Recovering Your Flooded Basement: Four Steps To Water Damage Restoration
Whether your basement is flooded due to a storm or a blocked drainpipe, you will likely have a lot of cleaning and restoration ahead of you. Getting your basement repaired takes several steps. Once the water has been removed and you are able to turn your electricity back on, you can begin to restore your basement. Here are some critical steps you will need to take.
Air Out Your Basement
Airing out a basement can be tricky, particularly if you don't have any windows that open. Bring a few oscillating fans into the basement and place them on tables or shelves so they don't come into contact with any standing water. Run the fans to help circulate air and dry out the area. You can also add dehumidifiers to the basement to help remove some of the moisture in the air. Keep the door leading to the basement open, and open any windows you may have to bring in more fresh air. Be sure to keep the fans and dehumidifier on as you work to clean up the basement, and invest in respirator masks to prevent breathing in any mold spores that may be in your home as a result of standing water and damp conditions.
Disinfect Every Surface
Disinfecting your basement is a key step to keeping your home healthy and free from contaminants. You can begin the disinfecting process by using a scrub brush and a cleaning solution of hot water and bleach. Depending on the size of your basement, this can be a very large project to take on. Instead of taking on this burden yourself, consider hiring a water damage restoration company like Service King to handle the disinfecting process for you.
Remove Damaged Drywall And Flooring
Wet and damp walls can become a breeding ground for mold and mildew, so it is important to remove any water-damaged drywall or plasterboard from the basement. Your water damage restoration company can remove the damaged wall sections and replace them with fresh, new drywall. If your basement is carpeted, you'll likely need to have both the carpet and padding removed and replaced. For hardwood or tile basement floors, your water damage restoration company can inspect the flooring and subflooring to determine the extent of the damage and whether or not the flooring needs to be replaced. Concrete floors can typically withstand flood waters and may need only to be disinfected.
Throw Away Water-Damaged Personal Items
If you had cardboard boxes filled with clothing, books or other easily damaged items, they will likely need to be thrown away. Items stored in plastic containers may be salvageable, so be sure to ask your water damage restoration experts to inspect these items to determine if they can be saved. Any food stored in a pantry or basement refrigerator/freezer should be thrown away, as these items may have been contaminated by flood waters. Your restoration experts can inspect appliances to assess whether they can be repaired or if they need to be replaced.
Once these steps have been followed, you can begin to use your basement again.