Basements are used for all sorts of things. Sometimes, they become a separate apartment or rental area for the home, and other times, they are renovated into an entertainment area, a laundry room, a storage center, or whatever you need them for. It is your home, and your basement can become whatever you would like it to be. When you experience water damage and flooding within your basement, the outcome can be disastrous, stressful, and chaotic.
Suddenly, your beloved basement is no longer the safe and comfortable place it used to be – it has become a war zone, and many of your household goods are being ruined. Flooding anywhere in the home is a headache, but when it occurs in your basement, it is incredibly frustrating because the area is often partially, if not wholly, underground. Water damage companies in Queens, NY, are used to seeing these kinds of situations, and even though the scenario may seem too difficult to bear, some professionals can help.
Document Everything
When a flood occurs unexpectedly, it is easy to begin panicking – you are likely attempting to move as quickly as possible to resolve the situation. Still, you cannot always transport water damage technicians immediately. Although professionals can likely be there very quickly, you will want to begin the resolution process as a homeowner in the initial stages of a basement flood. You will probably want to document anything and everything, taking photos of the flood, damaged items, and property damage. Documentation is required if you are hoping to enlist your personal homeowners or renter’s representative to file a claim for the water damage caused by the flooding.
Move Everything That You Can
It is generally a good idea to enlist assistance from your partner or family member during the flood so one can do the documentation and the other can begin moving items. You don’t want your belongings to be sitting ducks within the water because the longer it is submerged, the more damage may occur – some of which may be irreparable. Take everything you can and move it upstairs to the main level of the house or any dry area. Document each item as it comes up and be sure to dry off the items with towels to save your property. When water damage experts arrive, they will likely begin assisting to speed things up and extract the standing water downstairs.
Focus On Your Safety
If your basement is flooding, it may not be safe or possible for you to pick everything up and move it out of the way because your safety and the security of the rest of your family is the most critical component of this event. If you are weary of heading down to the basement to begin taking pictures and securing your belongings, you should listen to your gut; there is a reason you feel this way. Turning to trusted professionals and water damage experts with the experience, knowledge, and tools necessary to head down there and begin extraction and cleanup is the one thing you can rely on. Having a local water damage restoration business that you can depend on during this time will be your household’s most significant source of support!
Call Your Renters or Homeowners Insurance
This is likely the last thing you want to deal with because when you are in a highly stressful situation, that is all you can focus on. When your home is in a state of disarray, and an emergency occurs, that is why you have renters and homeowners’ insurance. The coverage is there for your protection and the protection of your property in case of a disaster, break-in, etc. Flood coverage is usually something that is in addition to the typical policy, so you must check in with your insurance representative to ensure that it is something that you have on file. You will still want to call in and file a claim even if that is something you do not have with your regular coverage because many standard policies will cover the flood damage if it was caused by something within the home.
Contact a Local Water Damage Restoration Company
Calling on your local water damage experts is a sure way to get your basement cleaned up, dried out, and properly sanitized. Water damage companies have the tools and equipment to extract and clean the water. They will then proceed to additional clean up, sanitation, and deodorization of the space. They will likely commit to a few follow-ups to ensure your basement is drying and everything is cleaned correctly. An investigation into the flood and how it was started will be completed to ensure it doesn’t happen again! SOS Mitigation Water Damage Restoration in Queens, NY, provides water and flood damage services to all five boroughs. SOS Mitigation water damage experts are committed to providing fast, friendly, and efficient solutions to basement and house flooding! When water damage or flooding occurs in your basement, contacting local, licensed water damage technicians will provide the support you need to clean your home quickly.
