You’re sleeping soundly when the sound of thunder wakes you up. A lightning storm has knocked out your home’s power. That’s when you realize that your sump pump has stopped working, and the basement is flooding! In Kansas City, MO, this scenario has happened to many families. Knowing what to do if your basement floods can prevent major problems.
Why Basements Flood
The best course of action is to prevent flooding in the first place. What causes basements to flood? These are some of the most common reasons for water damage in Kansas City, MO:
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- Sump pump problems: Your sump pump is designed to prevent groundwater from coming into the basement. Older pumps can break down, or power outages can leave you in the lurch at the worst moment.
- Storm drain overflow: Debris in your neighborhood’s storm drains can cause clogs in the system. Heavy rains or storm waters can overflow and flood nearby homes.
- Cracked or leaking pipes: Older pipes can spring a leak, causing significant flooding in basement floors, walls, and ceilings. The same thing can happen with mistakes during “simple” DIY plumbing fixes.
- Clogged sewer lines: A home’s sewer line can have a blockage that causes drains and toilets to overflow. This contaminated water can back up from basement floor drains and cause water damage.
- Flash flooding: Homes located close to the Missouri River or Blue River also have to keep an eye on floodwaters from severe storms.
- Damaged appliances: While not as common, sometimes water damage in the basement comes from a damaged water heater or washing machine.
You may be able to avoid some of these issues before flooding occurs. For example, it’s a smart idea to purchase a sump pump with a battery backup so that you’re covered if the power goes out. Many families in Kansas City, MO, also keep a spare sump pump around.
What To Do When Basement Floods
Unfortunately, you can’t always predict when flooding will happen. The next best thing is to minimize water damage and recover from the disaster as quickly as possible. Are you wondering what to do if your basement floods?
1. Turn Off the Electricity or Call an Electrician
Your family’s safety should be the first thing you take care of. That means avoiding electrical hazards. Water and electricity are a lethal combination, so a flooded basement is very dangerous when the power is still on. If you can safely get to the circuit breaker, shut off the electricity right away.
Never walk in water to shut off a circuit breaker. Don’t touch any electrical sockets or power cords if they’re wet. Instead, call an electrician (or the power company) on your cellphone and wait for them to shut off the electricity.
2. Move Important Possessions Somewhere Dry
Now that the electricity is off, you can move important possessions out of the basement. First, focus on electronic devices, documents, artwork, family heirlooms, photographs, clothing, and other precious items. After that, have your family members help you with furniture. We can clean, disinfect, and deodorize furniture after basement flooding.
Be careful if floodwaters are contaminated with sewage. This type of water contains harmful bacteria that you don’t want to breathe or get on your skin. Leave content recovery to the water damage restoration professionals in that case.
3. Contact a Plumber
This step applies in basement flooding situations related to pipe leaks, broken pipes, or clogged drains. You want to get a plumber to your house right away to stop the source of flooding. That way, the water damage isn’t as severe. A plumber can also offer recommendations for preventing the issue in the future, such as scheduling sewer line cleaning every few years.
4. Get in Touch With Your Insurance Company
If your insurance policy covers flooding or water damage, contact your insurance company to get started on the claims process. Take pictures of the damage (but only from a safe area). Take pictures of water-damaged possessions as well, including furniture and electronics. We can often restore collectibles, important documents, rare books, and fine art with content recovery, and your insurance may pay for it.
5. Call Water Damage Restoration Pros
One of the most important steps when your basement floods is contacting our team for water damage restoration. We can help with basement flooding repair, prevent water damage from getting worse, eliminate mold, and disinfect the area, so your home smells clean again.
For the best results, don’t wait before calling. We’re available 24/7, 365 days a year. It doesn’t matter if your basement is flooding at 3 a.m. or 10 p.m. Our team will show up at your home whenever you need us.
What Cleaning Up Water Damage Involves
It’s smart to choose storm damage restoration experts. What to do if your basement floods is more complicated than most people think. In addition to eliminating the source of the flooding, you also have to fix the underlying damage. Here’s how professional water damage restoration services work:
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- Extracting water: Using high-performance water removal equipment, we extract all the standing water in the basement.
- Cleaning and disinfecting: The specific cleaning process depends on the type of flooding present. In the case of contaminated water, our team can remove and dispose of damaged items such as carpeting. We thoroughly clean and sanitize surfaces with hot-water extraction equipment that kills germs.
- Getting rid of excess moisture: Next, we dry basement surfaces with industrial high-speed dryers. This leaves floors, walls, and other affected areas dry.
- Dehumidifying the area: Using industrial-grade dehumidifiers, we can prevent moisture damage from getting worse. This reduces the chances of mold appearing, especially when you contact us right away.
- Eliminating mold: If a basement already has mold, it’s vital to act urgently to keep the problem from getting out of hand. Expert mold remediation eliminates mold from floors, walls, ceilings, and other areas. We treat surfaces to keep mold from returning.
- Repairing/replacing damaged materials: Especially where mold is concerned, basement flooding repair may mean tearing out affected sheetrock, wood, carpet backing, and carpeting. Our experts let you know which items are salvageable and which you should replace.
Why Water Damage Restoration Matters
Having a pro take care of basement flooding right away provides many benefits. It prevents mold, improves your indoor air quality, and avoids allergy problems. It protects your home’s structure and your family’s health. With our expert assistance and hard work, a house can look amazing and smell fresh again.
Who To Call When Basement Floods in Kansas City, MO
Basement flooding can cause significant damage if you don’t take immediate action. Fortunately, when you know what to do if your basement floods, this problem doesn’t have to be the end of the world. At Steamatic Kansas City, we can help your life get back to normal.
Our team is professional. We’re fully certified and insured for mold remediation, disaster recovery, water damage restoration, and countless other types of emergency cleaning. Above all, we care, providing the best solutions for your family. Contact us 24/7 for help with basement flooding in Kansas City, MO.
Featured Image: Robert Kneschke/Shutterstock
