How To Deal With A Water Damaged Basement In Minneapolis

Basements are the most susceptible area of a home to flooding. This is primarily because there are so many different ways that a basement can flood. Moreover, while prevention is always the goal, that isn’t always possible. Thus, here are six tips for dealing with a flooded basement from our restoration experts at ICC in Minneapolis, if it ever happens to you. 

Water Damage Restoration In Minneapolis

Stay Out Of The Basement Until You Know What You’re Dealing With

One of the absolute worst things you can do in response to a flooded basement is go straight down into your basement heedless of the potential hazards down below. The two most serious hazards associated with basement flooding are contaminated water and electrocution. Contaminated water describes floodwater that contains dangerous pollutants ranging from dirty dishwashers to sewage or chemicals. Electrocution can occur since water and electricity obviously don’t play well together. All that being said, NEVER enter your basement after a flood until you know it is safe to do so. 

Disconnect Utilities

Since electrocution is such a serious hazard after a flood, shutting off your electricity should be one of your first steps if your basement ever floods. However, you shouldn’t stop at your electricity. To be safe, disconnect all your utilities so you can be sure no unexpected hazards will crop up during the restoration process.

Remove Standing Water And Moisture

It is imperative that you do this as soon as possible after your basement floods. The longer standing water or moisture remains in your home, the greater the overall damage will be in the end. That also means greater expenses for you in the long run. Make sure you call a professional water damage restoration company as soon as possible so you can get this water out of your home ASAP. 

Practice Caution

This has been mentioned in passing already, but the importance of caution cannot be understated. Never do anything that will put your health in jeopardy after a flood. If you have any questions about what is safe to do, we at ICC are here to help you know what your options are. 

Rebuild And Move Forward

FEMA and the American Red Cross urges homeowners to incorporate flood-proofing techniques as they repair and rebuild their homes. After all, the time when you are dealing with the aftermath of a flood is the ideal time to do so. These techniques, according to the report, are inexpensive and can prevent or minimize future flood damage. Along with rebuilding, make sure you also move forward and put this disaster behind you as soon as possible so you can get on with the rest of your life.

Call The Pros

While there is a lot to do on your own to mitigate the effects of a flooded basement, your best bet for restoring your basement is calling a professional water damage restoration company for help. We at ICC in Minneapolis are one such company so don’t waste any time before giving us a call for help.