Basement flooding in Springfield and the surrounding Missouri Ozarks is a common occurrence especially during the springtime months.
If your basement flooded during a recent heavy rainfall or because of a plumbing issue, don’t panic. Experienced flood cleanup crews like ours at Mold and Water Guys can help with your basement restoration and prevent mold growth.
Here’s what to do when you have a flooded basement.
What to do when your basement is flooded
- Find the cause of the flooded basement
As long as your circuit breaker is not in the flooded basement, shut off the power. Never enter a flooded basement if you’re unsure of how deep the water is or if you don’t know if the water is electrified. Any electrical appliances that are in the basement could become potentially fatal if they make contact with the water when you, or a basement cleanup professional, try to remove the water.
Then, try to determine what the source of the flooding is and, if possible, get it stopped. Finding the source could help us be better prepared for our work.
- Talk to your home insurance agent
Contact your home insurance agent so you understand ahead of time what coverage and benefits are available to you. Any flood cleanup crews should help you receive your full benefits.
- Start the flood cleanup
A few inches of standing water can be cleaned up with a wet vac or sump pump. However, major water damage that results in standing water of several inches or more will likely require calling a flood cleanup service like Mold and Water Guys. That’s because you’ll need to dry your flooded basement as fast as possible to minimize damage or mold growth. Use dehumidifiers and fans to keep the air moving. Keep your air conditioning on.
- Check floors and walls for water damage
Nonporous flooring like tile, linoleum, concrete, etc. can be scrubbed with a solution of once cup of chlorine bleach to one gallon of water. Make sure to wear rubber gloves and eye protection as well as keeping the room ventilated. Carpet is salvageable sometimes, but in a lot of cases the carpet and the padding both need replaced.
In most cases, if your drywall, baseboards, or insulation have been under standing water, they have to be removed to prevent mold growth. In rare cases, they can be sanitized.
- Remove wet belongings
While drying the basement out, you can’t leave anything wet behind. Take them to your garage or somewhere else they can safely dry out.
- Clean and sanitize everything
Even after you’ve removed all water-damaged items, there’s still a risk of mold or other bacteria growth.
- Water damage restoration
After you’ve got all standing water cleaned up and all wet items removed, you can begin any water damage restoration work.