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Strong and severe Midwestern storms can bring very heavy rainfall in a short period of time - leaving many of us watching our basements for flooding. Walking through a wet or flooded basement can be dangerous. To be safe, you should always assume that basement flood water is energized. Never walk through a flooded basement until the electricity is disconnected. Even a small amount of water on the floor of your basement can put you at risk for electrocution. While electricity is often needed to run the sump pumps and wet-vacs that help remove water from the basement, the risk of electrical shock is too high. |
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Safety experts suggest using a generator to power your sump pump or wet/dry vacuum instead. Generators also come with safety concerns, so learn more about generator safety before operating one. Never run extension cords through water. Call Alliant Energy to have service disconnected at the meter. If there is standing water in your home, call Alliant Energy at 1-800-ALLIANT (255-4268) to have power disconnected before you step into any standing water. Once the power is disconnected, it's safe to begin clean up. When you are ready to reconnect your service, call Alliant Energy. Be sure to have a certified electrician inspect your system for damage before calling to be reconnected. If your basement floods, have your natural gas turned off. Standing water can snuff out pilot lights on hot water heaters and furnaces. If this occurs, natural gas may collect in your home, creating the risk of an explosion. If your basement floods, call Alliant Energy at 1-800-ALLIANT (255-4268) to have your home's natural gas service turned off. After the water recedes, have your furnace and water heater inspected by a professional. Then call us to have the service turned back on. Alliant Energy doesn't charge you for flood-related disconnects and reconnects. Shutting off your gas and electric service during times of flooding is done for safety purposes. Alliant Energy will not charge you to have your service turned off when flooding occurs, or turned back on after the clean-up is done. We do ask that for safety reasons you have your electrical system and/or gas operated equipment checked for water damage before we can restore service to your home.
Learn more about flood safety: Iowa State University Extension: Flood Cleanup Information FloodSmart.gov: National Flood Insurance Program |
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