Flooded Basement: The Necessity Of A Few Facts

When your basement is filled with water, the first thing that you should do is find the source of the water. A flooded basement is usually caused by sewer backflows, a water pipe that burst or a leak from the cracks on the basement wall. Whatever the cause is, it should be fixed permanently before you do any kind of restoration activities.

Once the source has been permanently fixed make sure that the the main switch for the electric power and gas supply of the house is properly turned off to avoid any accidents. It is always wise to assume that a flooded basement is energized with electricity. And it is never safe to wade into the water without any form of protective apparel to prevent infection. When it is safe to venture into the flooded basement, the first thing you must do is remove the water by using a wet vacuum pump that is attached to a generator which should be outside the house to avoid any fumes.

Water extraction may take a few days especially if the flooded basement has several feet of water that exceeds four feet. The volume of water that must be removed daily should correspond to two to three feet. Pumping water out excessively within a short period of time may have negative effects on the house structure due to the pressure coming from the outside environment. If water is pumped out in haste it could produce cracks on the walls and floor of the basement. So to be on the safe side, you should extract water at a regulated pace and volume.

After the water has been thoroughly removed from the flooded basement, ready shovels and a wheel barrow to remove any mud or silt that has been left by the flood water. It is recommended that the mud and silt removal be done from the inner portions of the basement first to make the task more more efficient and a little bit easier. When the all the mud has been removed, wash all affected surfaces with clean running water from a hose garden with an attached sprayer. With a strong spray of water, direct the water away from you towards the drain. Do this until every surface which was contaminated by the flood water and mud have been preliminary rinsed off.

Before proceeding with the cleaning of the flooded basement, every movable item such as furniture and fixture must be remove and taken outside the house to be able to clean effectively without many obstacles around the place. Next comes the cleaning of the flooded basement. Mix liquid or powder detergent cleaning soap with warm water and brush all the necessary surfaces to remove the dirt and stains caused by the water. Then rinse every surface with clean running water from the garden hose which you use earlier.

After all the surfaces have been rinsed off, pre-dry the walls and other elevated surfaces with clean cloth rags. Remove water from the floor by using a mop. Afterwhich, disinfect the whole area with a disinfectant solution that could be sold commercially or you could mix one-fourth cup of chlorine bleach with one gallon of water. Spray the disinfecting solution on all affected surfaces to eliminate remaining harmful microorganisms.

Let the disinfectant stand still for ten to fifteen minutes then rinse it off with clean cloth rags and water. Allow the basement to dry by opening all possible air passage ways. Install fans and a dehumidifier to expedite the drying process. Do not attempt to re-occupy a previously flooded basement if it is not sufficiently and thoroughly dried to prevent mold growth and illness due to wet/damp surroundings.

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