How To Clean Up a Flooded Basement for St. Charles Homeowners?
A flooded basement is a homeowner’s worst nightmare, especially when you see the transformation of a room full of comfort and memory turning into a wet pile of trash. This calls for basement water removal. No matter the reason behind this terrible situation, the aftermath of this situation can be disturbing. There can be various reasons behind this situation, such as heavy rainfall, burst pipes, sewer backups, etc. However, if you have the right approach and make the right decision, damage will be reduced and eliminated, and your home will return to its original form. You can always look for basement flood cleanup near me. In this blog, we will discuss the seriousness of this situation, the safety measures you should take, who you should hire, and the steps you should take for a successful flooded basement cleanup, eventually seeking the need for water damage restoration in St. Charles.
Ensure Safety Before Entering the Flooded Basement
Before taking any further steps for the cleanup of a flooded basement (or in other words, basement water removal), you should prioritise your safety, as your life is more precious than anything else. You can experience various things if you don’t take care of safety measures, such as electric shocks, you can come in direct contact with bacteria and viruses, etc. To avoid such experiences, you can turn off the electricity in the affected area and use dehumidifiers for basement flooding to prevent further water contamination. Mold infestation is also likely due to the water damage. If you are exposed to mold, that’s not health-friendly. You must take mold prevention services after floods. Do not forget to wear suitable protective gear such as rubber boots, gloves, goggles, etc. These gears will protect yourselves from being contaminated from the polluted water, which may contain bacteria and viruses that may lead to many hazardous diseases.
Turn Off the Electricity and Gas
Why is your electricity and gas on? Immediately turn them off! NOW! You have to figure out a way to fix the flood damage! You can’t leave your electricity and gas on. Come on, they are fire hazards at this point. You will make things worse for yourself if it’s left on. It will build even more momentum and can present chances of electrocution and damage to your electronic ports. You don’t want that. You need to work on wet basement solutions – how to dry it without causing any harm to your basement and its surroundings. If the situation worsens, you are in need for emergency water extraction to get all of the water out of the basement to avoid contact with the electrical points.
Wear Protective Gear
Hope you are wearing protective gear (if you are present inside the house, especially in the flooded basement), whilst the flood damage repair services are in action by the water restoration company in St. Charles. Collateral damage (upon yourselves) isn’t something you should forward for, hence take precautions.
Remove Standing Water Efficiently
The first step that will help you in handling a flooded basement is to know the severity of the situation and assess wet basement cleanup solutions. You can check the severity of the situation by analysing the water level. If the water level is modest, then the situation is not that bad. Still, if the water level rises to the level where your valuables are flooded, then it is a situation where you need to take immediate action. Is it the cause of the sump pump failure? This step will help you determine the urgency of your response and will also help you know your next step. Also, it will help you to decide whether a dehumidifier is needed for basement flooding (you can even consult with the water damage restoration company in St Charles).
Use a Wet/Dry Vacuum or Pump
For basement flood cleanup near me, one must use a wet/dry vacuum or a pump. Is your sump pump working well or failing? This should be checked. Sump pump failures are risky. Using a wet vacuum is a solution as part of flood damage repair services.
Dispose of Contaminated Water Safely
Basement flooding invites contaminated water to be classified as black water. This leads to the incubation of deadly and scary bacteria, viruses, and even molds! You don’t want to get contaminated, right? Hence, dispose of contaminated water safely. Mold prevention after a flood is necessary. Here, you should be aware of emergency water extraction!
Which is the best water damage restoration company in St Charles?
When the problem is as huge as a flooded basement, then you need flood damage repair services, which are professional flooded basement water cleanup services in St. Charles. Always look for professionals who are well-certified, follow certain processes, and have a lot of experience and expertise in the same field. Also, don’t forget to ensure that they offer 24/7 emergency water extraction services because you never know when you may need them, and situations like these are very critical to be handled on your own. So, to prevent more damage and, in this situation, the growth of mold, you should call professional flood basement cleanup providers.
What are some steps to take?
There are a few steps that you must follow before the professional flooded basement cleanup service providers arrive to avoid more damage.
- Assess and Stop the Source: It is very important to analyse the source of the issue, which is flooding, so that you can further take action in order to restore. The steps that you can take at the initial stage can include turning off the main supply of water, figuring out if any pipe is damaged, or you can take a step in correcting the drainage concerns so that you can avoid more damage. These are possible ways of wet basement solutions.
- Contact your insurance provider: It is important to inform your insurance carrier of the damage as soon as possible, as this helps you begin the cleaning process quickly. Make sure you have enough photos and videos to secure your insurance claims for water damage.
- Pump Out Water: Another important step is to remove all the unnecessary standing water from the basement, as the water contains many bacteria and viruses, which can be dangerous for human health. Professionals have high-quality equipment that removes the standing water way too fast and also ensures complete water extraction, as well as mold prevention after floods.
- Dry and Dehumidify: When you are done removing the water from the basement, the next step is to dry it out to avoid mold growth. Mold prevention can be done by using a dehumidifier for basement flooding. You can open all the doors and windows if you want to dry the floor naturally, but the natural way is too slow, so you can rather choose other equipment that is quick and effective in eliminating the excess moisture from the surface. But the water restoration experts must do it.
- Salvage and Cleanup: Another step is to analyse the things that can be saved and eliminate the things that are of salvage value from the basement. Cleaning and disinfecting the contaminated surfaces by using a proper bactericide and germicide to reduce the risk of mold, germs, and odours. Cleaning is an important step as it can reduce the risk of structural damage and health damage.
- Repair and Restoration: After analysing the structural damage in the basement, such as damaged walls, floors, electrical systems, etc. To restore the basement to its previous condition, the plasterboard, insulation, and flooring should be replaced, as part of wet basement solutions.
Prevent Future Flooding: It is important to take these steps to protect your basement from future flooding, as these steps play a vital role in protecting your basement from future mishaps like these. To reduce the risk of water incursion and mold growth, consider strengthening drainage systems.
How can your preferred water damage restoration company in St Charles help?
Experiencing a flooded basement is overwhelming, but with the help of water damage restoration experts and the correct choice of gear and heavy-duty equipment can be a game changer. As mentioned in the step-by-step guide, you should always prioritise your safety before everything else, and also, don’t forget to choose a trustworthy and experienced water damage restoration company like Restoration 1 of St. Charles so that your home or commercial premises can be restored to their previous condition. Also, they can assist you in insurance guidance, in the sense that they can help you with making appropriate insurance claims for water damage experienced.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What should I do immediately after my basement floods?
You should contact the nearest and best water damage restoration company in St Charles. They will assess your water damage and provide further procedures to act upon with a quote.
2. How long does it take to dry out a flooded basement?
Depending on the density of the water levels and how serious the water damage is (is the whole house affected or only the basement area), it may take from 1 day to a week!
3. Is it safe to stay in my home during the cleanup process?
Not really, we wouldn’t advise. You can monitor, though, from afar, but not from the source of damage. You might be exposed to waterborne contaminated diseases.
4. Will my homeowner’s insurance cover basement flood damage?
Might be, might not be. Please get it checked by a verified insurance provider (the one you have taken insurance from) and the restoration company that you have thought to work with.
