Steps to Clearing a Flooded Basement

If you have a basement, you know that it is probably prone to being damp. It’s also possible for it to flood, particularly during a large storm or if a pipe breaks. Thanks to the fact the basement is below ground, it is more likely to suffer from flooding than any other part of the house. What should you do if you find your basement flooded? The first step is to remove the water. Be careful to avoid anything that could hurt you, as water and electricity do not mix well.

Once the power has been handled and the water removed, the real work begins. Read on to find out more.

Steps

Step One: Get Rid of Mud

Any dirt and mud that is in the basement should be removed while it’s still wet. As soon as it hardens and dries out, you’ll find it much more difficult to get rid of. Start by shovelling the mess into buckets that can be hauled outside. If you end up with a lot of dirt in the basement, you may need to check the stability of the walls. A wet/dry vacuum will help you remove the last dredges of mud fairly rapidly and it can also handle the last bits of water that form puddles in the basement.

Step Two: Remove Everything

All belongings will need to be pulled out of the basement. If possible, set aside an area for them in the garage or outside on the driveway. Place obviously damaged items to one side and possibly salvageable items in another place.

It’s necessary to throw away anything that has been soaked in sewage, but even with regular rainwater, you should get rid of:

Any flooring soaked through with water, especially carpet
Any food, including canned items, that were in water
Insulation materials
Plasterboard that has been soaked
Any particle board furniture
Any soft furniture
Any fabric items that were soaked
Any paper goods that were soaked

It may be helpful to hire a skip at this point to get rid of all the damaged items.

You may salvage things that were not soaked through by the water, but if raw sewage was involved, you’ll probably need to eliminate anything that soaked it up even a little.

Step Three: Disinfect Everything

Whether the floodwater was contaminated or not, it’s important to use bleach and disinfect all surfaces in the basement. You don’t want any mould growing there, since it is already a dark, damp area that could easily become a health hazard.

Black Country Skip Hire

Be sure to look into solutions to the flooding so you can ensure it doesn’t happen again. It can be devastating to lose so many belongings and to sort through the chaos left in the wake of a flood. Need a skip hire to help with ridding your home of damaged goods? Contact Black Country Skip Hire for a quote.

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Steps to Clearing a Flooded Basement

Steps

Step One: Get Rid of Mud

Step Two: Remove Everything

Step Three: Disinfect Everything

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