Basement water damage is an all too common problem. Whether your problem is a small leak or a completely flooded basement, you will need to repair the damage. Quick action is one of the best ways from preventing a small or medium sized problem from turning into a much larger one. From the time you find the problem there are a number of steps you can take to help minimize the damage and begin your basement water damage repair.
Step-By-Step Instructions
| Things You’ll Need: |
|---|
|
Step 1: Safety First
First you need to assess the safety of the situation. If the water damage is from clean water, like a faucet that was left running, then there is not much concern for illness if you find the problem early. Gray water, like that from a dishwasher or laundry machine has slightly more potential to be harmful, and black water, such as sewage, can be highly toxic. If you have a black water problem, leave it to professionals. In addition, if there is standing water in your flooded basement, you should turn the power to that area of the house off to prevent any risk of electric shock. Be sure you are not standing in the water when you turn the power off.
Step 2: Are You Covered?
Call your insurance company to inform them of the problem and find out if you are covered for the type of basement water damage repair you will be needing. Your insurance company can also recommend a few companies that you might want to work with to fix the damage.
Step 3: Locate The Source
Try to assess the source of the damage. If there is a leaking pipe or appliance, turn off the water to that area to stop the leaking. If it is a matter of surface water or ground water leaking into the basement, you may have to take more steps to prevent leaking in the future after the damage is repaired.
Step 4: Start Cleaning and Drying
If you have turned off the power and determined that the water is not hazardous, you can do some of the clean up on your own. A shop vac can suck up small amounts of water and prevent further basement water damage. Fans and dehumidifiers can also aid in drying an area as quickly as possible.
Step 5: Remove Wet Items From Basement
If you have any furniture or other items in the basement that may be damaged by water, move them to a drier location in the house, towel them off, and place them in front of a large fan to encourage them to dry quickly.
Step 6: Notify A Professional
While you can do some of the work on your own, it is a good idea to call in professionals, especially if you have a significantly flooded basement. There are some projects that are just too big for a shop vac and a fan. Be sure to do your research on any company before you work with them and get a written estimate of how much the work will cost.
Step 7: Act Within 48 Hours
One of the biggest problems that comes along with basement water damage is mold. If the area is not drained and dried within 48 hours, mold can start to grow, resulting in higher repair costs, so it is important not to wait. If any family members are particularly sensitive to mold due to an allergy or asthma, it might be best for them to stay in another location until the problem is fully resolved.
Coming home to a flooded basement can be very stressful. Be sure to make an action plan and start on your basement water damage repair quickly. The faster you work to correct the problem, the less chance rot and mold have to set in and raise your repair costs.
Hello, i am John and have over ten years experience in water damage clean up, water damage restoration and water damage mold. During my career i noticed that a lot of homeowners are uninformed about water damage and it's consequences. This site provides you with how-to guides and lots of information on water damage and everything what's involved.