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It might be a combinatiion of a hard rain and the slope of your yard that caused your basement to flood–or it might be a natural disaster such as a hurricane or flood that caused the bottom floor of your home to resemble a dirty swimming pool.

Whatever it was, you’ve got a mess.

Not only is there water, there’s most likely debris–mud, silt, leaves, even sewage or other types of waste.

What to do first–if your basement floods:

The first step is to stop the flow. Sometimes this includes turning off the water valve to your house. Other times, during a natural disaster, it may include waiting on the waters to recede and county or government officials taking action before you can.

Remove the mud and debris while it is still moist. This is best achieved by a sump pump, and you may want to also use a wet-dry vac.

Wipe down the walls to remove as much water/depress as possible before it dries.

How do portable pumps/sump pumps work?

Portable pumps come in various sizes and motor power and can be fitted with a garden hose or a larger type drain hose. You’ll want to get the largest one you can if you have a big clean up job–and make sure the hose is long enough to pump the water completely away from your house and preferably, down a hill so the water won’t reenter the house.

The goal is to pump the majority of the water and debris out of your basement. Once that’s done, you should only be left with a few puddles and less than a 1/2 of water–if your pump has done its job.

Don’t think that just because the standing water is gone that you’re in the clear–you have a serious moisture problem to monitor. Mold and mildew can grow quickly–within 48 hours–so now is the time for dehumidifiers.

Dehumidifiers can be purchased at most hardware/home improvement type stores, and just as with portable pumps, price range and motor capability are perhaps your two most factors to consider.

You’ll need to leave on your dehumidifier 24/7 for several days, but you will need to check on them every few hours. Most dehumidifiers have a switch that will shut off when the catch bucket is full. Some allow you to attach a garden hose and simply drain it continuously, but be careful of electrical issues.

This entire process is going to take anywhere from 3-7 days, and the damage may be so extensive that you might want to consider professional water restoration companies. Why? Moisture damage can ruin the integrity of your home, put your health at risk, be expensive to repair if not done properly–as well as be time and labor consuming. Flooding may also be covered on your homeowner’s policy, so check to see what you are entitled to.

Professionals will use a disinfecting solution. They will also use equipment to measure the mildew levels and monitor it throughout the drying process and have the proper equipment to test your home and assure you that your hoe is once again safe and dry.

Helpful Sites:
www.wateroutnow.com
www.fema.gov/pdf/rebuild/recover/fema_mold_brochure_english.pdf
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