Buildings

Taking the Time to Do It Right

Q: My cousin Elizabeth and her family got flooded out by Hurricane Floyd and are now faced with trying to rebuild their home. My husband, the eternal optimist, says they should look at this as a way to improve their home, not just get it back the way it was. They're still in a state of shock, but we'd like to help them as they try to rebuild. What are the most important things?

A: Since every house is different and every family is different, it's impossible to say what are the "most important" things after a disaster of this magnitude. Once people have made sure their family and friends are safe and have salvaged what they can in terms of family heirlooms, photos, and other important personal stuff, they can begin to take stock of the house itself.

I think for many people, the hardest thing to do is to take the time to do the job right. Most of us want to get back to normal as quickly as possible, but in this situation patience can help avoid serious problems. Last year we investigated some buildings that had serious mold problems that were making people sick. It turned out that they had been "repaired" after Hurricane Fran without being allowed to dry out completely. The contractor genuinely believed he was doing the right thing to get people back into their homes as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the occupants began to get sick a year later.

Our approach to buildings is always to consider health and safety issues first. In this case, good information is being circulated by the various relief agencies and organizations. Materials that are porous and have sat under water need to be removed and hauled away. These include carpet and carpet padding, drywall (Sheetrock), plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), and all particleboard type products, fiber-based sheathing, and insulation.

Electrical equipment such as heat pumps, air conditioning units, furnaces, water heaters, and even outlet and switch boxes and the wiring itself need to be removed and replaced. Most ductwork will need to be replaced. Bare metal ducts, with no liner, can be dismantled, cleaned, disinfected, dried, and put back together. Typically, that will be more expensive than having it replaced, unless the homeowner does the work. Using electrical wiring or equipment that has been flooded poses a serious fire danger later.

It's crucial that the structural lumber and other remaining materials be thoroughly cleaned, disinfected, and dried before being covered up. This can be a long, slow process. Cleaning off all visible mold, sediment, and debris is crucial. Simply "disinfecting" with bleach or another disinfectant is not adequate by itself. Clean. Disinfect. Dry. Clean. Disinfect. Dry. Dry. Dry.

Ideally, using a moisture meter to measure the wetness of the wood is more accurate than just going by "feel." We like to see the moisture content down to about 15%, and certainly no more than 18%. What's important is to take readings at lots of different places and at different times of the day. Once you've gotten consistent readings for several days, you can be confident that the moisture content is low enough to start rebuilding.

Now, back to your original question. With the walls open, now is the ideal time to upgrade your insulation. Remember the five keys to making insulation work right: no gaps, no voids, no compression, insulation always touching the air barrier of the building (usually the drywall), and no wind intrusion into the insulation. If you get the new insulation installed according to those rules, you'll wind up having a more comfortable house with lower utility bills, particularly if there was little or no insulation in the walls to begin with.

Blown or sprayed-on insulation, such as cellulose, rockwool, fiberglass, or Icynene foam, may have some major advantages over traditional fiberglass batts. Talk to local contractors about these options.

When replacing ductwork, make sure it is sealed with mastic and tested to verify that it's tight. If you're upgrading the insulation, talk to your HVAC contractor about the proper size for the new heating and cooling system. You may be able to use a smaller unit, which will save some money now,and will save more money each month because it will be more efficient.

Dealing with a flooded house is an experience that, fortunately, most of us will never know about. The best thing you can do for your cousin is to help her be patient and not make decisions now that she'll regret later. Remind her that the lowest price is not necessarily the best price. And help her find accurate, credible, unbiased information that will help her make solid choices.