How Basements Flood and What To Do About It

6/2/2020 (Permalink)

If you spot flooding in the basement, hire a professional right away to assess the damage

Of all the places in your home susceptible to flooding, your basement is at or near the top of the list. You may not even notice water damage for weeks or months when it occurs in this area. Understanding how floods can start here and how to react can spare you a lot of time, money, and stress.

Common Ways That Water Finds its Way Into Basements

Flooding can start at any place in your Brentwood, TN, home, and cause widespread damage. The basement often attracts water for various reasons. This can occur from the following culprits:

• Cracks in the foundation of the home
  
• Broken pipes
  Leaky or bursting appliances such as washers or water heaters
  
• Broken supply lines
  
• Sewer backups
  
  

Flood Prevention
Some incidents occur without warning, but there are steps you can take to minimize your risk for a basement flood. Make sure you have a professional inspect your plumbing system at least once a year. A plumber can look for pipe leaks or sewer damage. If you spot an issue, repair it immediately. You should also maintain the rain gutters and downspouts on the home. Regular appliance maintenance is also critical. Other measures you can take include landscaping your yard and making sure your property slopes away from the house.

Call the Pros
For small-scale water issues, you should remove all items from the affected area and extract the water with a wet vacuum. However, for larger floods, you should contact a professional flood response team. Professional technicians can handle pipe repair and remove all water from the area. The pros have the right equipment to thoroughly dry the basement and sanitize any parts of the home that came into contact with the water.
If you spot flooding in the basement, hire a professional right away to assess the damage. You can also follow wise guidelines to reduce the chances of water infiltrating your property.