As you walk down the basement stairs, you notice it seems a little more damp than usual. As you hit the floor, you are faced with puddles and standing water. Now, what do you do? Here are the first steps you should take to get the water out and the basement cleaned up.
Remove the Water
While the idea of water seeping into your basement is undoubtedly disturbing, now is not the time to stop and think about it. Instead, it is time to act. For minor leaks, a wet/dry vacuum may be sufficient. Just be sure you do not dump the contents where they will work their way back in.
Larger leaks can accumulate quickly, so you may be looking at several inches of water in your basement. If that is the case, you’ll want more than a standard shop vac. A submersible pump is an excellent way to pump standing water out of the house.
Assess Damages
There are several factors that influence how much damage you are likely to encounter. If you have a crawlspace or unfinished basement with only concrete walls, there is a pretty good chance the water only caused minor damage. However, if you have a finished basement or one used for storage, you could be facing a lot of damage.
Of course, this does not take into account whatever problem caused your leak. That could be a substantial problem with your foundation or grading, so you’ll want to determine the cause. Now is a good time to call in a professional.
Clean Up and Repairs
The final step is to arrange for cleanup and water damage repair Parma. You’ll want to do this pretty quickly after the incident. Leaving water-logged material can quickly develop mold growth, which could put your family’s health in danger. It is also possible that another leak will happen and make the problems even worse.
The first step after a leak is to get the water out of your basement. Then, assess the damage and arrange for clean-up and any repairs to avoid a repeat situation.
