Flooded basements are common in certain parts of the country, and they always create headaches for homeowners. Not only can a flooded basement destroy certain priceless belongings, but it can create several safety hazards if it isn’t fixed quickly. If you notice that your basement is starting to flood, here are some things that you should be doing.

Shut Off All Power In Your Basement

The first thing you should do when your basement floods is shut down all the power in the immediate area. This includes electricity, natural gas, and anything else in your basement. If you aren’t sure it’s safe to be walking around a wet or flooded basement, contact an electrician to make sure there is no risk of electrocution.

Get To Work As Soon As Possible

If you know your flooded basement is due to a burst or leaky pipe, act quickly to minimize the damage. Shut off the water to stop the source of the flooding. If the problem is due to heavy rainfall or some other severe weather, wait until the storm has passed by before doing anything. You can’t control the weather, and any attempt to fix the problem before it stops raining will ultimately be in vain.

Start Removing Water

Once you know that the flooding isn’t going to get any worse, start removing water immediately. If you have a sump pump, make sure it’s working properly, and make sure that any floor drains that are in the lowest part of your basement aren’t clogged. Once you’ve removed most of the water, you can start soaking up some of the remaining moisture with absorbent cloth and sponges.

Save Damaged Belongings

Move any of the belongings that were damaged in the flood or could be damaged to a dry and well-ventilated area. Keep it out of the basement and let it dry for about 48 hours. This drying time will depend on what was damaged in the first place, 48 hours is still a good guideline.

Contact a Basement Repair Company

Once the worst of the flooding is behind you, it’s time to start thinking about repairing your basement. Contact one of the many companies offering wet basement repair Buffalo New York has to offer and start asking what your next steps will be. It may take some time to get your basement back to where it was before the flood, but you may be surprised to find how easy it is to repair a water-damaged basement with professional help.