Skip to content
CMHC Home Canada Mortgage
and Housing Corporation
  • Sign In or Register
  • FRANÇAIS
  • MENU
MENU
× FRANÇAIS
  • Home
  • Professionals
    • Project funding and mortgage financing
      • Funding programs
        • Affordable Housing Innovation Fund
        • Community (social) housing
        • Federal Lands Initiative
        • Funding for Indigenous housing
        • Housing Accelerator Fund
        • Housing Supply Challenge
        • Innovation and research
        • National Housing Co-Investment Funding
        • National Housing Strategy Project Profiles
        • Rapid Housing Initiative
        • Rental Construction Financing Initiative
        • Shared Equity Mortgage Providers Fund
      • Mortgage loan insurance
        • Homeowner and small rental mortgage loan insurance
        • Homeowner Business Transformation (HBT)
          • Arrears Report Upload Tool - Coming 2022
          • Default Management Request Submission Tool
          • Homeowner Claims Submission Tool
          • User Access Management (Coming Soon)
        • Multi-unit mortgage loan insurance
          • MLI Select
        • Default, claims and properties for sale
        • Underwriting centre
        • emili
        • NHA approved lenders
        • Calculating GDS / TDS
        • How to recognize and report mortgage fraud
          • Approved Lender Advise of Fraudulent, False and Misleading Information
        • Contact mortgage loan insurance
        • Insured Mortgage Purchase Program (IMPP)
        • COVID-19: CECRA for small businesses has ended
      • Securitization
        • NHA Mortgage Backed Securities
        • Canada Mortgage Bonds
        • Canadian registered covered bonds
        • Blockchain in the housing industry
    • Housing markets, data and research
      • Housing markets
        • CMHC Reports Calendar
        • Housing market reports
        • Mortgage market and consumer reports
      • Housing research
        • Consultations
          • Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act
            • Prohibition on the Purchase of Residential Property by Non-Canadians Act – Frequently asked questions
        • Housing research reports
        • Housing surveys
        • Research awards and scholarships
        • Understanding core housing need
        • Collaborative Housing Research Network
      • Housing data
        • Data tables
          • Household characteristics data
          • Housing market data
          • Mortgage and debt data
          • Rental market data
        • Housing market information portal
        • Residential Mortgage Industry Data Dashboard
        • Housing in Canada Online (HiCO)
        • CMHC licence agreement for the use of data
        • Housing Knowledge Centre
    • Industry innovation and leadership
      • Housing innovation
      • Our Partners
        • Partnerships
        • Federal, Provincial and Territorial Forum on Housing
          • Resources for Members of the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Forum on Housing
      • Industry collaboration
      • Industry expertise
        • Affordable housing
        • Indigenous housing
        • Senior housing
        • Accessible and adaptable housing
          • Universal Design Guide
        • Developing sustainable housing
        • Resources for mortgage professionals
        • CMHC e-newsletters
    • Events and speakers
      • Conferences
      • Speakers’ bureau
  • Consumers
    • Buying a home
      • Homebuying calculators
        • Mortgage calculator
        • Affordability calculator
        • Debt service calculator
      • Buying guides
        • Homebuying step by step
        • CMHC's condominium buyer's guide
      • Mortgage loan insurance for consumers
        • What is CMHC mortgage loan insurance?
        • Do I qualify for mortgage loan insurance?
        • CMHC mortgage loan insurance costs
        • CMHC Eco Plus
        • CMHC — home renovation financing options
        • FAQs — mortgage loan insurance
        • COVID-19: understanding mortgage payment deferral
      • First-time home buyer incentive
      • Incentives for homebuyers
      • Newcomers
    • Owning a home
      • Manage your mortgage
        • Mortgage fraud
        • Mortgage planning tips
        • Plan and manage your mortgage
        • Your credit report
        • Your home value
      • Aging in place
        • Housing options for Seniors
        • Housing and finance tips
        • Mortgage financing options for people 55+
        • Preventing fraud and financial abuse
    • Renting a home
      • I want to rent
        • Things to consider before renting
        • Types of housing for rent in Canada
        • Finding or advertising a rental property
        • Visiting the rental property
        • Lease and rental agreements
        • Signing the lease
        • Credit checks and bad credit
        • Rental payments and deposits
        • Roommates and pets
      • I am renting
        • Moving day
        • Landlord/Tenant responsibilities
        • Inspections
        • Maintenance and repairs
        • Complaints and evictions
        • Rent increases
        • When you can't pay rent
        • Renewing or terminating the lease
        • Moving out
      • One-Time Top-Up to the Canada Housing Benefit
      • COVID‑19: eviction bans and suspensions to support renters
  • About CMHC
    • CMHC’s Story
    • Management and governance
      • Speakers’ bureau
      • Annual public meeting
      • Board of directors and committees
      • Our management committee
      • Pension governance
        • Pension overview
        • Key roles and responsibilities
        • Annual reports
    • Corporate reporting
      • CMHC annual report
      • Program evaluation
      • Quarterly financial reports
      • Joint auditors special examination report to CMHC board 2018
      • CMHC’s Insured Mortgage Deferral
      • Summary of the corporate plan
      • Transparency
        • Access to information and privacy protection
        • Accessibility at CMHC
        • Accessibility feedback process
        • Briefing materials
        • Procurement
          • Vendor Diversity Program
        • Travel, hospitality and conference expenditures
    • Contact us
      • CMHC departments
        • Contact your multi-unit housing solutions specialist
        • Contact mortgage loan insurance
        • Indigenous and the North Housing Solutions
      • Granville lsland
      • Media relations
      • National office
      • Regional offices
      • Holiday service hours
    • Careers
  • Media Newsroom
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19) updates
    • Media relations
    • New social housing buildings for women in Montreal
  • National Housing Strategy
    • What is the strategy?
      • About the initiatives
      • How to apply
      • Help and resources
      • Priority areas for action
      • The National Housing Strategy Glossary of Common Terms
      • The Strategy in Action
    • Federal/Provincial/Territorial housing agreements
    • Other funding and financing opportunities
  • The Housing Observer
  • Careers
  • Housing Knowledge Centre
 
  • Home
  • Professionals
  • Industry innovation and leadership
  • Industry expertise
  • Indigenous housing
  • Develop and manage Indigenous housing
  • Maintenance solutions
  • Mould in housing
  • Flood cleanup and mould prevention
  • Save page to My Folder
    Save
  • Share this page
    Share
Save Icon

SAVE TO MY FOLDER

Flood cleanup and mould prevention

SAVE
Close this Window   |   Manage my Folder
Save Icon

SAVE TO MY FOLDER

Flood cleanup and mould prevention

Done Done!
Close this Window   |   Manage my Folder
Share icon

Share via

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • Twitter
  • print
  • CopyLink

SuccessCopyLinkVersionLink copied

Share icon

Share via

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Mail
  • Twitter
  • print
  • CopyLink

SuccessCopyLinkVersionLink copied

share icon

Mail-blue Share via Email

Did You Know?

You can include an email signature?

Register | Sign In

×
Google Captcha Loader
share icon

Mail-blue Share via Email

Done Done!
Close this window

Flood cleanup and mould prevention

Tips for staying safe and preventing mould after a flood.

Show Guide Chapters
  • Mould in housing
  • Information for occupants
  • Information for housing managers
  • Information for builders and renovators
  • Flood cleanup and mould prevention
  • Mould cleanup at a glance: infographic
  • Mould in housing at glance

Floods are one of the most common and costly natural disasters in Canada. Flood damage is also a major cause of mould in homes, which can make you and your family to sick.

Mould grows in wet and damp conditions. It’s less likely to grow if your home and furnishings are dry within 48 hours after a flood. It’s important to remove standing water and any wet materials as soon as possible after a flood. This will help prevent mould, which can continue to damage your home long after the flood.

During flood cleanup, think safety first!

Flood cleanup has 2 immediate dangers: electric shock and sewage contamination.

Electric shock

You can avoid electric shock by always wearing rubber boots when standing in water. You should also shut off the power to the flooded area at the breaker box. Be sure to keep all extension cords out of the water, too.

If you’re not sure what to do, don’t be afraid to ask your local electricity utility for help.

Sewage contamination

If your house is flooded by sewage-contaminated water, you’ll need to take a number of special precautions.

It’s very easy to get infected by disease handling sewage-contaminated water and materials. You may even be in danger of infection just by breathing the air in an area contaminated by sewage. If you suspect sewage contamination, you should:

  • contact your environmental health officer (EHO) or community health representative
  • avoid exposing family members and pets to the contaminated area
  • keep children, pregnant women and people with respiratory problems away from contaminated water and materials
  • bag, tag and dispose of contaminated household items according to your local regulations

Once the contaminated items and standing water are removed, you’ll need to do a thorough cleaning of the entire area.

Four steps for flood cleanup

1. Prepare for the flood cleanup

Gather all the equipment and supplies you might need for the flood cleanup, including:

  • disposable gloves
  • N95 masks
  • rubber boots
  • goggles
  • pails, mops and sponges
  • plastic garbage bags
  • unscented detergent
  • clean water

Where possible, open windows and doors to provide fresh air.

Rent any larger equipment you might need, including submersible pumps, fans, wet/dry shop vacuums and dehumidifiers.

2. Remove water, mud and other debris

  • Remove standing water with pumps or pails, then with a wet/dry shop vacuum.
  • Remove all soaked and dirty materials, as well as debris, and residual mud and soil.
  • Clean dirty walls and furnishings with unscented soap and water, then dry them with a wet/dry shop vacuum.
  • Clean and dry all floors as quickly as possible.

3. Dispose of wet materials that can’t be dried within 48 hours

  • Remove and discard flooring that has been soaked by flood water.
  • Remove all wet drywall, going at least 30 cm above the flood water level.
  • Dispose of all wet items that do not dry quickly, including:
    • insulation and drywall
    • carpets
    • particleboard furniture
    • mattresses and box springs
    • stuffed toys
    • pillows and cushions
    • furniture coverings

4. Clean and dry out your home and salvageable possessions

  • After cleaning with soap and water, use fans, heaters and dehumidifiers to speed up the drying process. Rapid drying is essential for mould prevention.
  • Vacuum dry surfaces and surfaces that weren’t directly affected by flood water with a HEPA vacuum cleaner.

For more information, please contact your local CMHC office or CMHC consultant.


Previous Information for builders and renovators Next Mould cleanup at a glance: infographic

Was this page relevant to your needs?

Thank you for your feedback!

Sorry to hear that! Can you tell us about the problem?

Google Captcha Loader

For further assistance, please contact us

Thank you. Your feedback has been submitted.

Date Published: March 31, 2018

By Topic

  • Professionals
    • Project funding and mortgage financing
    • Housing markets data and research
    • Industry innovation and leadership
    • Events and speakers
  • Consumers
    • Home buying
    • Owning a home
    • Renting a home

About Us

  • CMHC's Story
  • Management and Governance
  • Our Partners
  • Corporate Reporting
  • Contact Us
  • Careers

More

  • CMHC e-Newsletters
  • CMHC Library
  • Housing Observer Online
  • Media Newsroom
  • CMHC on Twitter
  • CMHC on LinkedIn
  • CMHC on Facebook
  • CMHC on Instagram
  • CMHC on YouTube
Privacy Policy    |    Terms and Conditions    |    Transparency    |    Accessibility Plan    |    Accessibility Feedback     Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) ©2023 
Canada
loader icon