Your basement flooded. Now what?
Here is our easy to use checklist to clean up and prepare for the next time water tries to enter your basement.
Before entering your flooded basement, turn off the electricity so you don't get electrocuted.
Make sure the basement is safe before entering.
It's important to find where the water is entering your basement from.
Sometimes it can be difficult to find the exact source, as the water can pile up without an obvious source.
If you can find the source, it may save you time and energy in the future, as you'll know what needs to be done to fix the issue.
Not everyone will have flood insurance.
However, it can still be a good idea to take photos and a video of your flooded basement.
You can use this for your insurance claim or to show a waterproofing company that may do work for you in the future.
The longer the water stays in your basement, the more damage it can create.
Don't put yourself at risk to remove the water, however you can use a few different tools to remove the water:
First, you'll need to review your insurance policy to see if you have flood insurance. Not everyone does.
Once you file a claim, you'll need to schedule an inspection. Be sure to have lots of documentation.
If you qualify, you'll then be able to get estimates to clean up/fix the issues.
So long as there are no insurance contingencies, you will probably want to throw out wet or broken items, boxes, carpet, and furniture.
Some may be able to be dried out, but you'll want to keep a close eye on them for mold. It's a good idea to clean those out thoroughly and dry them.
Once the water is cleaned up, you'll then need to clean.
You can use disinfectant to clean the walls and floor to remove any bacteria and mold residue.
If your electrical systems were submerged, you may need to replace those.
Only inspect these if you know what you're doing! If you need to, it may be a good idea to hire an electrician to handle this.
If your basement has windows, opening those will help ventilate your basement.
Adding in a dehumidifier will also help dry out your basement. An ideal humidity level is below 50% generally.
Mold can grow extremely fast after flooding takes place.
You may not always be able to see it either.
One of the most important steps you can take is to prevent this from happening again in the future.
Water can enter your basement through an assortment of ways: the wall, floor, cove joint, hydrostatic pressure, or even through broken pipes.
After you fix the basement leakage problems, you can then start replacing some of the other broken items.
Sometimes water can find its way into HVAC vents and filters.
Be sure to inspect these so that mold does not start building up. Remember, these are flowing through your house, so you want to keep these clean.
There are several flood monitoring systems on the market.
One of the products we install is the battery backup sump pump.
If electricity goes out, the battery will turn on and send a warning alarm whistle to alert you.
Throughout this process, you may need to hire professionals. Request a couple estimates, and find a team you can trust.
We have a guide on how to hire the best basement waterproofing professionals near you.
