Flooded Basement Repair: How to Protect Your Home
Two little words can strike fear into homeowners’ hearts: flooded basement.
Water is a powerful force that can wreak havoc on your basement and home, whether it’s from a summertime storm, a burst pipe, or another source. The most important things to do are to remain calm, remove the water, and protect your home.
Getting water out of your basement can be exhausting. Although collecting water is a vital step, it’s not the only one.
In this article, we’ll cover common causes of basement flooding, how to dry out your flooded basement, how to prevent future problems, and how basement waterproofing experts can help.
How Do I Handle a Flooded Basement?
Immediately following a flood event, it’s crucial to act fast and begin drying out your flooded basement.
We compiled a post-flood checklist detailing the necessary recovery steps. Here, we’ve highlighted five important tasks:
1. Put Your Safety First
After noticing that your entire basement is flooded, you probably want to get down there as soon as possible and start cleaning before all your things get ruined. However, if the level of water has risen above your electrical outlets in the basement, there is a risk that an electrical current is running through the water. Stepping into that water could seriously hurt you, or even kill you, so it is not something you want to do.
2. Carefully Shut Off the Power
Instead of entering possibly dangerous water, go to the main switch and cut the power off in that part of your home. If you cannot get to the switch without stepping into the water, call basement flooding professionals for help.
3. Remove Flooding Water
When you can finally go down to the basement, you need to start removing the water ASAP. You can use a dry/wet vacuum to suck in the water, as well as a sump pump. Collecting water with a bucket and a mop is also a valid option.
4. Dry Out and Dehumidify the Area
Keep in mind that flooding can boost humidity levels in your basement, so you’ll need to use a dehumidifier to dry out this area. This way, you will be able to prevent post-flooding mold growth that is usually triggered by moisture and increased humidity levels within 24 to 48 hours.
5. Throw Out Moldy and Damaged Items
While your dehumidifier is running, take time to remove your things from the basement and place them somewhere where they can dry up. Be sure to inspect them thoroughly for mold and rot. Determine which things are salvageable and which you need to throw out. If some items have started to smell earthy but are in good shape, get them professionally cleaned.
Want to see the full list and keep it handy?
View and download a printable PDF checklist!
What Causes Basement Flooding?
After getting everything dried out but before investing in flooded basement solutions, it’s important to consider why your basement flooded in the first place.
In some cases, you will be able to easily determine the cause of a flood, while other times it will seem like the water came out of nowhere. Here are potential reasons why your basement flooded.
- Rainfall or Snowmelt: The soil around your home becomes oversaturated during rainy seasons in Central Indiana. When this happens, hydrostatic pressure increases and pushes water into your basement through cracks and porous concrete walls. The same thing can happen when there is a blizzard or when large amounts of snow begin to melt.
- Negative Grade: The next time it rains, check where all that water ends up. If it pools around your home’s perimeter, you will need to regrade your yard. If you leave it like this, collecting water from your basement will be the least of your worries. Your foundation will become seriously damaged, and you may need to invest in expensive repairs.
- Foundation Cracks: If there are cracks in your foundation, water from the soil will easily enter your basement through them and cause a flood. To avoid this problem, you need to inspect your foundation for cracks now and then and call a repair professional as soon as you notice them.
- Leaky Pipes and Appliances: Damaged pipes and leaky water heaters can quickly fill up your basement with water. Also, water can leak through the basement windows.
- Issues with the Sewer System: There are many reasons why sewer pipes can malfunction. If they are old and made of cast iron, they might be corroded and cracked. Things like tree roots can damage them, or they can simply get clogged. This is why you should never flush things such as diapers and wipes, hair, feminine hygiene products, or cooking oils.
How Can I Prevent Future Basement Flooding?
If you have never experienced a flooded basement, you are fortunate. However, this doesn’t mean that the situation won’t change and that one day you won’t find your basement covered in water. You can take several steps to prevent this situation, including:
Maintain Gutters and Downspouts
First things first: make sure water properly drains away from your home. By regularly maintaining exterior water management systems like your gutters and downspouts, you can prevent clogs from forming and causing roof water to spill over and oversaturate the soil around your home. Additionally, properly installed downspout extensions will direct the water from your gutters as far from your home as possible.
Install Waterproofing Solutions
Unlike an exterior drainage system, an interior drain doesn’t require any landscaping excavation and is much more affordable because of it. Also, it features an anti-clog design and is almost invisible once installed. This system will catch the water that seeps in through the walls and direct it to a sump pump.
Installed in the lowest point of the basement, the sump pump basin collects water from the drainage channels. Once the water inside reaches a certain level, it activates the pumping system, which moves the water up, out of, and away from your home through discharge lines. This way, all that water from the soil won’t flood your basement.
Investing in a battery backup is also wise, as it continues to operate even during power outages.
Invest in Other Moisture Management
Intercepting and removing water is crucial, and so is addressing any lingering moisture or vapors. This can be accomplished with a couple of reliable solutions: a wall vapor barrier and a dehumidifier.
A vapor barrier placed on your basement walls does exactly what it sounds like: it prevents moisture intrusion through the walls. However, if water still leaks inside through cracks or porous concrete, it automatically runs behind the liner and down to the interior drainage system.
Dehumidifying your basement is also important. Make sure you have an energy-efficient unit that not only controls moisture and humidity but also cleans the air and minimizes odors.
Repair Cracks and Stabilize the Foundation
When you notice cracks in your walls, contact your local foundation repair specialists at Indiana Foundation Service and have them evaluate your foundation. Sometimes, cracks can be a sign of foundation settlement. Even if they are not, you need to seal them so that water cannot enter your home.
Your foundation and home can also benefit from permanent foundation repair solutions such as carbon fiber reinforcements, wall repair methods like wall anchors or wall braces, and helical piers or push piers to address foundation settlement.
Consider What is Stored in Your Basement
If you have belongings, paperwork, or other precious items you want to protect from water damage, consider storing them in your basement’s highest points. This prevents most flood runoff from reaching them. Consider installing additional shelving units throughout your basement to elevate your utilities and other important appliances.
Want additional basement flooding protection tips?
» Download a printable PDF list here!
Trust the Pros for Lasting Flooded Basement Repair
Walking into a flooded basement can be terrifying and frustrating. Your mind races, and you wonder how you’ll ever recover from the mess. But don’t worry, it can be fixed.
The best way to dry out your home, prevent future basement flooding, and protect your house is with professionally installed basement waterproofing solutions. Our team at Indiana Foundation Service has helped homeowners in Central Indiana repair and protect their homes for more than 30 years. We’re eager to assist you, too! Simply contact us to book your free basement inspection and repair quote.
Basement Flooding FAQs
Absolutely not. While basement flooding is a common occurrence, it shouldn’t be considered standard or acceptable. Numerous pathways exist for water to infiltrate your basement, and a widespread misconception suggests that basement moisture is an inevitable aspect of ownership. This notion is false—any water presence in your basement, whether minor or severe, warrants immediate attention and concern.
Yes, it can lead to structural damage, mold growth, and decreased property value if not addressed promptly.
It depends on your policy. We recommend checking with your insurance provider and considering additional flood insurance.
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