My Basement Has Flooded! Now What Do I Do?!
Water can cause more damage and have longer lasting consequences than most people realize. With the melted snow and all the rain we’ve been getting in the area, we’ve received many calls about water in the basement over the past several weeks. If you’re facing this serious problem, there are some steps that can be taken to keep you safe and lessen the amount of damage that water can cause.
Flooded Basement Infographic
If you have already experienced a basement flood, download this handy guide to help you get through the process of cleanup and repair!
At the first sign of water in your basement, safety is the first priority:
- Do not operate any electrical appliances while standing on wet floors, especially wet concrete. Serious injury may result.
- Call the electric company if you suspect any electrical areas have been affected.
- Keep children and pets out of the affected area.
- If ceilings above are wet and sagging from retained water, be careful not to get under a potential collapse hazard. Move to a safe area.
- Treat all water as contaminated water until the situation can be inspected by someone certified in water damage, such as a Water Restoration Technician (WRT).
- Do not attempt to clean and disinfect affected areas yourself. Store bought cleaners are unlikely to properly disinfect.
- Do not track water into clean, uncontaminated areas of the home.
Next, take action immediately. The quicker the water damage can be attended to, the better the results and the greater the savings.
- Call for emergency services as soon as possible. Hopefully, you have an emergency plan of action in place that includes the name of a water restoration contractor you can trust and who provides 24/7 emergency services.
- Call the claims department if the water damage is to be covered by insurance*.
- Relocate computers and other electronics to a dry environment.
- If damaged by water, place important books and documents in the freezer to prevent mold growth.
- Ventilate wet areas: in summer, turn on the air conditioning; in winter, alternate cycles of opening windows and heating.
- Have patience with the drying process and the time involved – 1 – 3 days may seem like a long time to endure, but proper drying can minimize inconvenience and unnecessary additional costs.
Why is all this important?
- If untreated, water can pose a serious health threat.
- If untreated, water can cause extensive and costly damage to furnishings, electronics, important documents and the building structure itself.
- Improper or untimely drying can result in mold, which can be unhealthy and costly to remediate.
Save time, money and frustration! Begin the mitigation process—the process that includes the extraction, dehumidification and drying that is critical—as soon as possible. Call the Milwaukee flooded basement experts at the first sign of damage!
* Before you or your customer contacts the claims department, call us for a complimentary inspection. We can determine if the repair cost will be near your customer’s deductible amount. Then, you and your insured can determine the right action to take.