When you can’t Avoid Cleaning up a Flooded Basement

Unfortunately, in an event of major storms, many homes are at risk of having a flooded basement. There are various reasons of flooding. It could be from the storm gutters and downspouts that are clogged or full of holes. Then water trickles down around the house instead of the corners and away from the house.

In other situations, torrential rain floods the ground. When the ground can no longer hold the rain water, the water will look for an outlet. Typically, the surface of the lawn or yard will overflow and if there are cracks in the foundation of the house, water will find a way to enter there.

Many people are already mindful of this problem and have chosen to install sump pumps to extract water from a flooded basement.

When you discover that your basement is getting flooded, the first thing to do is to extract the water from the flooded basement. If it is a minor problem, you only need to mop the wet area areas. But if it is a huge flooding we’re talking about, you may need to use heavy duty equipments.

It is important to work with the right tools in drying a flooded basement. If you do not have water extractor, you should buy one, rent from shops or try to borrow one from friends or relatives.

There are some things that need to be considered when choosing the equipment to use. You should realize that in a flooded basement existing drains may not be accessible for water extraction. You may need to get a long hose to attach to the sump pump.

Once all the necessary equipments are available, start the flooded basement cleanup. Start on places that are going to get the most damage when flooded. After the rain, open doors and windows for ventilation. This helps drying quicker.

Make sure that the water has been completely removed from the basement. You may also turn the heater to a higher setting to fasten the drying process. Keep windows open to let moisture escape. Using fans can also speed up the drying process. Place it in a position that will blow the air away to prevent the mold growth.

The drying up process can also speed up with the use of a dehumidifier. When using dehumidifier, keep windows closed. Place it in every area of the basement to extract all moisture.

Once the flooded basement is dried, check if there are some items that might need water damage restoration. You may need to call a specialist on this part.

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~ by gsullyver on March 17, 2009.