Anticipating a flood of questions about water damage
Before getting to the usual interesting questions, let us anticipate questions about flooded cellars, sewage contamination, and other horrors caused by severe flooding in the Boston area.
Cellars flooded from ground water and runoff, if not contaminated by sewage, are easily treated by letting a sump pump empty the area, eventually draining the cellar. Sometimes the fire department will pump out your cellar. You can rent a floor pump to empty much of the water, but chances are they've all been rented.
While there is water in the basement, avoid handling electric appliances or switches while standing in water. Avoid standing in the water anyway. Draining the cellar may take days, but whenever the water goes completely away, continue the drying process by opening windows and putting a fan in one window, exhausting to the outside. If there is mud on the floor, shovel it up and dispose of it.
Chances are good that during the short time of flooding, mold has not had a chance to get started in a cellar or elsewhere. If the cellar dries out and it is well ventilated, mold is unlikely to grow. If it does, make a solution of 1 part household bleach and 3 parts water and apply this to all suspected areas. Wear skin and eye protection when working with bleach.
Many appliances flooded can be restored. For a burner flooded out, let it dry out and then test it. Most such appliances, such as dryers and clothes washers, will work after they dry out. A flooded freezer, refrigerator, or any appliance that stores food is a loss.
A flooded cellar contaminated by sewage is best professionally cleaned. Such cleaners will shovel out any sludge remaining and wash everything in sight with a strong disinfectant. Appliances covered with sewage-contaminated water must be replaced.
If you are overwhelmed, call a private agency such as the Red Cross, or any state agency; after all, a state of emergency has been declared in the affected states.
Q. My brick fireplace front has several holes. Can I fill the holes with a mortar colored by brick sand dust?
CHRIS EVANS, Franklin
A. There are easier ways. Buy a Mortar Mix by Sakrete or Quikrete . Just add water, then add Universal Tinting Colors to the desired color. Also, lumber and hardware stores may carry colored mortar; check it out. Finally, you could insert regular mortar and after it sets, color it red with a dye or any other coloring treatment, including inks and felt pens.
Q. My chain-link fence is rusting. How can I get rid of the rust, then paint the fence?
MARJORY SMITH, Medford
A. You certainly cannot sand the individual links (my goodness, how many are there?) or sandblast as the pros might. Wire brush to remove loose rust, then treat the remaining rust with Rust Reformer or an other brand-name treatment. These treatments contain phosphoric acid, which turns the rust black and makes it paintable. Then spray with a paint suitable for iron or galvanized steel. Two good metal paints are Krylon Contractor Wrought Iron paint and Krylon Door & Shutter paint. No primer is needed with either of these paints.
To keep the spray from going into your neighbor's garden, put up a large cardboard on the neighbor's side, with his permission. You will also have to do the other side, with your neighbor's permission. I would imagine he would be delighted to let you do this.
Handyman on Call also appears in the Globe's Real Estate section on Sundays. Peter Hotton is available 1 to 6 p.m. Tuesdays to answer questions on house repair; call 617-929-2930. Hotton chats online about house matters 2 to 3 p.m. Thursdays at Boston.com. Hotton can be reached at photton@globe.com. 
