What To Do After Basement Flooding

Contact Southern Belt Construction professional plumbers for basement remodeling Houston after basement flooding. Our courteous and competent crew is available 24 hours a day to assist with emergencies such as a flooded basement. Contact our team (713) 930-0003.

Basement flooding is the worst-case scenario for any homeowner. When you went to sleep, everything appeared to be expected, but when you awoke, you discovered your basement was flooded with unclean water, seeping through your things and causing damage to your home. No, sir! Nobody wants to cope with a flooded basement. However, this unpleasant scenario can be exacerbated when unsure of what to do.

How Should I Proceed if My Basement Floods?

If your home has had basement flooding, the first thing you should do is to secure your family’s safety. The water source may be unknown at this stage, and you do not want your children to enter a sewage-filled basement. Similarly, if your home’s electricity is still on, no one should enter the flooding basement.

Turn Off Your Electricity

Once you’ve verified that your loved ones are safe, it’s critical to switch off the electricity and gas in your home. To begin, locate your circuit breaker. It may be found in your garage, outside near your meter, or in your basement.

If the circuit breaker is not installed in the basement, turn off the electricity. If, on the other hand, your circuit breaker is located in the basement, contact your electricity provider to shut off your power remotely.

Act Immediately

Once the electricity is turned off, it is critical to begin fighting the water immediately—unless the flooding is caused by rain, in which case you must wait until the rain stops. There are, however, a few measures you can take in the interim while our crew is en route. Contact immediately basement remodeling near me.

Protect yourself by wearing boots and gloves

It is critical to wear the proper safety equipment before entering the basement. Whether your basement is flooding with sewage or simply water, you must protect yourself. At the very least, we recommend wearing rubber boots and cleaning gloves. If the water level in your home exceeds two feet, it is safer to contact a professional plumber rather than attempt to deal with the flood on your own.

Determine the Source of the Water

It is possible that a pipe has burst and is flooding your property. If this is the case, immediately shut off the water to your property to prevent flooding. Typically, the main water shutoff valve is placed in the basement or a utility outside your home. Counterclockwise turn the valve to turn off the water supply.

Verify That Your Floor Drain Is Not Clogged

Most homes include a floor drain, mainly located in a flood zone. By inspecting the floor drain for obstructions caused by debris or household items, you can assist the flood water is draining from your property.

Begin Draining the Basement of Water

You might want to wait until a skilled team arrives to remove the water from your flooded basement. However, if you feel safe beginning the process of removing water from your basement on your own, you may utilize the following methods:

Sump pump: A sump pump is designed for beginning pumping water out from your property automatically in the case of a flood or if the water table in your home becomes too high. If your basement has flooded and you have a sump pump, the sump pump is most likely to have failed.

Vacuum cleaner, wet/dry: A wet/dry vacuum cleaner or shop vacuum can be used to remove a small amount of flooding water from your property. If your home has more than a few inches of water due to basement flooding, the shop vacuum will be inefficient due to its small size.

Utility pumps: Portable pumps can be utilized if your sump pump fails.

Mop and bucket: If there is only a tiny amount of water in your flooded basement, you can clean it up using a mop and bucket.

Professional assistance: If you’re experiencing severe basement flooding, it’s recommended to contact the professionals at Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Calgary. We have the necessary equipment and expertise to remove water and clean up the basement quickly.

Remove Difficult-to-Reach Items

The best rule of thumb is to allow 48 hours for goods damaged by flooding in a basement to dry. Relocate objects such as furniture and storage containers to a dry, ventilated place to allow them to dry correctly. If your goods are not dry after 48 hours, they will undoubtedly have to be discarded. Additionally, avoid storing moist cardboard boxes, which are particularly prone to bacteria.

Avoid contact with electrical items such as televisions, stereos, and lamps.

After Flooding Rip Up and Remove Carpeting Immediately From Basement

Wet carpeting provides an ideal environment for bacteria and discoloration to thrive. If your wet carpets are not removed soon, they will impede the floor beneath them from drying out. While it is possible to rescue your carpets and replace them once they have dried, it is more probable that you will require new flooring.

Allow Up to a Week For Your Basement to Dry After Flooding

Depending on the degree of your home’s basement flooding, it may take up to a week for your basement to dry out. Calgary’s climate is often dry, which aids in the rapid drying of your damp basement. However, because Calgary winters are so harsh, it may take a little longer for your basement to dry up, depending on the time of year. Several methods for expediting the drying process include the following:

Windows that are opened: Fresh air—especially in the summer—can do wonders for your basement’s drying process.
Circulating air with fans in your basement will assist wet areas in drying more quickly.
While Calgary has a relatively dry environment, if your basement does not have adequate ventilation, you may want a dehumidifier to help it dry.

Remove Any Grime That Has Been Left Behind

Even if the water that flooded your basement were not sewage water, you would need to thoroughly clean the flooring, walls, and anything else that came into contact with the floodwater. It helps avoid further damage and bacterial growth, as well as keeping your basement clean and safe for your family. The best approach to clean a flooded basement is to use soap and warm water. You do not need to do anything specific to clean flood-damaged regions. Rather than that, soap and warm water will be enough to clean up most damaged areas.

Bleach-scrubbing any discoloration. If you notice any bacterial growth or discoloration, use bleach to clean the area. To be safe, you may want to disinfect thoroughly any areas cleaned with soap and water with a weak bleach solution—1/2 cup bleach per gallon of water.

Remove Drywall and Insulation That Wet or Damaged

Damaged drywall and insulation are irreversible. Unfortunately, flooded basement water will contaminate dirt and bacteria that can cause fungal or bacterial growth in the drywall and insulation. Additionally, if damaged, these materials become less structurally sound, weakening the walls of your home.

What Cause My Basement Flooding?

While no Calgarian will forget the devastation of the 2013 Alberta Floods, there are numerous more causes for your basement to flood other than the Bow and Elbow rivers overflowing due to severe rainfall. So, You should also know what to do after basement flooding.

Several of these reasons include the following:

A Sewer Line That May Block or Broken

If your sewer line becomes clogged—which is frequently the result of tree roots growing in your sewer lateral—wastewater will be unable to flow correctly away from your property.

Break in the Water Supply Line

If your water supply line bursts, water intended for the plumbing system may overflow, resulting in basement flooding.

Failure of the hot water tank

In most cases, the hot water tank can position in the basement. If your water heater fails, water will leak into your basement.

The Sewer is Overflowing

Occasionally, a sewage backlog didn’t cause by a clog caused by tree roots but rather by the sewer being too full and unable to dispose of residential waste properly. When this occurs, wastewater will force back into your home because it cannot go through the proper pathways.

Your Sump Pump Has Stopped Working

A sump pump will require your basement to build below the water table. Its purpose is to pump water away from your home that has leaked from the water table. If your sump pump malfunctions, water will not evacuate from your basement but will instead flood it.

How to Prevent Future Floods

While unforeseen tragedies and accidents sometimes occur, there are several steps you can take to avoid your basement flooding again:

Inspect your sewer pipes regularly for obstructions and root damage.

Our trained plumbers provide thorough, non-invasive drain cleaning services that can help maintain your home’s plumbing system operating at peak efficiency.

Inspect the basement walls for cracks, weak points, improperly fitted windows (which could allow water to flow in), and signs of water damage. It will assist you in troubleshooting potential issue locations.
Seal any exterior openings on the basement exterior, including window wells and vents. Proper sealing and waterproofing will assist in preventing floods in your basement.
Grading your landscape away from your home is a good idea. Because water flows downward, moisture may make it less likely to pool at the foundation if the terrain around your home may incline away from it.
Extend your downspouts to a distance of five feet from your house. It will keep water from accumulating at your home’s base.
Gutter cleaning should occur at least once a year. Runoff from clogged gutters can erode your home’s structural foundation.
Inspect your sump pump regularly. Once a year, test your sump pump to ensure it functions properly in the case of a flood.