How To Clean a Flooded Basement? Flooded Basement Restoration

Basement flooding is a common building issue faced during the spring season when the snow melts or spring storms begin. It is also expected during dry weather due to unexpected sewer blockages.

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Irrespective of the causes, a flooded basement must be cleaned, repaired, and restored as soon as possible to prevent deterioration of the following structures. The main steps involved in a flooded basement restoration are:

• Flooded basement cleaning
• Flooded basement repair
• Prevent future basement flooding

Checks and Things to Do Before Start Cleaning

• Immediately after the flood, make sure you are safe to enter the home.
• Check for any structural damage like holes, warping, cracks etc.
• Shut off the electric supply at your building and be alert about the electric wires under the water level.
• If, a basement flood is due to the bursting of a water pipe, turn off the main supply.
• The flooded water may be contaminated. Wear protective coating before working with this.
• If you can reimburse insurance money for the damage caused, clarify it with the insurance company. Take photos of damages and document the items and belongings that require restoration. These documents help to claim insurance. Flood-affected goods can either be recovered or discarded. The US Environmental Protection Agency warns that any flood-damaged items that are organic or porous should be thoroughly dried within 48 hours. If not, mold spores will latch on—requiring these goods to be thrown out.

Steps to Start Cleaning the Basement Flood

1. Pump Out the Flood Water

When the basement is flooded, inside as well as surrounding as shown in figure-2, do not hurry to pump out. The water in the ground outside push hard against the outside of the basement wall. The water inside the basement pushes right back.

Flooded Basement

The quick drain will create walls and floors to crack or collapse, which causes serious damage.

The collapse of Basement Due to Sudden Pumping

To avoid this:

After checking the power supply is off, wait till the water is no longer on the top of the ground. Once this is made sure, the first step is to pump out the water from the basement. A sump pump can be used to drain the flood water. A wet-dry vacuum method can be used to suction excess water.
Never use a gasoline-powered pump or generators as they create deadly carbon monoxide exhaust fumes.

2. Ventilate and Dry the Basement

As soon as the pumping is done, the area must be dried and ventilated for 48 hours to prevent issues of mold growth. Drying can be accelerated by using a dehumidifier, opening the windows, and aerating the space using powerful fans, and air movers.

3. Cleaning the Flooded Basement

Once the area is dried, clean and disinfects the basement contents and structure like walls, foundation floor, drywalls, etc. If a lot of molds have been developed, it is recommended to discard the drywall and wood items. Never use bleach to clean, use detergents.

The flooded basement cleanup costs between $500 to over $10,000. This is merely dependent on what type of flood water is in the basement ( clean water, gray water, or black water), the depth of flooded water, the equipment used to pump water, and the drying equipment.
In some situations, pumping and cleaning can be done ourselves, which will give a cost reduction.


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