What happens when you have severe water damage in your basement? A lot of things can happen but the worst of it all comes after the immediate damage, whether that was from a storm, flood, pipe burst, sump pump failure, etc. Mold damage will easily follow, and you will likely experience foundational issues as well. So how do you clean everything? Let’s discuss how some DIY tips when it comes to basement flood cleanup by yourself, repairing your flooded basement and how a professional restoration company such as Rhode Island Restoration can help you restore the damages, – fast.
First – Let’s Talk About The Severe Damage A Flooded Basement Can Cause
After all of the reasons, we listed previously as to how your basement experienced a flood, it’s important to talk about what happens after the flood. If the water stays for a prolonged period of time, water damage in your basement will lead to severe damage to the structure of your home. If the water stays for too long, the water damage could spread from a structural issue into severe mold growth and even worse, a house fire. A fire could break out if electrical wires are exposed to water damage. Overall, this is why it’s important to learn how to clean a flooded basement yourself and begin getting the water out immediately once your basement begins to flood. Begin getting as much water out as possible and in the meantime, get your local restoration company on the phone, Rhode Island Restoration.
DIY Tips For Flooded Basement Repair
Immediately After The Flood, Remove As Much Water As Possible
As soon as possible do anything you can to get the water out of your basement. Careful of electrical wires as we mentioned previously. Usually, a sump pump would be able to remove the water efficiently, however, if your pump failed you are going to need to get it out yourself. Some people would use some type of makeshift pipe system if their pump failed, which a fairly efficient option. However, just in case you need to step in water in the flooded basement for any reason, wear special protective equipment if you own any, such as gloves, boots, a protective suit, etc. as any electrical wires will immediately shock you.

After The Water Is Removed – Take Pictures And Document Everything
The next step to flooded basement cleaning is once all the water is gone, begin to take pictures of everything you see that was damaged. Even if an area of your once flooded basement does not look like there is damage, take a picture anyways. All of this will be used as evidence when you begin to contact your insurance company to begin the claim process. Sometimes, in a flood your items could be damaged even further by the water damage, in that case you can learn how to save those precious documents here.
Get Your Insurance Company On The Phone To Repair Your Flooded Basement
After taking pictures of everything, get your insurance company on the phone and have them send out an insurance adjuster. You have now begun the claims process for your flooded basement. Hopefully, you will get the money you deserve to fix all the damage, as if you have flood insurance, the damages should be covered fully. If not, hiring a public adjuster from Performance Adjusting is a great option to represent you and your claim.
Something to note: It is important you do not start any DIY repairs to your flooded basement without receiving the money to begin restoring your home.
Begin To Clean Anything Damaged
Depending on what was damaged, you can now begin your flooded basement repairs, although we will say we do not fully recommend it. Here are some general tips for how to clean a flooded basement yourself:
- For any floorboards that were damaged, you can pry them up, and replace them with a completely new one. This is important as there really is no way to restore floorboards that were damaged by water.
- For electrical work, if you are well versed in everything, replace any damaged wires, outlets, etc. due to the flood. Make sure the power is completely off when you are repairing anything electrical as well.
- For any furniture, all of these items will need to be replaced and hopefully, your insurance company will pay for that. There really is no DIY way to replace the furniture that has been affected by severe water damage.
- For walls, you may need a specific type of chemical to remove any stains and other damage to your walls. Be sure that you are removing all the damage from the walls, such as mold, if not the structural integrity of your home may be in jeopardy.
Now Is The Perfect Time To Call A Restoration Company – Rhode Island Restoration
Now, DIY’ing the project to restore and repair your flooded basement seems like a ton of work – and it is! Not to mention the fact that you also may not be able to remove all the damage that was done due to your flood, nor will you most likely not be able to prevent another flood from happening in the future. This is where a restoration company such as Rhode Island Restoration comes in handy. By calling us we will take over the entire restoration process of your flooded basement repair project. In fact, any other damage the water caused outside of your basement, we will help restore that too. At the end of the day, we are here to help you, just as we helped many homeowners with similar incidents for over 18+ years. If you know anyone or have been affected by flood damages, do not hesitate to contact us. For any other type of service, you may need help with be sure to check out our services page. Call us today at 401-414-1111 for a free quote and any questions you may have.