Dealing With A Flooded Basement: Minimizing Damage While You Wait For Help To Arrive

Discovering that your basement has become flooded due to a broken pipe or an overflowed sump pump can quickly send you into panic mode. However, your ability to remain calm and act quickly after making this discovery will ultimately impact the severity of the resulting flood damage. While your first call should always be to a professional water damage repair contractor, there are steps that you can take to help minimize the damage while you wait for this contractor to arrive.

Step 1: Stop The Flow Of Water If Possible

If water is still pouring into your home from a broken pipe or other damaged system, it is important to stop the flow of water as quickly as possible. The most effective way to do this is to turn off the water supply to your entire home. This will ensure that no secondary leaks continue to contribute to the problem while you wait for help to arrive.

If you are unfamiliar with the location of your home's main water valve, begin by looking on the exterior of your home near where the main water supply pipe enters your home. If the shutoff valve is not in this location, it should be located next your water meter near the road.

Once you successfully locate your main shutoff valve, simply turn the knob clockwise until it is completely closed.

Step 2: Remove As Much Standing Water As You Can

While you may simply assume that the water has already done as much damage as it can, the truth is, the longer standing water is allowed to remain in your home, the more damage this moisture will do. In order to successfully minimize the damage to your home, you will need to remove as much of the standing water as possible.

The fastest way to remove standing water from your home is through the use of a wet/dry vac. In most cases, these appliances will allow you to remove several gallons of water per minute. Just be sure to dump this water several feet away from your home so that it does not cause a sudden spike in ground water levels surrounding your foundation.

Step 3: Start Removing The Moisture From The Air

Evaporation will play a critical role in the ability to completely dry out the surfaces in your home. The problem is, with so much moisture already in the air, it will be virtually impossible for evaporation to occur. This is why you must take steps to lower the humidity level in your home if you wish to quickly begin the drying process. The best way to do this is through the use of fans and dehumidifiers.

If your basement offers heating and air conditioning vents, choosing to turn on your central HVAC system can also aid in the dehumidifying process and give the drying process a jump start. For more information, go to websites like this.

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