CHEBOYGAN COUNTY – On Wednesday, Cheboygan County Building Official and Director of Building Safety Matt Cronk issued a letter to residents providing direction to people who had their homes flooded over the last several weeks due to heavy rain and ice thaw.

If your home has flooded, the Cheboygan County Department of Building Safety is urging all affected property owners to please use extreme caution and share these important tips to help keep you and loved ones safe and healthy:

1. Turn off all utilities before re-entering a flooded structure. Never enter a flooded home, basement, or crawlspace until the electricity and gas supplies have been shut off. For added caution, have an electrician check the house before turning the power back on.

2. Check for structural stability. Flowing water and ice can apply forces that significantly compromise buildings. Do not enter any structurally compromised homes without first having the structure assessed for safety.

3. Avoid touching flood water, it may contain sewage and harmful chemicals. Wash hands before eating.

4. Flooded private water systems and wells are unsafe for use. Only use bottled, boiled (rolling boil for 5 minutes), or treated water. Please refer to District Health Department #4 (www.dhd4.org) for further guidance.

5. Do not immediately pump out a heavily flooded basement or crawlspace during an active flood. Wait until the ground outside is no longer saturated and floodwaters have receded. The water inside balances extreme pressures from the saturated soil outside; removing it too quickly can cause foundation walls to buckle, crack, or collapse. The Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends that you wait to pump until surface flooding has stopped or receded below basement/crawl levels. Pump only 1 foot of water each day to reduce the potential for foundation wall collapses.

6. Ventilate: Once the water is gone and the electrical system has been inspected and approved for use, immediately bring in fans and dehumidifiers to dry the structure and materials. For more information on reentering your flooded home, please see the CDC guideline for reentry after a flood at https://www.cdc.gov/floods/safety/reentering-your-flooded-home-safety.html.

If you have any building safety concerns, please reach out to our office at (231) 627-8813.