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Electrical Safety After Flooding: What Not to Do

Water and electricity together are dangerous in ways that are not visible. A flooded room can look calm and ordinary, with water lying still on the floor, while a live electrical hazard sits just under the surface. An outlet, a cord, an appliance or a panel that has been in contact with water can still be live, and touching it, or even stepping near it in standing water, can cause a serious shock. That is why the electrical rules after flooding are all about what not to do, and why this guide gives no do-it-yourself electrical advice at all.

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This guide covers the things to avoid after flooding: entering flooded buildings, handling electrics in or near standing water, and trying to restore power yourself. It also covers the one thing you may do, which is shutting off power only if it is safe to do so from a dry place, and when to call for help. The rules here are simple, and they are worth following exactly, because the danger they guard against is invisible until it is too late.

Do not enter flooded buildings

The first rule after flooding is not to enter a flooded building or a flooded room. Water inside a building may be in contact with the electrical system in ways you cannot see, and the floor you are standing on may itself be conducting electricity from a fault somewhere in the system. That risk exists even when the water is shallow, and even when the lights are off, because a circuit can still be live when the lights are out. If water has reached outlets, appliances or the electrical panel, stay out of the building and call for help.

The same rule applies after the water has receded. A building that has been flooded may have damaged wiring inside its walls, and the damage is not visible from outside. Do not assume that a dry floor means a safe electrical system, and do not re-enter a building to check the electrics yourself. A qualified electrician is the person who checks the system after a flood, and that check should happen before anyone uses the power in the building again. If you are unsure about the safety of a building, stay out and call a professional.

Do not handle electrics in or near standing water

Do not touch switches, outlets, cords, plugs or appliances in or near standing water, and do not wade in to unplug something. It does not matter whether the appliance is switched on or off, because the hazard is the water itself, not the switch. Do not use a phone, a torch or any other electrical item while standing in water, and do not touch metal objects such as pipes, radiators or appliances that may be in contact with the water. The only safe action is to stay out of the water and call for help from a dry place.

Do not try to move an appliance that is standing in water, and do not try to lift a cord out of the water. Both actions put you in contact with the hazard, and neither one makes the situation safer. If an appliance is making a noise, sparking or smoking, leave the building at once and call 911 from outside. Do not go back in to check on it, and do not try to switch anything off on your way out if doing so means touching anything near the water.

Electrical Safety After Flooding: What Not to Do — Florida water damage guide

Shut off power only if safe from a dry place

The one electrical action that may be safe after flooding is shutting off the power, and it is safe only if it can be done from a dry place. If you can reach the main power shut-off without crossing water, without touching anything wet, and you know how to use it, turning it off stops power to the building and removes one hazard. If the panel is in a flooded area, if the floor around it is wet, or if you are unsure how to use it, do not attempt it. Leave it and call for help instead.

Shutting off the power does not make a flooded building safe to enter, and it does not make the water safe to touch. It only removes the electrical hazard, and the other hazards, including contamination, structural damage and hidden debris, remain. Do not turn the power back on after shutting it off, because the system needs to be checked by a qualified electrician before it is used again. Restoring power to a building that has been flooded, without that check, can cause a fire or a shock, and it is not something to attempt yourself.

Call for help

After flooding, the calls to make are to a water damage restoration professional and, if the electrical system is involved, to a qualified electrician. Describe what happened in plain terms: where the water is, whether it has reached outlets or the panel, and whether the power is on or off. That description helps both professionals decide what to do first. If anyone has received a shock, call 911 at once and do not touch the person while they are still in contact with the water or the electrical source.

While you wait, keep everyone away from the flooded building, and do not let children or pets near the water. Take photographs from safe, dry positions if you can, and note when the flooding happened and what you observed. In Fort Lauderdale and across Broward County, the water damage restoration in Fort Lauderdale page is the local starting point for the same statewide help described here.

Restoring power after a flood

Restoring power after a flood is a job for a qualified electrician, and it is not something to attempt yourself. The electrical system in a building that has been flooded may have damaged wiring inside its walls, and that damage is not visible from outside, which is why the system needs to be checked before it is used again. Do not turn the power back on after shutting it off, and do not switch on lights or appliances in a building that has been flooded, because restoring power to a damaged system can cause a fire or a shock. The check should happen before anyone uses the power in the building again, and that is true even when the floors look dry.

The electrician will check the panel, the wiring, the outlets and the appliances that were in contact with water, and will explain what was found before the power is restored. Some parts of the system may need to be repaired or replaced before the power can be turned back on, and some appliances may need to be checked separately. That work is planned from what the inspection finds, and it is not something that can be decided from a description alone. The water damage restoration page explains what a restoration visit covers once the building is safe, and the electrical check is part of making it safe.

While the power is off, do not use candles in a building that has been flooded, because a gas leak may be present and a naked flame can ignite it. Use a battery torch from a dry place if you need light, and do not go into dark, wet rooms to look for damage. Keep everyone out of the building until the electrical system has been checked, and do not let children or pets near the water. The wait for the power to be restored can be frustrating, but it is a wait that protects the building and everyone in it, and it is worth taking seriously.

Key Takeaways

The first rule after flooding is not to enter a flooded building or a flooded room.
Do not touch switches, outlets, cords, plugs or appliances in or near standing water, and do not wade in to unplug something.
The one electrical action that may be safe after flooding is shutting off the power, and it is safe only if it can be done from a dry place.
After flooding, the calls to make are to a water damage restoration professional and, if the electrical system is involved, to a qualified electrician.
Restoring power after a flood is a job for a qualified electrician, and it is not something to attempt yourself.

Your Next Step

If this guide matches what you found at home, the next step is a visit — not a guess. Call and describe what you found, and the visit is arranged from what you describe. The Water Damage Restoration page explains what that service covers, and the water damage restoration page explains how the full job is put together when more than one room is affected.

Do not step into standing water where electrics may be involved, and if water is still coming in, turn off the main water supply for the home where you can reach it safely.

Keep the guides on this site bookmarked: the first guide, the signs guide, and the preparation guide cover the checks worth repeating — after moving in, and after a storm or heavy rain.

Water damage help is available across Florida. See water damage restoration in Harlem, FL for one local example, or find your town on the service areas page.