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Protect your home after the storm
Gerri Willis tells you how to keep your home safe after a big storm like Hurricane Gustav.
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| For more information on managing your largest investment, check out Gerri Willis' "Home Rich," now in bookstores. |
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Hurricane Gustav evacuees are heading home. Here are some safety tips when returning to a storm-ravaged home.
Carefully inspect the outside of your home, checking for loose power lines, gas leaks, and structural damage. Wear waterproof boots and gloves to avoid floodwater touching your skin.
If you smell gas, don't go into your home. If you hear a hissing noise or smell gas when you do go into the home, make sure to turn off the main gas valve from the outside, if you can. Call the gas company from a neighbor's residence.
If you shut off the gas supply at the main valve, you will need a professional to turn it back on. And of course do not smoke or use oil, gas lanterns, candles, or torches for lighting inside a damaged home until you are sure there is no leaking gas or other flammable materials present.
Mold is a big problem if you have flooding in your home. And it's not covered under your homeowner's insurance policy.
First, you'll want to take out items that have been waterlogged and cannot be cleaned and dried. Then air out the rooms by using fans and dehumidifiers. Open as many windows as you can.
To remove mold, mix 1 cup of bleach in 1 gallon of water, wash the item with the bleach mixture, scrub rough surfaces with a stiff brush, rinse the item with clean water, then dry it or leave it to dry. Of course, you'll want to be wearing rubber boots, gloves and goggles when cleaning with bleach.
If the object is still wet, rinse with clear water or a fine hose spray. Clean off dry silt and debris from your belongings with soft brushes or dab with damp cloths. Air dry objects inside if you can.
Remove wet paintings from the frame and let it air dry, away from direct sunlight. Rinse mud off wet photographs with clear water, but do not touch surfaces.
And don't put damp items in sealed plastic bags. That will just cause mold to form. 
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