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Basement Flooding: Waterproofing & Cleanup

Rain, Rain Stay Away...From My Basement!

Waterproofing Your Basement

Flooding around the exterior of a home can easily go into the basement
When your basement floods, it can cause significant, devastating damage. The good news is; you can take steps to prevent it. Generac has worked with many homeowners and we know how to protect your basement. Here are some things you can do to stop flooding before it starts.

  • Clean your rain gutters in the spring and late fall. You should also extend the downspout away from your home.
  • If you have a sump pump, performing basic maintenance can reduce or prevent flooding. Every four months, clean the pump inlet screen. Once per year, dump water into the sump to make sure the pump turns on. You should also inspect the pump and clean it. The sump pump can serve as a floor drain and keep water from getting deep.
  • Make sure you have flood insurance. You can add it on to your homeowner’s policy, and it’s fairly inexpensive.
  • During a storm, check your yard—look for water ponding around your home, or water directed towards the house. If there is any, consult with a landscaper to see how you can regrade your yard.
  • Seal out any cracks in your floors, foundation or windows.
  • Protect your furnace and hot water tank by keeping them on a concrete slab off the floor if possible.
  • Get a de-humidifier. 
  • Install an automatic emergency backup generator. This will provide continuous, automatic electric service for your sump pump — as well as appliances such as your furnace, refrigerator, lights and more when utility power goes out.

When your Basement is Flooded

 

When you aren’t able to prevent flooding, it’s important to act fast to remove standing water. Basement flooding can damage your foundation and personal property, as well as create a huge need for rehabilitation—not to mention a huge cost. Here’s what you should do immediately after your basement floods.

 house graphic with water around it
  • Before doing anything else, turn off power in the area to avoid electrocution.
  • Put on boots, gloves and a mask to keep any bacteria in the water off your skin and out of your nose.
  • Check your floor drains to make sure they aren’t clogged.
  • Now you can begin removing the water. Depending on how much water there is, you can use a pool pump, wet dry vacuum or mop and bucket. If you have a sump pump, it may do a lot of the work as well. Then soak up the remainder with sponges.
  • Move any items with water damage into a sunny, dry area to air out. Give them forty-eight hours to dry, and if they are still wet, the items need to be thrown out.
  • Get a large industrial fan to attempt to dry out carpeting. If it isn’t dry within several days, it will need to be replaced. You should also open all windows.
  • Wash down floors and walls to remove dirt, and finish with an anti-mildew spray.
  • If you have significant water damage, contact your insurance company to file a claim.

Basement flooding can be a scary experience, but there are a many things you can do to prevent it. When flooding cannot be prevented, most items and structures can be dried out or repaired. Flood insurance will cover the cost of repairs and to replace items that aren’t salvageable (after your deductible). You can add it on to your homeowner’s policy. Talk to your agent for more information.



 

Take a step towards flooding protection with a home standby generator.

One important part of preventing basement flooding is installing a home standby generator. It will protect and power your essential electrical components in a flood situation. Explore our generator products to find the unit that will work for you.