Flooded Basement Cleanup Services in Indianapolis, IN

Flooded Basement Cleanup Overview

Flooded Basement Cleanup, is a water damage restoration service, that Restorex Disaster Restoration offers. We have a lot of experience helping our customers overcome the complexities and issues that can happen when a basement floods. Usually a flooded basement will be the cause of a sump pump back up or a sump pump failure. If you need help help troubleshooting your sump pump read easy ways to troubleshoot a sump pump.

6 Steps for a Flooded Basement Cleanup

1. Water Damage Inspection
2. Water Removal
3. Removals
4. Water Damage Equipment Set up
5. Equipment Monitoring and Adjusting
6. Final Water Damage Evaluation

Step 1: Water Damage Inspection

Water damage inspections for a flooded basement cleanup will determine how much of the basement was affected. Restorex will use our moisture meters and hygrometers to document the initial conditions of the basement during this step. Read about How Restorex Investigates Water Damage. Flooring can be visually inspected but sometimes the water can affect carpet pad without showing on the carpet surface. We will use a moisture probe, Hydrosensor I, to detect the moisture through the carpet and pad, to the concrete slab. Carpet and pad can be dried in place during the water damage restoration process but different circumstances can cause the carpet and pad to be replaced during the repair process. Read our article Does Water Damage Ruin Carpet and Pad? The next step is to determine if the water affected the walls. Typically, the water will only reach 1-2 inches throughout the basement. The walls can show wetness up to as high as 12 inches. The paper on the drywall will wick the water up the surface showing the wall to be wet above the baseboards. If the walls are insulated, we will need to remove the drywall in order to remove the wet insulation. This will be discussed in step 3.

Step 2: Water Removal

The most effective way to clean up a flooded basement is to remove the water through extraction. We use the best water extractors on the market and they can remove water through the carpet and pad. During the water removal process, we will need to move the furniture and contents in the basement to run the extractor over the affected areas. Read about the different ways Restorex does water removal. In this step, we may also apply a plant base antimicrobial or botanical disinfectant product called benefect, to help control bad odor and limit microbial activity from the water damage.    

Step 3: Removals

Depending on the extent of the water damage in the basement, we may be required to remove or demo certain building materials. In a basement with water damage, this can include baseboards, drywall, insulation, vinyl plank flooring, and at times cabinets or vanities. Every basement is built differently so it depends on the initial inspection to decide what will be removed, before the drying process begins. Restorex takes precautions to make sure your house or business isn’t covered with dust or debris during this process. Watch how we remove drywall affected by water damage.  

Step 4: Water Damage Equipment Setup

Water damage equipment is used to remove the remaining water from the flooded basement that wasn’t removed with the extraction equipment. This process can take between 3-5 days depending on the conditions and extent of the water damage. Standard drying equipment for water damage restoration projects are Low Grain Refrigerant (LGR) Dehumidifiers, Electric Heaters, and Air Movers. This equipment provides the necessary energy to remove the water from the affected materials. Read about Restorex’s water damage equipment.  

Step 5: Equipment Monitoring

The drying equipment needs to run for a minimum of 3 days. During those 3 days we need to stop by and check on the equipment. During these visits we will make sure all the equipment is running properly and get temperature and relative humidity readings. These readings will tell us if the equipment is creating a good drying environment in the basement. If the drying equipment needs to be adjusted, we will do these adjustments during these planned monitoring visits.  

Step 6: Final Evaluation

After 3 days we will inspect the basement and determine if the building materials have been dried to their original moisture content. If everything has dried properly, we will remove the drying equipment and adjust the furniture and content back to their original locations. The water damage repairs will come after the drying is complete. If you want a better idea of how long the entire process is from start to finish read How Long a Water Damage Insurance Claim Lasts?