Fall is officially upon us. The weather is getting colder and the leaves are beginning to fall from the trees. We often stop to marvel at the beauty of the season, but for some people, that beauty can quickly turn into a beast. Because for some people, Fall means flooding and water damage restoration.

Floods are amongst the most common natural disasters in Canada and they are the most costly terms of property damage.

They arrive quickly, with or without warning and they leave a trail of widespread destruction in their path.

Flooded Basement

Water damage can happen at any time, anywhere. But if you’re like most people, your basement is at particular risk.

Why is this?

Well, actually, we can blame the universe. Water and gravity like to work together. Water will always seek its lowest level, and gravity will always look to push it there. Your basement is probably the lowest level of your building.

Here at Hero Response, we often hear people say, “My basement has never flooded,” or “I’m completely safe from flooding.” And then disaster strikes and the basement floods.

And then disaster strikes and the basement floods.

The truth is, a flooded basement can happen to anyone. But don’t worry. We are water restoration damage experts and here’s our guide on what to do if it happens to you.

Understanding Your Risk

The Natural Reasons Your Basement Floods

So, what exactly causes flooding and why would I end up with one in my basement?

Floods happen for a whole bunch of different reasons. Some of those reasons are familiar to us all and none of them are directly our fault. Heavy rains can leave your property exposed because they bring with them an overflow of rivers and backed-up drains.

And there are other serious causes of flood damage. Flash floods or mudflows. Tropical storms or Tornados. Storm surge. Even hurricanes.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Hurricanes! We don’t get many hurricanes! Well, actually, hurricanes hit us far more frequently than you think.

All of these natural events are dangerous and all can lead to potentially catastrophic damage. But it doesn’t take an enormous storm to wreak havoc on your basement. Not at all.

The Human Reasons Your Basement Floods

By nature, basements are prone to flooding, but, in many cases, we help nature along.

We do this when we don’t take urgent action on overflowing gutters. Or when we don’t spot the crack in the foundation floor. Or when we see the leak in the window and we tell ourselves we’ll fix it some other day. Or when we know that there is something wrong with the washing machine, and we’re slow to do anything about it.

No judgments here. We’re people, right? And people are sometimes slow to take action.

Other human reasons your basement might flood could be due to poor wall sealing. Or maybe the floor was never sealed properly and it’s been like that since the day you moved in. You might have a poor drainage system that you didn’t sign up for.

Your basement could even end up flooding because of the position of your house or the slope of your lawn.

How To Prevent A Flood In Your Basement

Sometimes, you can stop the problem before it becomes a catastrophe. Prevention is always better than cure.

Here are a few quick things you can do yourself to protect your basement:

• Always be on the lookout for ways to divert rainwater away from your home. You might want to extend your gutters or reposition them.
• Ensure that your gutters are kept clear. Check them routinely. Overflowing gutters are a leading cause of flooding.
• The window wells of your basement windows can hold a lot of junk. Make sure that they are sealed correctly and don’t give water the opportunity to break through the cracks.
• You might want to consider installing or renting a sump pump. It can remove the ground water surrounding your house but you may wish to seek help from a professional with the installation.

Some Water In Your Basement – Priorities

If there is water already in your basement, you have two main priorities.

Priority 1

1. Where is the water coming from?

Find out the source of the water. How has this water gotten into your basement?

Priority 2

2. Remove the water.

Getting rid of the water in your basement is paramount. You do not want to allow any water damage to impact on the structural integrity of your property. You must also be aware of some additional issues, such as mold or mildew and the health dangers associated with each.

It’s Flooded – Water Damage Restoration

So you find yourself in that unfortunate, unenviable position. Your basement is flooded and there is nothing you can do. Fear not. You are not alone. Expert help is at hand.

If you’ve got a flood in your basement, you will need emergency repair as soon as possible. There are three key reasons for this:

The flooding itself needs to be stopped as a matter of huge urgency.
The water damage will have to be assessed and solutions found to prevent further, horrible consequences for you, your family and your property.
Any other problems or issues will need to be rectified now in order to prevent further problems down the road.

Flooding – If It Can’t Be Prevented, It Can Be Cured

The reality is that nobody wants to walk down into their basement one day and be greeted by a strange, nasty odor. Nobody wants to turn on the light and see an appalling little stream on the floor.

Nobody wants a flooded basement. But disasters do happen. And they happen to the very best of us.

We can all take steps to prevent a small problem turning into a greater one. We can assess small issues and stop them, right there, before they become a catastrophe.

But, even with those steps, you are never guaranteed a flood free basement.

In either scenario, we are here to help. Prevention or cure. We’ve got you covered.