CARMEL FLOODED BASEMENT CLEANUP
Restorex Disaster Restoration is a local water damage company that specializes in flooded basement cleanups. We are experts in water damage restoration and specialize in water damage insurance claims.
If you are thinking about placing an insurance claim for your water damage, Restorex can help you navigate the insurance claim process and provide basement flood cleanup services in Carmel Indiana.
If you need some help with a flooded basement cleanup in Carmel give us a call (317) 315-5071.
See how Restorex has helped other customers by reading our water damage reviews: Google Reviews
If you have a flooded basement from a sump pump failure and need a referral to a local licensed plumber, give us a call and we can give you a list of plumbers we know and trust.
CAUSES OF FLOODED BASEMENTS
Basements are very prone to water damage because of their design. The foundation walls of a basement are constantly fighting against groundwater and rainwater. Carmel, Indiana residents will experience flood conditions a couple times a year during the rainy seasons. These seasons are in the spring and fall, when the rain is heavy and the basement sump pump systems struggle to remove the excess water.
When a basement floods, it is usually caused by a sump pump failure or backup. The sump pump provides the relief to foundation walls, by pumping the excess water away from the home. The issue arises when the pump fails and there is nothing available to pump away the excess water. The water then flows through the sump pit and into the basement of the property.
If a property has a finished basement, this can cause significant damage and usually requires the property owner to place an insurance claim to cover the water damage in the basement.
FLOODED BASEMENT INSURANCE
Flooded basement insurance coverage can vary depending on the Insurance Provider and the circumstances of the water damage.
If your insurance policy has a writer added to the policy to cover drain backup or sump pump backup, then a property owner should be covered if they have a flooded basement from a failed sump pump. But most of the time these coverages have limits. The limits can range from $5,000 – $25,000.
We always make sure the property owner understands their coverage before we begin our emergency services. We believe it gives everyone, piece of mind knowing how the services are being paid. Now, if the water damage has occurred because the water came in through a window, wall, or door these items are not covered under a normal property owners policy.
These circumstances would require another policy to be written for flood insurance which is only provided by the federal government.
If a property owner has a large finished basement, it is probably good to have $10,000 of coverage in the event the basement floods.
It is good for a property owner to confirm with their insurance agent or an insurance professional, what their coverage is and to add the proper coverage.
FLOODED BASEMENT CLEANUP PROCESS
The basement cleanup and restoration process occurs in the following steps;
1. Onsite Inspection
2. Water Extraction
3. Drying the Structure
4. Repairs
ONSITE WATER DAMAGE INSPECTION
Restorex prefers to have an onsite visual inspection before we plan the water mitigation services. It is always better to make a good plan with the homeowner before a water damage company begins mitigating the damage in the basement.
During the inspection, our highly skilled water damage technicians will use moisture meters and thermal imaging to determine the scope of the water damage and determine the source of the water.
Once we can determine the scope of the damage, we can give our customers an idea of the cost of the emergency water restoration services as well as the water damage repairs. At this point, the customer can decide if they would like to place a claim with their insurance company or pay the costs out of pocket.
WATER EXTRACTION
If a basement has carpet and pad installed, they will most likely be very wet. Carpet and pad act like a giant sponge absorbing a lot of water that floods into the basement.
We use a weighted extractor to remove water from wet carpet and pad. It has two high powered vacuums to extract the water and a steel wheel that provides the pressure to squeeze the water out of the carpet and pad. This method is one of the best ways to remove water from the basement.
Sometimes a basement can fill up past the nap of the carpet as high as 2 feet of water. In these scenarios, we would use submersible pumps to remove the water from the basement until it is at a level that a weighted extractor can be used.
DRYING THE STRUCTURE
After the bulk water is extracted from the basement, we will remove the building materials that are ruined or will not dry out properly, then set up drying equipment to remove the remaining moisture from the basement structure.
We use professional water damage drying equipment to dry the structure. This includes a variety of dehumidifiers, air movers, and heaters. The drying equipment will run for approximately 3 to 5 days depending on the severity of the water damage.
DAMAGE REPAIR
The repairs can begin once the structure is properly dried. At this point, the building materials that were removed can be replaced with “like kind and like quality materials”, if you are working with an insurance company to pay for the repairs. The repair process can take a couple of months depending on the insurance adjuster and restoration contractors’ schedules.
Before any repair begins, it is always best to have a final and approved repair estimate from the insurance adjuster and to have an initial payment to make a down payment to the restoration contractor. Why can it take so long for the repairs? The estimating process can take a couple weeks and then a week to get payment and then a week to get the repairs scheduled. So typically, the process can take a couple months to complete.
WORKING IN RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES
Restorex has worked in lots of flooded basements in Carmel Indiana and are experts at working with insurance companies. We specialize in water damage restoration services and have lots of experience working in different properties. Whether you have a residential home or a commercial business that has a basement flooded, we have the ability to serve your unique needs.
Many building owners have specific needs according to the use of their property and we are able to work around those specific needs while providing our basement flood cleanup services in Carmel.
WATER DAMAGED FLOORS IN BASEMENTS
We see a lot of floors that are ruined in basements due to flooding. These can range from carpet and pad to engineered hardwood floors. New floors such as laminate and vinyl click lock are becoming more common in basements. The issue with the flooring is the ability to remove or dry the water in between the concrete slab and the piece of flooring. This topic is especially interesting when we see a flooded basement with a “waterproof” flooring product installed.
It is probably true that the piece of flooring is waterproof all by itself but the issue is when the flooded basement causes water to get beneath the flooring. It is not practical to dry the water under the flooring nor is it practical to uninstall the floor and reinstall it. The waterproof flooring at this point still needs to be removed and replaced to properly mitigate the water damage in the basement.
One of the best floors to install for, water damage reasons, is ceramic or porcelain tile. The ceramic tile will not be affected by water damage and when it is installed on a concrete slab the water doesn’t penetrate or affect any organic building materials in the flooring structure, so it does need to be removed.
Another solution is to just have a finished concrete slab. You can stain or epoxy coat the floors which can leave a nice finished look and again the floor will not be ruined if the basement floods.
If you need help with a basement flood cleanup in Carmel Indiana give us a call (317) 315-5071.
