What To Do If Your Basement Floods

The season of torrential afternoon downpours is here and we've been seeing an increase of homeowners whose basements have unexpectedly flooded (let's be honest, no one really expects their basement to flood). A flooded basement is not only a distressing and disruptive discovery, it also can pose long-term health risks if left untreated and can irrevocably damage your home's foundation as well as your personal belongings. Here's what to do as soon as you find that your basement has flooded or is on its' way to flooding. 

First, play it safe and turn off your power. The last thing you want to have happen is you, your family, or a pet to step in standing water that has an electric current running through it. For extra precaution, if your breaker box is in the basement call your electric or utilities provider and ask them to shut it off immediately. If you can safely access your box upstairs, go ahead and turn it off yourself. 

If possible, figure out where the water or leak is coming from. Your first culprit should be appliances or structures that hold water, like pipes, water heaters, washer units, or other plumbing sources. If this turns out to be the case, do your best to collect the pouring water from the source and call the appropriate handyman to come repair it. Sometimes, the water will be coming from seemingly nowhere or you'll discover the flood after it has been standing for a while. Either way, it's very likely that your basement will require some level of waterproofing at this point and this is something that should be done sooner rather than later.

At this point, you should have moved any valuable or personal belonging or furniture away from the water - ideally to an upper level. Even if the water has not reached a certain part of the basement or has left some things unscathed, you still need to move them! Water moves and pools quickly, especially if the flood is weather related. Be sure to schedule a waterproofing appointment as soon as possible. Our team has been able to accommodate to same-day house calls and we will work with your schedule to get your issues addressed ASAP. If left untreated, a basement with the tendency to flood (even if you clean it up) will develop mold or structural damage due to excessive moisture.