The second thing to do is to remove contents that have been affected by water damage. If there are items stored in cardboard boxes, they need to remove from the box and dried off and then placed in a plastic storage container. Throw out all wet cardboard boxes. Store contents in a dry area. Heavy furniture needs to be blocked up off of wet floor by using foam blocks, pieces of wood or simply placing aluminum foil or plastic under the legs to help prevent more water damage. If you are able to move furniture to a dry area that is the best solution as that also gives the water mitigation contractor more room to properly extract water and set up drying equipment.
Common sources of water intrusion can be from:
1. Failed sump pumps
2. Backed up drains
3. HVAC drain lines that aren’t properly connected to the drain
4. Foundation cracks
5. Window wells
6. Plumbing lines or bathroom fixtures
Next it’s important to call a professional restoration company that has the proper water extraction and drying equipment, knowledge and experience so you know that your basement will be quickly dried out to prevent mold growth and secondary damage. It’s important to also work with a restoration contractor that can file your insurance claim with your insurance carrier and is also properly insured.
