Basement Flood Cleanup Tips

These basement flood cleanup tips from Water Mold Fire Restoration should ease your mind when one morning you walk downstairs to your basement and find it under water. This occurs far more frequently than many homeowners suspect. It is for this reason that it never hurts to learn a few tips beforehand concerning how to approach a flooded basement.

4 Fundamental Steps

These are the 4 things you MUST do when you find your basement has flooded:

• Protect yourself - there is no telling what might be present in the water that’s flooded your basement. You will have no idea at first what has caused the problem. For this reason you must consider the worst-case scenario first. Is it water from the sewer, or is it water coming in because your sump pump has failed? Hopefully it’s category 1, clean water from a burst hot water heater or a broken pipe. At a minimum you should put on gloves and waterproof boots before entering the water.
• Turn off electrical power - Always turn off electricity to your basement before you step in any water. It doesn’t matter if the water is only in separated puddles or only 1-inch deep. You have no way to know for certain whether aelectric plug or appliance has been affected.It is in your smartest move to first disconnect the power.
• Determine the water's origin- the next thing to do is attempt to determine why the flood occurred. Did rainwater seep into your basement? Did a pipe burst? Did your sump pump fail? Obviously, if it’s not related to rainwater, you'll want to shut off your home’s water supply until you know for sure that it's not a plumbing break.
• Rescue important valuables – if you have anything valuable and easily breakable, begin to carefully move these items to a safe, dry area of your home. Think pottery, collectibles, family photos, and especially firearms.

These are just preliminary steps. The real work starts with water extraction.

Water Extraction

Water extraction is the most important thing that can be done to speed drying and return your home to normal. Water Mold Fire Restoration technicians will have every necessary piece of extraction equipment that may be needed. From flood pumps and carpet wands to heavy-duty mechanical extraction machines, our emergency crews have them and are trained to use them to your advantage. It is a proven fact that it is 500 times easier to extract water than it is to evaporate it. Thorough extraction is the key to structural drying.

Carpeting Concerns

If your flooded basement contains carpet and/or carpet cushion, t must be extracted and drying must start within the first 48 hours. Otherwise it will need to be removed and replaced. Sometimes the restoration company will remove the carpet cushion in an effort to speed drying and save further damage to your walls and personal possessions. However, if category 1 water is the cause of your loss, with quick action and proper extraction your carpet can possibly be saved. This is not a written in stone, each case must be evaluated individually.

If your loss was caused by category 2 or category 3 water, the carpet and carpet cushion should always be replaced.

Drywall Concerns

Drywall unfortunately acts like the sponge when affectedby water. Water will wick up drywall in very little time. This wicking is often very difficult to determine if moisture meters are not used to check for any damage. This is why you should contact Water Mold Fire Restoration at 800-905-0277, as quickly as possible. Our technicians can search out any wet drywall and take the appropriate action.

Personal Property Damage

A flooded basement usually means plenty of wet personal property. Items like books, DVDs, furniture, anything left near the floor. Some items can be saved, others cannot.You will possibly have to be prepared to discard any unsalvageable personal belongings.

Help Is Available

Should you or shouldn’t you do the cleanup yourself? Many people think they can at first, only to realize that they are (no pun intended) “in over their heads”. The fact remains that most people lack the tools and resources to cleanup a flooded basement properly.

Call Water Mold Fire at 800-905-0277 – our certified water restoration professionals will respond quickly and get you and your home on the quick road toward recovery. Time is always a factor with water damage to your home. Call us as soon as you discover the water. Our certified emergency team members know how to find everything that is wet and how to respond when they find it. You can also contact us by email at help@watermoldfire.net.