Written on: March 8, 2021

Can I Use My Furnace After A Flood?

Flooding can happen any time of year here in Suffolk County, and no matter when it happens, it can be a big hassle to clean up.
Not to mention dangerous.

What To Do After Flooding

If your basement has flooded, here are three things you should do:

1. Shut down all breakers to your basement before you go down there. If your breaker is in the basement, only attempt this if conditions make it safe to do so; if they don’t, contact an electrician for help.
2. Start pumping out and mopping up the water. While you will need to wash and sanitize everything to prevent mold damage, some items and décor may be salvageable. Take everything you can out of your basement to dry somewhere away from your basement – preferably outside the house.
3. If it’s safe to do so, access your appliances, including furnaces, water heaters, your washer and dryer, etc. If your appliance has a pilot light, do NOT re-light it without a licensed service tech inspecting it first.

Special Considerations For Your Furnace

One significant item that could suffer damage during a flood is your furnace. More often than not, these appliances sit unprotected on your basement floor.
While restoring your furnace to working order could simply be a matter of giving it a thorough cleaning, you won’t know for sure without a professional heating system inspection. If your equipment has been exposed to water,do not use it before calling a heating inspector!
In the meantime, you can examine your outdoor condensing units, which are durable and can often withstand some exposure to water (although this is not always the case). Look for a line to see how high the water rose; if that line extends only a few inches, the unit may be salvageable after inspection. If the water rose higher than halfway up the unit, the damage will likely be too expensive to repair.
The bottom line: if your basement has flooded, DO NOT use your furnace without having your equipment inspected by a qualified professional first – even if it seems to be working! Bacteria and mold could easily grow and spread within our home if your equipment is not properly inspected and cleaned, and safety measures that protect you from fire or carbon monoxide hazards could be damaged. It’s simply not worth the risk to run your furnace without a clean bill of health from a heating expert!
If you’ve experienced a flood in your home and need your furnace inspected, contact the pros at Swezey right away. We’ll get it looked at quickly and either fix or replace your furnace correctly so you can get back to enjoying your warm home again.