A Seasoned Professionals Advice on How to Deal with Basement Flooding

If you live in the New England area, specifically central Massachusettes, you are familiar with flooding basements. We experience some extremely harsh winters on the east coast. The cold air and storms we get can cause damage in places you least expect. Last week, we dealt with frozen pipes after -5 degree weather, and this week after experiencing over 2 feet of snowfall, we are now getting a large amount of rain.



As the rain continues to fall, the water table rises due to the frozen ground and the rapidly melting water from last weekend’s snowfall. This combination leaves the rainfall with nowhere to go, raising the water table rapidly. In the next couple of paragraphs, I will give the most practical advice on steps to take when experiencing a flooding situation.

First Steps to take

• Remove anything of value from the basement to keep it from sustaining more damage as a result of longterm exposure to water.

• If you have a sump pump make sure it is running properly, unclogged, and check the float is not stuck.

• Determine if you have insurance coverage for ground water.

• Get the water pumped out once the water table recedes. Tip: Most fire departments will come pump your flooded basement for free. Call your local departments non emergency number to find out.

• Call a local restoration company to access the damage once the water has completely receeded.

The last part above looks different for every property; there is no one-size-fits-all drying plan.

As always, please make sure the company performing the work is IICRC accredited and is licensed, bonded, and insured. Your property and health depend on it. Improperly licensed contractors can cause harm to your health and property through improper removal of materials, including mold, asbestos, and lead-containing materials.

If you are experiencing any home damage in the New England area, give us a call!