When returning to your flooded basement, you need to take a few precautions to avoid any mishap. Floods can result in making your home exposed to all sorts of dangers and if you do not care to observe the following precautions, then you might be inviting life threatening risks for yourself and your family as well.

There are several things to be kept in mind when returning to your flooded basement. Look out for structural damage to walls from the floods. If anything looks damaged, do not hesitate to call a building inspector to get timely and proper assistance for ensuring your safety. If everything looks fine, only then should you enter the building. First thing should be to turn off the electricity as well as the gas, to keep major dangers at bay. Contact the Utility Service Department to shut off the electricity and gas lines. Ask for their assistance before going in to disconnect cords in your water-logged basement. Do not try to flush toilets or using other plumbing fixtures otherwise you may end up making the cleanup much more difficult for you.

You should begin draining your flooded basement as soon as the flood waters start receding. Pump out flood water using a gas pump or an electric pump that has been connected to an electric line outside your home to avoid the risk of any possible danger. However, be wary not to pump out the water too quickly as it might lead to severe structural damage to your basement. Make the place clear of all debris and wet garbage at the earliest. Clean the affected walls and floors using a detergent solution along with hot water to make the place free from all sorts of contaminants and mold or mildew. To completely disinfect the areas, try using Clorox with warm water. Do not forget to wear protective clothing to ensure your safety to any harmful contaminants and germicides.

Cross ventilation can make the cleaning and drying process of flooded basement much easier and quicker. Open the doors and windows to let the fresh air into your flooded basement. Using fans and dehumidifiers can further assist you in the drying process of the basement to save your home or basement from mold or mildew which grow in places with excessive moisture or humidity.

Be sure to discard away all the food and eatables which have gotten affected as a result of flood water by placing it in a covered trash can for final disposal. Food stored in the refrigerator should also be discarded if the water has entered inside the freezer to save yourself and your family from any potential health hazard.

If you notice any cracks on walls, you must get these repaired at the earliest to prevent any serious structural damage to your building in the near future. Any extensive damage including cracked floors and walls must be replaced if beyond repairs already.

You must dry the flooded basement completely using a heating system or a dehumidifier before finally replacing the furniture and other items back into your home.