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Do not return just because the storm has passed or your neighborhood has reopened. Wait for local authorities to authorize reentry, then treat your house as potentially unsafe until the structure and damaged utilities have been cleared by the appropriate professionals. The CDC’s rule is direct: “Do not enter a damaged building until local authorities determine it is safe.”
Return in daylight when officials permit it, approach on foot only where routes are open, and be prepared to leave again. Floodwater, unstable structures, live electrical equipment, gas leaks, sewage, mold and carbon monoxide can remain dangerous long after wind and rain stop.
1. Confirm two separate kinds of clearance
An official announcement that an affected area is open answers only whether authorities are allowing people into that area. It does not certify that your particular house, apartment, outbuilding or utility connections are safe.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →| Decision | Who makes it | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Area reentry | Local emergency management, law enforcement or another designated authority | Roads and the broader area may be entered under the conditions in the notice. Follow curfews, checkpoints and evacuation-zone restrictions. |
| Building and utility safety | Building officials, utility companies and qualified inspectors or contractors | Your individual structure and damaged electrical, gas, sewage or water systems have been evaluated. Area reentry alone is not this clearance. |
Check the latest notice for your exact address before setting out. Conditions can change as water rises, roads reopen, power is restored or new structural damage is found. FEMA’s March 2024 hurricane guidance advises having damaged property professionally inspected before cleanup or repair.
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2. Plan a cautious, daylight approach
Use the safest route named by authorities and avoid shortcuts through standing water, barricaded roads or washed-out shoulders. Floodwater can conceal open manholes, sharp debris, chemicals, sewage, animals and energized electrical equipment. It can also move a vehicle or knock a person down even when it appears shallow. Do not walk, swim or drive through it.
- Wear sturdy, closed footwear and clothing that covers your skin. Carry a flashlight for backup, but do not enter a dark building simply because you have one.
- Stay well away from downed, dangling or submerged power lines and anything touching them. Assume every line is energized. Report hazards to the utility or emergency services from a safe location.
- Do not cross barricades or enter a structure marked unsafe. Do not let curiosity, a desire to retrieve belongings or a visible lack of damage override an official restriction.
- Leave immediately if weather worsens, water moves toward the building, you see shifting walls or ceilings, or you hear cracking, popping, settling or other unusual noises.
Return with another adult if possible, keep a way to contact emergency services, and tell someone where you are going. Those are practical precautions, not substitutes for official clearance.
3. Make an exterior safety check without touching hazards
From outside and from a safe distance, look for conditions that require you to stop and call a qualified professional. Do not climb on the roof, enter crawl spaces, move structural debris or test damaged systems yourself.
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- Look for leaning walls, shifted foundations, separated roof sections, sagging floors or ceilings, broken supports and large cracks. Any sign of movement means leave and request a professional assessment.
- Look for water inside or around electrical equipment, damaged service panels, exposed wiring, sparking, smoke or a line that has fallen onto the property. Do not touch switches, appliances, panels or cords that are wet, and never handle electrical equipment while standing in water.
- If you smell gas, hear hissing or suspect a leak, move to fresh air immediately. Do not light a match, operate an electrical switch, start a vehicle near the suspected leak or attempt to shut off or repair the system yourself. Call the gas utility or emergency services from a safe location.
- Check whether sewage, fuel, chemicals or floodwater entered the building. Treat all such contact as contamination until authorities or qualified specialists say otherwise.
Photographs from a safe position can help document conditions, but documentation is not a reason to approach an unstable area.
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4. Enter only after the structure is cleared
Protective equipment helps with cleanup exposure; it does not make a structurally unsafe building safe. If authorities or an inspector have not cleared the building, do not go inside.
- Choose daylight. The CDC’s April 30, 2026 returning-home guidance recommends a daytime return, when hazards are easier to see and help is more available.
- Open the door cautiously. Watch for displaced objects, broken glass, standing water and damaged ceilings. Do not force a swollen or blocked door if doing so could disturb the structure.
- Ventilate from a safe position. If the building is structurally cleared and there is no gas odor, open doors and windows as conditions permit before spending time inside. Do not use a generator, camp stove or other fuel-burning device to create ventilation.
- Stop for warning signs. Leave if you hear movement or unusual noises, smell gas, see sparking or smoke, feel dizzy or nauseated, or notice worsening water intrusion. Call for help from outside.
- Keep children and unnecessary people out. Children should not participate in disaster cleanup, and anyone with a medical condition that makes exposure risky should stay away from contaminated or moldy areas.
Assume electricity, water, sewer and trash services may be unavailable or intermittent. Damaged systems require inspection by the utility or another qualified professional before use. Do not restore power, relight gas appliances or use plumbing simply because a switch, valve or faucet appears normal.
5. Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide (CO) is invisible and odorless. It can build up when a fuel-burning appliance is used indoors or when exhaust enters through a window, door or vent. Storm outages make improvised heating, cooking and electricity especially dangerous.
- Never operate a portable gasoline- or coal-burning generator, camp stove, grill or similar device inside a home, basement, garage, porch or other enclosed or partly enclosed space.
- Keep generators and other fuel-burning equipment outdoors and at least 20 feet from windows, doors and vents. Position exhaust away from openings, and follow the equipment maker’s instructions.
- Use a battery-operated or battery-backup CO detector when a generator or other fuel-burning equipment is operating. Test the detector according to its instructions and keep spare batteries available.
- If the alarm sounds, or anyone develops headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, chest pain or confusion, leave for fresh air immediately and call 911. Do not reenter until emergency responders say it is safe.
Do not rely on smell, visible exhaust or the absence of symptoms in one person as proof that CO is not present.
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6. Treat tap water as unconfirmed until officials clear it
Flooding, broken pipes, loss of pressure and sewage damage can contaminate a public or private water system. Check your local health department, utility or emergency-management notices for the current status of your address. A neighbor’s water status, a running faucet or clear-looking water is not confirmation.
If officials issue a do-not-use notice or you suspect contamination, do not use that water for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, making ice, preparing food, washing hands or washing dishes. Use the alternative water source specified by authorities and follow their instructions about boiling or other treatment. Do not assume boiling solves every chemical or fuel contamination problem.
Have damaged plumbing, wells, water heaters and sewage systems assessed by qualified professionals before use. Keep children and pets away from floodwater and contaminated mud, and wash exposed skin with soap and clean water as soon as possible.
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7. Decide what food to discard
Floodwater and stormwater can carry sewage, chemicals and other contaminants into packaging, refrigerators and cupboards. Discard any food that contacted floodwater or stormwater, including food in containers that are damaged, swollen, leaking or difficult to clean safely.
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Discard perishable food that was not kept properly cold during a power outage. Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, cooked leftovers and cut produce are particularly time-sensitive. When in doubt, throw it out: unsafe food may look and smell normal. Do not taste food to decide whether it is safe.
Keep salvaged food separate from clean supplies. Clean and sanitize storage areas only after the building and water supply are cleared, and follow local health instructions for cans or other sealed items exposed to floodwater.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.8. Prepare for mold and contamination before cleanup
A wet building can develop mold even when growth is not yet visible. Once the structure is cleared, ventilate it when outdoor conditions allow and limit the time anyone spends inside. The CDC recommends an N95 respirator, goggles and protective gloves for mold cleanup.
People who should stay away
People with asthma or other lung conditions, people with suppressed immune systems and anyone who reacts strongly to mold should avoid buildings with visible or smelled mold. Children should not perform disaster cleanup. Arrange help from trained adults or professionals instead.
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What to remove
Discard water-absorbing materials that cannot be thoroughly cleaned and dried, such as saturated carpet padding, upholstered furniture, mattresses and some drywall. Bag contaminated items as directed by local waste authorities; do not spread mold through the home by carrying wet materials through clean rooms.
How to clean hard surfaces
For hard, nonporous surfaces, the CDC gives a maximum solution of one cup of bleach per gallon of water. Never mix bleach with ammonia, acids or any other cleaner, because dangerous gases can form. Provide ventilation, wear the recommended PPE and follow the product label and local disposal guidance. Take breaks, drink water and stop if you feel ill.
PPE and bleach are cleanup precautions only. They do not address structural instability, live electricity, gas leaks or contaminated utilities.
9. Document damage before disturbing it
When it is safe and practical, photograph and video each room, exterior elevation, vehicle, appliance and damaged belonging before moving or discarding anything. Capture wide views that establish location and close views that show the damage. Make a written inventory with approximate purchase dates and keep receipts for emergency expenses.
Contact your insurer before cleanup when possible and ask what documentation, temporary repairs and debris-removal rules apply. Prevent further damage only in ways that do not put you at risk; for example, do not climb onto a damaged roof or handle wet wiring to protect property.
10. Know when to leave and call for help
Leave immediately and call emergency services or the relevant utility from a safe location for any of these conditions:
- Official clearance is absent, revoked or unclear for your address.
- Walls, ceilings, floors, foundations or supports are leaning, sagging, shifting or making unusual noises.
- There is a gas odor, hissing, smoke, sparking, exposed wiring or a downed line.
- Floodwater is entering, surrounding or electrically connecting to the building.
- A CO alarm sounds or anyone has possible CO symptoms.
- You become dizzy, short of breath, confused, nauseated or otherwise ill during inspection or cleanup.
Use local notices for road access, curfews, water advisories, waste collection and power restoration because those conditions are specific to the storm and address. The safest return is a staged process: official area permission, professional building and utility clearance, cautious daytime entry, then controlled cleanup.
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