Hannah Barney

HOW TO Deal with a Flooded Basement

Every home has the unfortunate possibility of a flooded basement. Broken gutters, burst pipes, damaged foundation, tree removal, sewer backup… There are numerous potential causes for this unwanted water, but more often than not the water comes from rainfall or melting snow. Now a flood doesn’t necessarily constitute a huge pool – it could be anywhere from 2 inches to 2 feet (or more) of water.

Now we all hope that we’re never in this situation, but if it does happen here’s what to do:

HOW TO Deal with your flooded basement

  • Protect Yourself. Make sure you have gloves, waterproof boots, mask/googles. It may seem excessive, but better to think of your safety beforehand.
  • Disconnect the electricity. After you disconnect, look around to make sure there are no open circuits with water. Water is a conductor so you do not want anything in there while you are walking around the water.
    • If there are lots of items exposed to the water, make sure to call an electrician to assist you.
  • Find the leak! Locate the source of the leak. This can be a small crack in your foundation, or through a basement window or vent. The quicker you find the source, the quicker you can remedy the situation.
    • Don’t forget to grab a flashlight to help you find the leak!
  • Remove all valuable items/debris.
    • Grab anything you deem valuable, just avoid objects with electricity conducting capabilities. Anything that doesn’t dry within 2 days needs to be thrown away or it will mold.
    • Remove any wet drywall or insulation – unfortunately you won’t likely be able to salvage any of this but you still need to remove it. Carpet affected will likely need to be torn out and replaced.
  • Clean up that water. Using buckets, towels & mops work to get that basement as dry as possible. You can also use a wet/dry vacuum, as long as the outlet is not in the flooded area.
  • Dry the area. Turn on the fans (and dehumidifier if you have one).

If you’ve been through this process before, you know that the repairs for a flooded basement can be extremely costly. Flooring repair, structural damage repair, insulation repair are just some of the repairs that you will have to deal with.

One of the ways you can help prepare for next time is to make sure you have a working sump pump, as well as a battery backup. And now is the perfect time to get prepared – our April Special is $30 Off Your Sump Pump Replacement or Battery Backup! Click HERE to learn more