What is basement flood cleanup?
Basement flood cleanup is the work of getting water out of a basement or other below-grade room and bringing it back to dry. It covers pumping out standing water, removing carpet, drywall and stored items the water ruined, cleaning the space, and drying the concrete, walls and framing with dehumidifiers and air movers.
Below-grade spaces collect water easily and dry slowly. Water runs downhill into them, concrete holds moisture, and there is little air movement, so they need more drying time than an upper-floor room.
Why basements and lower levels flood
The common causes are surface water running toward the house in heavy rain, water seeping through foundation walls or the floor joint, a sump pump that failed or could not keep up, a burst pipe or water heater in the basement, and a sewer backup through a floor drain. Homes on sloped or low lots near creeks are the most exposed in storms.
Basement water removal and drying
- Shut off power to the basement from a dry location if you can do it safely.
- Pump out standing water with submersible pumps.
- Extract floor coverings and remove soaked carpet and pad.
- Cut out wet drywall and insulation above the water line.
- Clean and treat surfaces, especially after outside or sewer water.
- Dry with dehumidifiers, checking readings on concrete and framing.
Crawl spaces and below-grade rooms
Not every home has a full basement. Crawl spaces, sunken rooms and lower-level garages take on water in the same way. In a crawl space, wet insulation under the floor and standing water on the ground hold moisture against the framing, which can lead to mold. The same steps apply: remove the water, take out soaked insulation, and dry the space before anything is replaced.
Basement flooding and insurance
Policies treat basement water differently depending on the cause: outside flooding, a sewer backup and a burst pipe are often handled differently. Check your policy, report the damage, and photograph the water level and every damaged item before cleanup starts.
What to have ready for the call
Have the property address, how deep the water is, where it seems to be coming from, whether the power is off in that area and what is stored or finished in the space.