often be stripped and dried as well to prevent mold growth inside the furniture.

However, there comes a point when the work of stripping, cleaning and reassembling upholstered furniture becomes more expensive than replacing it. If you are attached to a particular piece of furniture, of course, it may be worthwhile to try to save it. In general, however, if a sofa or chair is already worn and should be replaced, it makes little sense to do so much work in the hope of saving it when you can easily replace it.”

Cleanliness is Key

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Even your refrigerator needs to be emptied out and sanitized after any power outage that lasted more than 48-hours.  The best solution is to put one tablespoon of bleach in a gallon of water.  Remove everything from inside the fridge.  This includes drawers and shelves.  While you’re at it, you can also wipe down all the bottles and containers you remove from the fridge.  This will keep any potential pathogens from being reintroduced into your spotless refrigerator after you have finished the sanitizing process.  Wipe down every nook and cranny of the fridge and freezer, then place an open box of baking soda in both of them prior to putting your food back inside. 

It wouldn’t hurt to sanitize your dishwasher if the power has been off for more than a day.  Running your dishes and glasses through the machine isn’t a bad idea to make sure they are free of any bacteria or mold that has taken hold.  Sanitize the kitchen cupboards while you’re at it as a precaution.  You can never be too clean.

Once you’re sure that every last trace of bacteria and mold has been eliminated from the equation, then you’ll be in a better position to make a decision as to whether to repair or replace anything damaged by the storm. You will be able to determine whether it is time to contact your local mover to help you get the hell out of Dodge.  Either way, by eliminating anything contaminated by the storm you will lighten the load, which means you’ll be in a better position to get a deal should you decide to move. 

With over 4,000 moves, Scott's Discount Movers has handled moves of all sizes, including local and cross country. If you are looking to move your home or office, you can depend on Scott's Discount Movers to provide a stress-free relocation.