Spring Rains and Flooding Basements

When the hard rains come and your basement is flooded, what can you do?

Here are 5 tips until help arrives:

1) Safety first – look for electrical cords that could be in the water – turn the breaker off. (Slip and fall hazards- be careful when walking from carpeted surfaces to hard surfaces.)

2) Move valuables to a dry area as soon as possible – if you hire a professional drying contractor, keep the items in the drying area.

3) Time – act as quickly as possible to reduce secondary damage.

4) Know what kind of water is in your basement – Usually the water has some level of contamination, sometimes sewage – so wear rubber boots to protect your feet, rubber gloves for your hands – protect your health.

5) Begin to make choices about the items that are damages so you are prepared when help arrives.

Once the process is started, be aware that with water damage cleanup – it takes time to remove the water, time to clean up the mess and then time to dry the structure – the walls and studs. The carpet is the easy part; it either can be thoroughly extracted and dried quickly or replaced. The expert comes to dry the walls and structure.

If insurance is not covering the loss, much of the preliminary work you can do yourself. Drying the structure is where you want the expert’s help.

Experts, like A&J, can offer three solutions:

1) Advise you on how you can best dry the basement with the tools and equipment you own.

2) Calculate how much equipment will be needed and rent the equipment to you, calculated following the IICRC S500 Guideline.

3) Dry the structure for you following the IICRC S500 Guideline.

However you decide to solve your flood situation, please understand the possibility of bacteria and mold growth increase by waiting and doing nothing.

A&J is a full-service, 24/7 emergency restoration company serving all of south-central Wisconsin.