Removing Water From A Flooded Basement
Finding water pooling in the basement will easily send any homeowner into a panic. Whether you use the space for storage, living, play, or exercise, it’s hard not to feel a little helpless when you’ve found a flooded basement.
The first step—apart from not panicking—is to remove the water as quickly as possible. The more time you spend feeling frustrated and hopeless, the more of a chance that you give water to seep into the nooks and crannies of your home, causing more permanent damage. Remember that people experience flooding in their homes on both large and small scales, and it is possible to handle it well. With that in mind, figure out your best plan of action to remove the water.
For Small Amounts Of Water
Small amounts of water can be cleaned up with a mop and old towels. This might not seem like the easiest thing to do, but it’s truly the quickest option and most practical. Small amounts can literally be soaked up in a matter of minutes, leaving you more time to dry out the basement.
For Large Amounts Of Water
When you’re faced with significant flooding in your basement, don’t waste your time using buckets! You will need some kind of machine to help get it out, which will take far less time overall. A portable sump pump is a common option, although it does require an outlet to operate and a specific place to dump the water. Many people who experience flooding aren’t able to use their downstairs drain, which means you may have to attach a hose to the sump pump and lead the water outside, far away from the base of your home.
Other options are a wet vacuum or wet shop vacuum. A wet vacuum holds less water overall, so it will require more emptying, but a wet shop vacuum can hold more and thus will be heavier to move around when it’s filled.
There is no right or wrong option when deciding how to remove your water; instead, you must take a close look at your situation and decide what is best. Depending on the amount of water, if your drains are available, and if you have an easily accessible outlet, you may go with one over the other.
For Any Amount Of Water
Once you’ve gotten most of the water out, make sure you thoroughly dry your basement. Air drying can work but is incredibly slow, especially if you’re dealing with a hot and humid Maryland summer. Even if you open windows and circulate fans, you’re still facing at least a day’s worth, if not longer, of waiting.
If your heating system was not damaged from the flooding, you can turn on the heat and open windows to allow moisture to escape. A dehumidifier, however, is the most effective option. You can run it with your windows closed, which means you won’t have to worry about even more pesky water getting in. Simply keep your eyes on it and empty the holding container whenever it’s full, and you’ll get rid of the smaller amounts of water in your basement in no time.
Once you’ve removed water from your basement, prevent this problem from ever happening again by waterproofing your basement. Call AA Action Waterproofing at 877-344-9654 for more information on our services and to get a free quote.