Disaster Recovery Guide: Floods, Fires, and Power Events

A laundry room does not get a day off. Laundromats depend on it for revenue. Apartment communities depend on it for resident satisfaction. Hospitals, vet clinics, and hospitality properties depend on it for infection control and clean linens. When a flood, a fire, or a power outage takes that room offline, the cost shows up in the repair bill, in the days of lost income, and in the residents, patients, or guests who notice.

This guide covers what to do before, during, and after the three disasters that hit laundry operations hardest across Ohio, Michigan, and western Pennsylvania: flooding, fire, and power loss. It closes with a short list of questions we get asked most often.

Floods

Before a flood

Raise what you can. Electrical panels, control boards, and coin or card readers should sit above known flood lines. If your building has flooded before, that line is your baseline. Add a few inches for margin.
Install a sump pump and check it every season. A pump that has not been tested since last spring is not a plan, it is a guess.
Know your shutoff. Every operator on staff should know where the main breaker and water shutoff are located and how to reach them quickly.
Photograph your equipment. Serial numbers, model numbers, and install dates, saved somewhere other than the laundry room. You will need this for insurance and for us if you need parts fast.

During a flood

Cut the power before the water reaches it, not after. If water is rising and the panel is still dry, shut off power at the breaker first. Never wade through standing water to reach a live panel or outlet.
Do not attempt to run or unplug equipment that is already wet. Wait until the area is de-energized and safe to approach.

After a flood

Do not power on anything that got wet. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's flood recovery guidance is direct on this point: any motor or appliance exposed to floodwater needs inspection before it runs again, not after.
Have a technician inspect motors, control boards, and wiring before restart. Corrosion and water intrusion are not always visible, and running a compromised motor risks a second failure, or a fire.
Expect some parts to need replacement rather than repair. Manufacturers commonly recommend replacing motors, electrical components, and safety controls after significant flood exposure. Your technician can tell you which is which.
Document everything before cleanup starts. Adjusters need to see the damage. So do we, if you're filing an equipment claim.

Fires

Dryers cause more structure fires than any other household or commercial appliance category. The National Fire Protection Association estimates dryers are behind nearly 16,000 structure fires a year, and failure to clean the unit is the single leading cause. In a high-throughput laundry room, running dozens of loads a day, that risk compounds fast.

Prevention

Clean the lint trap between every load. Not every shift. Every load.
Inspect exhaust ducts and vents quarterly, minimum. High-use properties, especially during peak seasons, should check monthly.
Keep duct runs short and straight. Long runs and sharp turns trap lint and restrict airflow, which raises both fire risk and utility cost.
Have a certified technician handle deep cleaning and duct work. This keeps you aligned with NFPA 211 standards and protects you if a claim ever comes down to what your maintenance records show.
Train staff to recognize warning signs. Longer drying times, unusual odors, or a dryer that runs hot are early warnings, not background noise.

We've written in more detail on ventilation and lint management if you want the deeper maintenance breakdown.

If a fire happens

Get people out first. Property protection is secondary to that, always.
Do not fight an electrical or lint fire with water. A dry chemical extinguisher rated for the job, or letting a suppression system do its work, is safer.
Call your insurer and your equipment provider before you touch anything. Adjusters and technicians both need to see the scene as it was.

Power Events

Losing power stops the wash cycle, and it can also knock out card readers, mobile pay systems, and any networked monitoring your machines rely on. That means lost revenue on top of lost service.

Generator safety

Keep portable generators outdoors, at least 20 feet from the building, with exhaust pointed away from doors and windows. OSHA is explicit on this: generator exhaust produces carbon monoxide, which has no smell or color and gives no warning before it becomes dangerous.
Never connect a generator directly into a building's electrical system without a properly installed transfer switch. A qualified electrician needs to handle that connection. Backfeeding a generator into your panel can injure utility workers repairing the line and damage your equipment.
Plan for payment system downtime separately from machine downtime. If your card or mobile pay system goes down but machines can still run, customers still need a way to pay. Have a manual backup process ready.

After the power comes back

Check for surge damage before resuming full operation, especially after storm-related outages where power can flicker several times before it stabilizes.
Reset and test control boards individually rather than restarting the whole room at once. It's easier to isolate a problem in one machine than to troubleshoot a bank of ten.

Building an Actual Recovery Plan

A plan you have written down and reviewed once a year beats a plan you're improvising during the event. At minimum, yours should include:

A current list of emergency contacts: your insurer, your electrician, and your equipment service provider.
An up-to-date equipment inventory with serial numbers, install dates, and photos.
A reviewed insurance policy that includes both business interruption and equipment breakdown coverage. One covers your lost income. The other covers the machines themselves. Most laundromat owners need both.
A clear chain of command for who shuts off power, who calls the insurer, and who calls for service.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do first if my laundry room floods? Shut off power at the main breaker before water reaches the panel, if it is still safe to reach. Do not restart any equipment that got wet until a technician has inspected the motors, control boards, and wiring.

How do I prevent dryer fires in a commercial laundry room? Clean lint traps between every load, inspect exhaust ducts and vents at least quarterly, and keep duct runs short and straight. Failure to clean the dryer is the leading cause of dryer fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Is it safe to run a generator inside a laundry room during a power outage? No. Portable generators should run outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the building, with exhaust directed away from doors and windows. Running one indoors or in an enclosed space creates a serious carbon monoxide risk.

Does business interruption insurance cover laundromat closures from fire or flood? Typically, yes, when the closure results from a covered peril. Business interruption coverage compensates for lost income during the closure, while equipment breakdown coverage handles repair or replacement of the machines. Check your policy for both.

How long can a laundry room stay closed before it affects the business? There's no universal number, but every day closed is a day of lost revenue for a laundromat and a day of frustrated residents for a multifamily property. The businesses that recover fastest are the ones with a plan and a service provider who picks up the phone.

Sources

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), "Home Structure Fires: Clothes Dryers and Washing Machines."
U.S. Fire Administration, "Clothes Dryer Fires in Residential Buildings," FEMA, 2021.
NFPA 211: Standard for Chimneys, Fireplaces, Vents, and Solid Fuel-Burning Appliances.
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, "Flood Recovery: Electric Motors and Appliances."
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), "Using Portable Generators Safely," OSHA 3286.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), news release on carbon monoxide risks from portable generators and fuel-burning equipment, February 2023.
Ready.gov, "Ready Business Inland Flooding Toolkit," Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Brooks-Waterburn, "Essential Insurance Coverages for Laundromat Owners."