Can you turn the power off yourself?

  • IfThe panel is upstairs or in a dry room, and you can reach it without touching waterThenSwitch off the breakers for the flooded area, or the main breaker if you're not sure which circuits are involved.
  • IfThe panel is in the flooded basement, or you'd have to stand in water to reach itThenDon't try. Ask the utility to disconnect service at the meter.
  • IfWater is dripping from the ceiling near a light fixtureThenTurn off that circuit at the panel, and leave the wet wall switch alone.
  • IfBreakers keep tripping when you try to restore powerThenLeave them off. Wet wiring or devices need an electrician's inspection.

Before power comes back to a flooded area

  • Someone inspects, and usually replaces, outlets, switches and junction boxes that sat under water
  • A qualified technician checks appliances that sat in water, including furnaces and water heater controls
  • Extension cords and power strips that were in water go in the trash
  • Every piece of drying equipment plugs into a GFCI-protected circuit
  • Someone plans how many drying units go on each circuit so breakers don't overload
  • In a commercial building, facilities or an electrician confirms which panels serve the affected area

Why this still matters during drying

After the water is gone, a typical drying setup can include several dehumidifiers and many air movers, each drawing steady power for days. In older Aurora homes with few circuits, that load can overwhelm a basement circuit. In office suites and clinics, drying equipment may share circuits with computers, medical devices or refrigeration that can't afford an interruption.

A good contractor asks which circuits are free, spreads the equipment across them and tells you where the cords will run. In a shared building, warn the neighbors and other tenants about cords in hallways, and keep exits clear. Cords taped across a corridor are a trip hazard to plan for, not improvise.

Questions to ask before the equipment goes in

  1. How many amps will the drying equipment draw, and on which circuits?
  2. Will anything run on a generator or temporary power, and where will it sit?
  3. Who do I call if a breaker trips overnight?
  4. Does any unit need to be shut off near sensitive devices?

General information for Aurora, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.