Trying to Figure Out How to Fix a Flooded Basement?

Got a flood in the basement? Get to it and don’t wait! Mold, Mildew, destroyed furniture, floors and walls are all common results of having water pooling up in your home. To minimize these effects, time is of the essence. The following 5 steps we will show you how to fix a flooded basement in no time.

1. Shut Off the Electricity to the Basement

The first step before doing anything is to turn off the electrical supply to your basement or home. The last thing you want to do is get electrocuted. If you’re not sure of how to accomplish this, call your power provider or your electrician to help you.

2. Investigate How the Basement Flooded 

Now that your home is free of electricity, it’s time to put on some gloves and boots and investigate the cause of the flooding. Typically, flooded basements come from  burst pipes or cracks within the foundation. When you have located the source of the water, mark it down and turn off the water supply. 

3. Remove the Water 

After you have found the cause of the flood what’s next is to remove the water. If you have a drain, make sure it isn’t clogged or blocked by any furniture. Once it has been opened you can begin removing the water with either a pool pump, sump pump or a wet vacuum. If you don’t have any of these tools you can typically find them for rent at your local hardware store. Remember: time is of the essence!

4. Ventilate the Basement

After the water has been cleared the final step is to dry out the whole basement. Remember to keep in mind that any remaining moisture can lead to mold which is a significant health hazard. Open all windows to increase ventilation. Bring along some humidifiers to remove moisture from the air. Likewise, fans are also a good idea since they improve circulation and spread cool air for drying.  Make sure to also change the filters of your home ventilation system to ensure that if you do develop mold it doesn’t spread.

5. Clean and Fix the Basement

The next step is to clean the walls, floors and furniture. You want to make sure that you scrub down all surfaces with anti mold solutions or a bleach water mixture. This will help keep any mold or mildew development at bay. If anything is too damaged by the water beyond fixing, it’s time to replace them. This includes floors or walls! Be sure to check your home insurance policy to see if you’re covered under floods. If so, take note of everything that was damaged to get the most out of your policy. 

Flooded basements are the things of nightmares. Besides a fire it’s probably the next worst disaster that you can encounter. With these four simple steps above, anyone can figure out how to fix a flooded basement. The main thing to keep in mind is to take action as soon as possible. The less time that water pools up, the less damage it will incur. If these steps above don’t solve your issue and there’s still water in your basement then it’s time to call in a professional. Call CJ Drain & Plumbing today and we can get you out of that flooded basement situation in no time.