What to Do If Your Basement Has Flooded

8/9/2017 (Permalink)

If a water spill or full-fledged flood in your basement has you panicked, you’re not alone. Despite the fact that nearly all basements are prone to flooding, many homeowners are caught off-guard when it actually happens.

Here’s what to do when disaster strikes:

1) Shut Off Power

When heading into any flooded area, the first step should be to shut off all power to the room, including electricity and gas. Ideally you’ll want to do this before even entering the room, but this isn’t always possible; in many homes, the breaker panel is located in the basement. In these cases, proceed only if there is little/no standing water remaining.

Note: if you have to stand in water at any point to access your breaker panel, DO NOT – instead, call an electrician for assistance.

2) Determine the Source of the Flooding

Your next steps will depend somewhat on where the excess water is coming from. If there has been a large-scale flood in your area, this should be pretty obvious, but a water spill can also be the result of burst pipes, radiator leaks, backed-up drains, etc. If the water appears to be coming from somewhere within your home, try to shut off the source – and call a plumber for assistance if needed.

3) Move Affected Items Out

Any personal possessions you want to save should be allowed to dry out in a warm and well-ventilated place – outdoors might be the best option, provided it’s relatively sunny out. Give your stuff a good 48 hours to thoroughly dry, but recognize that not everything can necessarily be recovered. A damp basement is very inviting to fungal growth, so don’t delay or you risk having to toss out moldy and mildewy items.

4) Call a Flood Damage Repair Specialist

Even if you’re able to clean up all of the standing water (and sometimes there’s just too much), indoor flooding poses some real long-term dangers. Excess water in your walls or under the carpet creates the perfect conditions for wild mold growth, which – combined with bacteria-rich flood waters – poses a serious health risk for you and your family. The safest course of action is to call in a water damage specialist to dry out the basement, replace rotted or compromised wall sections, and disinfect the area.

SERVPRO of Fontana is proud to be the leader in Southern California flood damage repair. We’re available 24/7 and can work with your home insurance provider – call us today at (909) 357-4337.