Basement flooding is very common when it rains heavily. It becomes very difficult for homeowners to keep water from flowing in and unfortunately, they suffer from huge water accumulation in their basement.
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With hurricane and storm season approaching Louisiana, you may also be affected by the same situation. Basement flooding only affects your ground level or the things stored in this area. It also damages the foundation of your house. In addition, it weakens your house walls and provides a fertile place for the growth of mold and other harmful bacteria.
These are just a few things that can happen, your home may experience even more. So, instead of waiting for disaster to strike and then trying to figure out what to do, learn what to do beforehand to lessen the damage if and when it happens.
This blog post will help you with the correct steps to take when your basement floods.
1) First, you should contact an emergency water damage restoration service company. Meanwhile, when professionals are on the way, you should work on the following to prevent further damage.
2) Take precautions before moving into flooded areas
Water flooding is very dangerous so before you step in your basement, take a few preventive measures to ensure safety.
- You should cut off all power because electricity and water do not go well together. If the power is live in the flooded area, you or someone else may get electrocuted.
- The floodwater can contaminated your groundwater and present a serious health risk. Before moving into the affected area, you should have protective gear on if you’re going to stand on the water for awhile.
3) Remove the items, especially from dry areas
The basement is more like storage space for a home, which means there are usually lots of items that need to be moved immediately. You should start removing the items that would affect the water damage restoration process. Remove all cardboard and cardboard boxes, if present, as they break down easily. Next, you should remove wet valuable items and move them to a dry place or where water cannot reach them.
4) Try extracting the water using home equipment
After you have removed all the items from your basement, you should try extracting water using a sump pump or wet vac. Though these machines are not very powerful, you only have to contain the situation until the arrival of the professional emergency water damage restoration service company. Take your time and do what you comfortably can do.
5) Start airing out your basement
Drying a flooded basement is not an easy task. You need large fans and dehumidifiers to do it properly. Yet in the meantime, strategically place fans everywhere to reduce the water level and protect the wet areas. Know that mold starts developing within 48 hours of exposure and this step can help delay that the time successfully.
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These are just a few of the preventive steps to combat further damage to your basement. Remember, you only have to control the situation until the emergency water damage restoration experts are at your door to handle everything for you.
If you’d like to know more about how we can help you, call us for a FREE Consultation at (504)326-6999.