How To Drain a Basement Flood?

9/29/2021 (Permalink)

Hire our professional team to drain the basement flood in your Greenville, NC home.

When you have a basement flood, the first thing you need to do is contain the source of the water. Once you don't have any new water coming into your basement, your focus can shift to removing the existing water. Depending on how much water you are dealing with, this process may be relatively simple or a major undertaking.

Draining Your Basement

You can not begin draining your flooded basement until the floodwater around your home has receded. To avoid the risk of electrocution or damage to your home's electrical system, shut off the power to your home.

Obtain the Necessary Equipment

SERVRPRO offers a 24-hour emergency water removal service. You can contact one of our water remediation franchises near Greenville, NC, any time of the day or night. If you plan to drain the basement yourself, you will need to rent or purchase several pieces of equipment:

• Submersible pump
• Garden or sump hose
• Heavy-duty extension cord
• Generator
• Nylon rope
  

If you have insurance coverage for flood damage, your policy may reimburse you for the cost of these items.

Set Up the Equipment

First, attach the extension cord to the pump cord. Ensure that your electrical cords will not come into contact with the water by looping the cords around a ceiling joist or a heavy object that will keep the cords away from the water. Attach a garden or sump hose to the fitting on the top of the pump. A sump hose will remove water faster than a garden hose because it has a larger diameter, but either will work. Tie a nylon rope to the top of the pump. Place the hose with the open end in an area away from your house and in a spot where the water will drain into a storm sewer or gutter.

Pump Out the Water

The next step to resolve your basement flood is to pump out the water. Use the rope to lower the pump into the basement. When the pump is in place, turn on the generator and plug the extension cord into it. This should start the pump. When the water level gets lower, you may need to reposition the pump at the lowest level of the basement to remove the rest of the water.

Remove and Replace Wet Items

Porous items, such as drywall, paneling, and carpet, that was in contact with the floodwater should be removed and replaced to avoid mold growth. All surfaces need to be dried completely. You can run fans and dehumidifiers to speed up the process. Alternatively, you can utilize a SERVPRO professional to quickly and completely dry out your basement. Mold may begin to grow after 24 to 48 hours. SERVPRO's Faster To Any Size Disaster service can reduce your chances of mold problems. We may also be able to restore the valuable property, such as documents or family photographs, that can be difficult to save without professional restoration.

Because dealing with a basement flood requires specialized equipment that may be difficult to obtain during a widespread flooding event, many homeowners can benefit from using SERVPRO's water restoration services. SERVPRO can make it "Like it never even happened."