Water, water everywhere.
If this is what your basement looks like, your first instinct may be to panic – understandably so. But knowledge is power, so following are some tips for dealing with a flooded basement to keep the panic at bay. You can have a bottle of wine later to deal with the stress…
Shut Off Water Supply: This helps to prevent further damage if the cause of the flood was from inside the home (eg, a busted pipe).
Call in the Experts: Once you shut off the water, call a water damage company. A quick search of the internet should give you a few options from which to choose. What they find can help you with any insurance claims you may decide to file later because they can provide a full, professional assessment of the damage.
FYI, if the flooding was caused by the weather, be prepared to wait anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to have someone come out.
Do It Yourself Option: If you’re a do it yourselfer and don’t want to wait, the equipment you need is one of the following: a portable sump pump; a wet vacuum; or a or wet shop vacuum. You can buy or rent any of these at a well-stocked home improvement store. Once you’ve obtained the proper water removal equipment, start pumping. Start with the areas that will sustain the greatest damage by having sitting water.
Call Your Insurance Company: They’ll send someone out to assess the damage and get you on the way to getting repairs done.
Homeowner Water Removal Tip: Make sure any water removal company you deal with is licensed and insured. Otherwise, you may have a problem with any insurance claim you file. If the damage is severe, you may also want to consider contacting a basement remodeling contractor to get your basement looking as good as new.
