Thursday, May 28, 2015

Things You Need To Keep In Mind When Dealing With A Flooded Basement

By John Pattrico


If you are living in a house there are many things that can negatively affect your home. One of the most frustrating things to deal with is a flooded basement. This is because water in your basement can affect so many different areas of your home. If you are dealing with this issue, here are some steps you can take to make the process easier and less stressful.

Many people check where a home is located before they buy or rent. They think that if the home is sitting on raised land that it may be less susceptible to water in the basement. This can help but it may not be the only consideration that you need to take into account if you are worried about water infiltrating your basement in large amount.

If you do experience an event like this, you need to be aware of how far reaching the effects can be. The most obvious is that the water can damage furniture, electronics and personal effects. The next is that the flood can seep into walls, flooring and other areas and this can lead to problems down the road. Mildew, mold and even excess structural damage can cause problems months or years later.

While some homes are susceptible to flooding due to their proximity to a river or body of water, all homes may deal with this issue at one time or another. A flood may result due to a ruptured hot water tank, a pipe which has burst or even heavy rainfall that can overwhelm a property's drainage system. There are other reasons why this may occur but these tend to be the most common.

You need to know what the source of the flood is. This will give you an idea of how to minimize the water infiltration or even stop it as quickly as possible. You can always turn off main switches to the house should a pipe burst. You can also turn off the supply to a water tank in order to stop a flood from getting worse.

Once you have the source of the flood identified and stopped as much as you can, it is important that you call your insurance company. You may want to speak with your insurance agent as they may have specific steps you need to take to document any damage. You may find that it takes some time to get money to cover repairs or replace lost items.

Part of the insurance process will include assessing the damage. This usually consists of someone with experience in this area coming to your home and taking pictures of your effects and your house's structure. Make sure you find out what kind of coverage they will give you for restoration and which companies they want you to work with. The restoration process may take some time and you should be prepared to have your basement be out of commission for some time.

Having a flood in your basement can be extremely stressful. If you follow the steps listed in this article; chances are you should find that you can get your home cleaned properly and get your life back to normal as quickly as possible




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