After a storm, flooding is a terrible sensation. When you come home, you may find that the roof, windows, and structure have been severely damaged. In many instances, hundreds of liters of water from storm surges or broken water mains can flood your property, ruining everything in its path. This concise article will examine the causes of basement flooding and what to do if you discover one.
Turn off the power.
Turn off the power if your home’s circuit breaker is not in the basement. Otherwise, any electrical or electronic equipment that comes into contact with water could become hazardous. Typically, the circuit breaker is located in a handy position like the garage. There may be a fuse box near the meter in older homes.
Drain the water.
Drain the water to examine the damage after removing potentially hazardous things like electronics. A flooded basement necessitates a replacement sump pump. Because a pump cannot remove all the water from your basement, use a mop and towels to remove the remaining moisture.
If you discover more than two feet of water in your basement, rather than attempting to remove it yourself, you should hire a professional water cleanup firm to help you dry it out. Remove water immediately. Mold can flourish in damp environments, and mold’s presence exacerbates property damage.
Deal with your damp goods.
To effectively dry your basement, you must not abandon any moist items. Remove all damp items, including couches and bookcases, and relocate them to a dry location like the garage. Your insurance company should cover the damaged things, the repairs to the basement, and the mold remediation. Immediately following the flood, make an insurance claim.
You must rip up the wet carpet and remove the soaked items. Occasionally, the carpet can be saved, but the carpet and the padding underneath it must be replaced in most cases.
Dry out the area.
Your basement will not naturally dry out. You will almost probably need to acquire or rent industrial fans and blowers. A dehumidifier can be utilized to remove excess moisture, accelerate the drying process, and lower the probability of mold growth. You can collect these items from Safeguarding Restoration to restore your basement.
Take preventative measures to avoid mold growth.
Mold flourishes in moist, dim conditions. In the weeks following a flood, it may be necessary to remove parts of drywall if mold is discovered. To clean your walls correctly, use soap and warm water.
In addition to your dehumidifier and fans, you can utilize a HEPA air purifier to remove allergens and mold spores from the air. After the flood, the basement should be inspected frequently for mold. Bleach and warm water should be used to disinfect suspicious spots.
Take preventative measures to avoid future floods.
Try to establish what triggered the flood after it had occurred. Your yard was flooded by a severe storm, which then drained into your basement. Exist crevices in your foundation? Should you replace your sump pump? Consult an expert from sites like puroclean.com about renovating your basement, rebuilding your foundation, or modifying your landscaping and gutters to prevent future flooding.
Conclusion
Once the damage has been rectified, you will not want a repeat catastrophe; thus, what went wrong? Hiring a professional to deal with the damage should properly lead you. Does the sump pump require repair because it is broken? It is likely that the issue is more severe and involves foundational issues. The landscaping of your garden may cause water to seep into your basement during heavy rain. To prevent a recurrence, address the problem’s origin.