While most instances of home floods are minimal and usually damage only the carpet and floors, there are instances when these floods will fill up the basement. Since the basement is the lowest portion of the house and is designed to be waterproof to keep water from entering it, letting out the flood water is also a problem. You cannot delay applying remedial measures to fix water damage in the basement. The longer basement water repair works are delayed, the higher the chances of permanent water damage. Even worse, molds will develop in just 48 hours and this can be toxic to you and your family.
Flooded Basements
There are two instances when you want to do the basement water repair work yourself. First is if you do not have homeowner’s or flood insurance and the expense of hiring a contractor would be more than you can afford. Second is when the water that flooded the basement is clean and the volume is not too much. But in order for you to successfully fix your basement flooding, you need to be equipped with the right tools to do the job.
1. Buckets – If you really want the most basic method, bailing out the water using buckets is the cheapest way to go. You may not need to buy if you already have this at home. But the volume of water you can haul out with a bucket is very limited so the work will be slow and backbreaking.
2. Sump Pump – You can remove more water with a sump pump. The requirement for the sump pump to siphon out the water is that it has to be submerged so when the water is very low, the sump pump will no longer work unless you have a prepared sump pit in your basement where water can flow to.
3. Wet/Dry Vacuum Cleaner – Your vacuum cleaner would be a great help in removing water in your basement, provided that it is clean and does not contain contaminants will could be a potential health hazard.
4. Industrial strength submersible pumps – These can be gas-powered which is useful when the flood caused a power outage in your place. These pumps can remove a lot of water in a short time and can be rented out from basement water repair contractors or bought from reputable dealers for consistent protection.
5. Flood Water Pumper Extractor – This can be rented out from contractors and can come in portable and truck mounted type. Both have tanks that will collect sludge and debris which can be safely disposed of later.
However, when the work is massive, it might be a better option to get a contractor to fix water damage than do it yourself. Working with a contractor will give you the guarantee that the work is being done properly and there is nothing left that will add further damage to your home and your health.
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