Tip of the Month

Flooded basements/Wet basements

Spring is rapidly approaching. Warmer weather, longer daylight, and blossoming trees are nearly upon us. It is also probable that there will be melting snow, periods of heavy rain, and a rising water table. These factors can often combine to cause ground water flooding that leads serious property damage. The majority of damage sustained by properties affected by flood water occurs in the basement.

As a homeowner or property manager, what can you do to help prepare for the potential of a flooded basement? There are as many different scenarios as there are properties, but there are a few easy things you can do today to help you minimize a potential loss and to assist with successful mitigation. It starts with analyzing your basement by asking the following questions:

• What is in my basement? Valuables? Boxes? Electronics?
  • It is wise to store things in plastic containers rather than cardboard boxes
  • It is a best practice to keep things off the floor by using shelves or pallets/cinder blocks
• What is the use of my basement? Living? Storage? Recreation?
  • You should have a backup plan in the event your basement space is inaccessible or unusable for an extended period of time
• What is the navigability of my basement? Low ceilings? Access points? Clutter?
  • Can emergency workers (fire department, restoration crews, etc..) work efficiently and safely within the confines of that space?
  • Inform them of potential obstacles
• What are some of the basic construction elements present in my basement? Type of foundation/floor? Electricity? Heating system? Finished or unfinished?
  • Understand potential hazards such as electric shock or slip and fall
  • Know the age of your home to realize to potential for lead paint and asbestos

These questions will be answered in many different ways by different property owners. However, taking the time to personally answer them in your specific situation could pay dividends. In the event of a basement flood, it could help you minimize damages to personal property, protect valuables, speed up the mitigation/restoration process, and ensure safety for property occupants and service technicians.

One last piece of advice is to have emergency phone numbers readily available for public services, utilities, and of course- Soil-Away: Office- 603.641.6555 - After Hours Emergency- 603.231.3653

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Flooded basements/Wet basements  (203 KB)