Basement Just Flooded? Do These Things

Basement just flooded? Do these things

It’s that time of year again — flood season. With all the rain that’s expected during the summertime, it’s not uncommon for people to experience floods. But do you know what to do when you find an unexpected pool of water in your basement? Here are 10 steps you need to take whenever you discover that your basement has just flooded.

Shut the Power Off

For your safety, you should never step into a flooded basement if the water has come in contact with any electrical outlets or cords. If you can’t turn off the breaker box without standing in water, call your electricity company to shut off the power for you. Also, make sure to avoid touching anything that generates electricity if you get wet. Water and electricity don’t mix, and you will risk getting electrocuted.

Remove Belongings

After your basement has just flooded, you’ll want to get everything dry as soon as possible to avoid mould growth and further water absorption. Start by removing any of the items in your basement that you can lift to an area that is dry. Pull up any carpets and underpadding as you may be able to save it if it’s removed and dried quickly.

Take Photos

If you suspect damage, you’ll need to provide proof to your insurance company of all the items that have suffered water damage. So grab your camera and start snapping photos of the damage. And once you have the evidence, be sure to contact your insurance company as soon as possible.

Deal with Water

Next step is to get rid of the water. You can clean up the water with pails, towels, a mop and a wet/dry shop vacuum. If the insulation and drywall have become wet or if you suspect contamination, you may want to hire a contractor to help you remove the wet materials and deal with the damage.

Dry the Area

As soon as the excess water has been removed, it’s important to dry the area to prevent mould growth and any further damage to your belongings. You can use fans and a dehumidifier to dry it out, and if there are windows, open them up nice and wide to help it dry out faster.

Wash Down Affected Surfaces

Once you’ve removed all the water, you should then disinfect everything by washing and scrubbing all the affected surfaces with detergent to remove any contaminants and bacteria.

Ventilate and Replace

After all the surfaces have been cleaned, you should use a dehumidifier or fan to completely dry the area once again. You can also start to throw away anything that was damaged.

Flush Drains and Sump Pits

You should also carefully clean your drains and sump pits with a detergent. It’s important to remove any greasy dirt and grime that may lead to further issues in the future.

Call a Professional

If you have water leaking into your basement, it could be for a number of different reasons, like a cracked foundation. Determining the cause is important to ensure that it won’t happen again which is why you need to call a professional to inspect your home. A qualified Ottawa foundation repair expert will be able to pinpoint the cause of the flood and suggest necessary measures to prevent this from happening in the future.

If your basement has just flooded, contact us at City Residential Foundation Repair. We’ll come and inspect the problem, and help determine the best course of action to keep your home protected.

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Basement Just Flooded? Do These Things

Basement just flooded? Do these things

It’s that time of year again — flood season. With all the rain that’s expected during the summertime, it’s not uncommon for people to experience floods. But do you know what to do when you find an unexpected pool of water in your basement? Here are 10 steps you need to take whenever you discover …

Reviews

A JOB WELL DONE BY 'CITY FOUNDATION'

I would have no hesitation in recommending City Foundation. They fixed up my foundation last summer and although the old house produced a few surprises, the professionals at City Foundation got around the problems cheerfully and completed the work. From the start, Chuck kept me informed of all of my options. If I asked for something not already in the plan, he would try to accommodate me if at all possible Chuck and his colleague Don were friendly, and respectful. They showed up every day, put in a solid day's work and always left the property clean, neat and safe for us to move around. And, the price was fair with no surprises. Great guys, good job!

- Jennifer A 5/30/2015

Excellent service, friendly

We had Chuck and his team repair a crack in our cold storage room - they were punctual, neat, and friendly. The job was completed very quickly with great results. Would definitely hire them again and recommend them to friends.

- Janet M. 5/26/2015

Good job!

Chuck did a very good job. He promised to be finished by a certain date and he was good to his word. He kept me informed of his progress through pictures sent to my email account while I was at work. My backyard is nicely landscaped and there was no damage or debris left in my yard - just a new window well and no basement leaks.

- Kathryn T. 4/14/2015

Can't say enough about the workmanship of Chuck and his crew. They assessed the problem(leak in the foundation) quoted me a price, booked appointment, showed up on time and did a very professional job.The work site was cleaned up to the point it was hard to tell there had been any serious digging at the site. If I have similar problems with my foundation they will be the first people I will call!! I would not hesitate to recommend Chuck and his crew if you have foundation problems that need repair. Duncan Hardie

- Duncan H. 4/12/2015

Professsional and Polite

My experience with City Residential was very positive. I had a crack on my foundation and knew we needed it fixed. They came in and addressed the situation and did the work cleanly and professionaly. Our property was kept nice and tidy during the repairs and they worked safely during the work. Its been a few years now since the work and no issues whatsoever. I will be using them again once we decided to fix a few areas around the garage that they pointed out would need fixing someday. Very happy and positive experience.

- Chris L. 4/6/2015

Foundation Crack (back) and Drainage (front)

The foundation crack at the back was difficult to get to and difficult to dig out. The work was done well and on time. the drainage trench at the front was also done very well and on time. I hope I don't need Chuck again but if I have foundation, drainage issues, he will be my 1st call. bc

- Barry C. 3/30/2015

This is a highly professional company with reliable, honest service. Chuck, the owner, came exactly when promised, took the time to listen to my concerns, explained the problem in an easy to understand language, described in great detail how it could be fixed, and what was - and what was not - necessary. Chuck and his team's attitude and service were at all times very honest, courteous and highly professional. Although I needed to be out of town, there were no surprises or additional costs, and everything was left tidy and clean. Chuck even followed up a couple of days later to check if everything was all right and done to my satisfaction. All in all, I was very impressed with the quality of work and the services received and would highly recommend the company.

- Beate A. 3/30/2015

City Residential Foundation Repair

Chuck Naish and his team from City Residential Foundation Repair were excellent to deal with in every aspect. Their level of integrity throughout the entire process was outstanding. They were honest, respectful and their ability to explain the process and the solution options were extremely helpful to us. The scope of the project was big, however Chuck walked us through every step of the way; assessment, testing, options and repairs which resulted in a very successful outcome. In addition, Chuck and his team were able to complete the necessary repairs with minimal impact to our newly completed landscaping which included a lot of hard scape, tiered armour stone, gardens and a pool. They kept the work site impeccable over the duration of the project. We have and will continue to highly recommend Chuck Naish for his very professional and skilled foundation repair work.

- Annette and Rick B. 3/8/2015

My experience with City Residential was great. Chuck was very friendly and very easy to deal with. I especially appreciated that he was able to come by and do the estimate in the evening when I was off work. They did the work exactly as they said they would, no surprises (which in my mind is the most you can ask for). I was really surprised by how clean they left everything in the evenings and when the job was complete. They will definitley be the first people I call if I ever need more foundation work.

- Charlie A 3/2/2015

Weeping Tile system replaced

We are very please with the work that was done. It was always a pleasure to speak with the owner and explain to him what was going on. Although we found the job to be pricey, it is impossible for us to determine if it was adequate or not at it's hard to compare to others. He ran into several problems at my house while doing the job and he took it upon himself to call the City at two different occasion so they could do some testing before he could go on. Safety was very important for them so they took all the necessary precaution so that no one could get hurt or fall into the hole that were done all around the house.

- Gisele P. 1/29/2015
10 Reviews
90% Would Recommend