How to Fix a Flooded Basement

Fix the source of the flooding. It's important to stop the flooding as quickly as possible to minimize the damage. If the flooding has been caused by a burst pipe, shut off the water at the main valve. If the water is due to environmental flooding, you may need to wait until the floodwaters recede.

Pump the water from the basement. The next step is to get the water in the basement out as quickly as possible. Many hardware stores rent water pumps. Make sure that the pump's motor is powerful enough to handle the volume of water in the basement. Direct the water away from house so that it can't seep back into the basement.

Remove everything from the basement. Everything will have to be taken from the basement and dried out, including books, toys, and furniture. All toys should be thoroughly dried and then washed with a bleach solution to get rid of any bacteria from the water.

Pull up carpets and discard. Carpets, especially those with underlay, do not survive flooding well and can harbor bacteria and fungus while drying. It is best to discard all basement carpeting.

Wash all flooded surfaces with bleach. The walls and floor of the basement should be washed in a weak bleach solution to destroy any bacteria that lived in the water. Rinse all surfaces with warm water after washing.

Turn on the fan and let the basement dry out. Large industrial fans can also be rented at hardware stores. Put the fan in the doorway to the basement and point it outward so that the moist air is sucked out of the basement. It can take up to a few days to thoroughly dry the basement. Once dry, new flooring can be laid and everything that wasn't permanently water-damaged can go back into the basement.