The Flooding Game

by Andrea West


Posted on 2016-10-13 08:44:16


No disaster is ever fun to experience and it’s difficult to know what to do. In this case, let’s say you have some units that have flooded. How do you handle that? I say turn it into a game (ten points if you can guess the movie inspiration behind this blog post). Turning the situation into a game will help you get through all the necessary steps and make it seem like more fun than it actually is.


Object of the Game - Clean out and take care of the unit before the evil Mold King comes


The Set-up - A flooded unit or house


Needed Items - Waders and rubber gloves for each player, camera device, buckets, shovels, sump pump, wet vac, fans, dehumidifiers, disinfectant, cleaning supplies.


To Play -

  Phase 1

  1. Split up into teams, choose a captain for each team. Captains keep track of what step to take next and direct players on what to do to ensure a win.

  2. The captains are in charge of calling the insurance company. The first one to contact them gets twenty points for their team. They will then ask the insurance company what they would like them to do and let all players know the instructions. Adjust next steps accordingly.

  3. Turn off the fuse box and all fuse connections. Fifteen points to the team that turns off the fuse box and five points for each connection.

  4. The captains will select a player from their team to take pictures of the damage. Five points for each picture taken in the next five minutes.

  Phase 2

  1. Remove all electronics, five points for each.

  2. Remove all furniture, ten points for each.

  3. Remove the water. Buckets, wet vacs, and sump pumps can be used. (Note - if you are worried about the electrical situation, only use buckets. If you are using a wet vac, use outlets away from the flooding and do not use extension cords.) One point per teammate per minute of clearing out water.

  4. Shovel out the mud, one point for each shovelfull.

  5. Remove all appliances, fifteen points each.

  6. Remove all other items, five points for each handful.

  7. Captains select two players from their team to remove the carpet and padding, if applicable. Ten points for each section removed.

  8. If flood damage is extensive, remove drywall and insulation, five points per section.

  Phase 3

  1. Open windows to help unit air out, five points for each window.

  2. If electrically sound, set-up fans and turn on the air conditioner, five points each. For enclosed spaces like closets or basements, set-up dehumidifiers, five points each.

  3. Disinfect and clean all appliances and items touched by flood water that can be saved. One point per teammate per minute of cleaning.


To Win - The team with the most points wins the game. Congratulations, you have abated the Mold King!


Unfortunately, abating the Mold King isn’t where the issue stops. There’s a lot more to do before the unit can be deemed habitable again, but those steps take more time than the initial need that the game addresses. Advice to keep in mind-

  • Throw out all food that came into contact with the flood water.

  • Electronics usually need to be thrown out and replaced.

  • Pictures and paper records can be placed in a frost-free freezer until you have time to deal with them.

  • Furniture will need to be checked for damage and mold, determine what needs to be thrown out.

  • Have an electrician check your electrical system before turning it back on.

  • If you’re still worried about mold growth, hire a professional crew to take care of the issue.

  • For even more tips on how to deal with a flooded unit, visit this website.


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