Basement Flooding After a Storm

3/11/2023 (Permalink)

Water in the basement is a serious problem. It's not just that your furniture and other belongings will get wet, you could be dealing with mold, structural damage to your home, or even an outbreak of termites. If you find yourself dealing with flooding, here are some steps you can take to mitigate the damage and get back on track:

Contact the Professionals

If your basement is flooded, immediately contact the professionals. If you have a sump pump, call a professional to make sure it's working properly and that there are no clogs or other issues preventing it from draining water away from your home. If not, call someone who can install one for you.

If you're not sure whether or not to call in the professionals and want some advice on how best to handle flooding in general, give SERVPRO of Berlin/Williamstown a call today.

Run a sump pump

If you have a sump pump, turn it on and leave it running continuously until the water recedes. If this is your first time using a sump pump, check with a professional before installing one yourself. A professional can help ensure that your system is properly set up and maintained.

Once the flood waters have receded, inspect all areas of your basement for damage, especially electrical outlets and other devices that may have been submerged in water during high tide or storm surge events.

Clear sewer lines

If you don't have a sump pump, find out where your main sewer line is and clear a channel along its length so that water can flow more freely in that direction. This will help prevent backups caused by debris blocking the pipe.

You can also hire a plumber to check for cracks or other issues with the pipes in your basement floor or walls, which may be causing them to leak.

Foundation Cracks

If you find that the water has risen above the floorboards and into your basement, check for structural damage to your foundation by looking for cracks in the walls and floor. If there is structural damage, contact a professional to assess the situation and recommend a course of action.

Once you've assessed the damage, it's time to contact your insurance agent. They will be able to get an estimate for repairs and help you understand what is covered by your policy. It's important that you know what your insurance covers before calling them, they won't waste time trying to figure out whether or not something is covered and can instead focus on getting things fixed as quickly as possible.

If you are experiencing flooding in your basement, there are a few things that you should do as soon as possible. First and foremost, contact a professional. They will be able to assess the situation and determine whether or not there is structural damage to your home.

Flooding is a serious problem, if your basement floods or if you have any other type of water damage in your home, there are things you can do to clean up quickly and efficiently so that life can go on as normal again soon after the event occurs.