WATER FLOODING IN BASEMENT

WATER FLOODING IN BASEMENT – WHAT ARE THE FIRST STEPS?

The first thing to do after you experience water damage in your home or business is to check with your insurance company. See if the water removal and cleanup will be covered. If insurance doesn’t cover the damage, many homeowners and businesses will be in a stressful bind to resolve the situation themselves.

We strongly recommend that you call for professional help as soon as possible because water damage can quickly lead to other issues. STOP Restoration of Edison has a team to finish the job the right way, the first time.

Here are helpful do-it-yourself steps for how to get water out of your basement:

  1. TAKE SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

NO LIVE POWER

If you have standing water in your basement, make sure there is no live power that can shock you as you step into the water. As you know, electricity and water don’t mix.

CONTAMINATED WATER

Be aware that outside groundwater is considered contaminated water. Murky groundwater is not safe to be standing in or around without protective gear.

PROTECTION EQUIPMENT

Because the water is contaminated, personal protection equipment should be used. This includes gloves, boots, protective eyewear, extra clothes to cover all skin, and a mask (if necessary).

  1. REMOVE ITEMS

While in your protective gear, remove all cardboard that has been affected. Cardboard breaks down very easily when wet and traps tons of water.

Eliminate all cardboard material from the basement. Then remove as many wet valuables and items as you can, and move them to a dry place (outside, driveway, garage, anywhere you can think of).

  1. EXTRACT THE WATER

Once the site is safe, extract the water with a sump pump or wet vac. You could settle for a carpet cleaning machine. Unfortunately, these personal machines don’t have enough power to dry structures like we do, but this will get you by, depending on how much water you are dealing with. There might be too much water for you to handle alone. Please call your local water disaster restoration company for help.

  1. REMOVE MORE MATERIAL

If the water came in from outside, it is contaminated water, so all materials will need to be removed like drywall, trim, carpet, and padding. Yes, everything the water affected NEEDS to be disposed of. The outside water poses too many problems to take a risk.

  1. GET YOUR BASEMENT DRY

Set up air movers (fans strategically placed) and a dehumidifier after all the water has been extracted. It is very important that you get the whole structure of your basement dry because mold can begin to grow between 24 - 48 hrs. You don’t want to mess around with growing mold.