In the first day of a basement flood, keep out of standing water near electrical equipment, turn off power to the area if it is safe, and move valuables up off the floor. Photograph the water line before anything is moved, and call for water removal. The 1974 Peaceful Valley flood mainly caused basement and street flooding in Spokane.
Key takeaways
- Standing water and live electrical equipment do not mix, so the power is the first thing to check.
- Photographs of the water line and the damage are taken before anything is moved, because the insurer will ask for them.
- Removing standing water early keeps it from soaking deeper into flooring, framing and the wall cavity.
- Stored items on the floor are lifted to a dry surface if it is safe, and damaged items are kept until the insurer has seen them.
- A written record of the first day, with the time the water was seen and where it came from, helps the crew and the insurer.
What is the first thing to check when a basement floods?
Check the electrical risk first. Do not enter standing water if the power may still be on, and do not touch the panel or an outlet while the floor is wet. If the panel can be reached from a dry spot, switch the power off to the affected area.
Water conducts electricity, and a basement is the place where the electrical risk is highest. A wet floor, a furnace, a water heater and a panel on the same wall create a combination that can shock a person who steps into the water. The safe order is to stay dry, check the power from a safe spot and call for help if you cannot reach the panel without standing in water.
If you smell gas, leave the building and call the gas utility from outside. Gas and water can arrive together in a flooded basement, and the gas risk comes first.
How do I know where the water came from?
Look at where the water first appeared and how it moved. Water that rose through a floor drain, seeped along a wall or ran in under a door points to different sources. Note the time you first saw it and whether it is clean or muddy.
A pipe or appliance leak usually starts at a fixture and is clean. Water that comes up through a drain, along the foundation after a thaw or in under a door during a storm has a different route, and it often carries silt.
The crew will record the source on its survey, but a clear note from you on the first day is useful. Write down what you saw, when you saw it and what the weather was doing, because those details help separate one event from another.
What can I move, and what must stay where it is?
Move items up off the floor onto a dry surface if it is safe to do so. Do not move anything that is in standing water near electrical equipment, and do not move damaged items until they have been photographed.
Boxes, rugs and small furniture can usually be lifted onto a table, a shelf or a dry room. Keep the items as they are if you need to show the water line, and do not discard soaked paper or photographs until a specialist has looked at them if they matter to you.
Do not drain the water yourself with a shop vacuum unless the water is shallow, safe and away from any electrical equipment. A household machine is not built for standing water, and it can overheat or trip a circuit.
What should the photographs show?
Take wide photographs of each room, close photographs of the water line on the walls, and photographs of the entry point, the drain and any stored items in the water. Photograph the furnace and water heater from a distance without touching them.
Wide shots show the room and the extent of the water. Close shots of the water line show how high it reached, and that height is one of the first things an insurer and a crew will ask about. A measuring tape in one photograph is useful.
Photograph the items you will keep and the items you will discard, before anything is moved. A short written list of what was damaged, with its age and approximate value, goes with the photographs.
Why does the cleanup start early?
Wet materials keep taking in water while they sit. Carpet pad, the bottom of the wall and the framing spread moisture sideways, and the longer the water stands, the more of the building will need to be opened and dried.
Basements in Spokane have a history of water arriving at ground level in heavy snowmelt and rain. The Spokane County Flood Insurance Study describes spring snowmelt and winter rain-on-snow as the main flood types in the county, and the 1974 flood in Peaceful Valley mainly caused basement and street flooding. A basement that held water in that event would have needed its lower walls and floor dried, not just wiped.
Early removal of standing water is the step that keeps the spread down. The crew arrives to pump the water, read the materials and start the drying plan, which is far easier when the standing water is already gone.
What should I do about the furnace and the water heater?
Leave the furnace and the water heater alone if they are in water, and do not start them. Shut off the gas at the appliance if it can be done safely and the area is not wet, and have a qualified technician inspect them before they are used again.
Gas appliances sit at floor level in many basements, and water reaches them first. Water in a burner, a control board or a gas connection can cause a fault that is hard to see. A flooded appliance should not be used until it has been checked.
Tell the crew which appliances were in the water and where the water line is on each one. The crew records them, and a technician can then decide whether the unit is safe to restart.
What should I keep for the insurer on the first day?
Keep the photographs, the written note of the time and source, the list of damaged items and any messages with the line or the crew. Do not throw out damaged items until the insurer has seen them, unless they are a health hazard.
The insurer will want to know when the water was first seen, where it came from and what was done in the first hours. Your own notes and photographs answer those questions better than memory does a week later.
The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner handles consumer complaints about how a claim is handled. The insurer and the policy decide what applies, and the first-day record is the starting point for that review.
When should I call, and what do I tell the line?
Call as soon as you find standing water. Give the address, the floor where the water is, the depth, whether the water looks clean and the likely source. The line is answered at any hour, and a local technician is sent as soon as one is free.
The line will take the details and send the crew. No arrival time is promised, because crews are sent as soon as one is free and the order of calls changes through the day and night.
If you are unsure whether the water is clean, say so. The crew checks the water on arrival and plans the handling to match, so an honest description is more useful than a guess.
What if the water is still coming in?
If water is still entering the basement, the first priority is to find the entry and slow it if it is safe. Stopping the flow matters more than removing the water while it is still rising, because a rising flood refills behind any pumping.
Look for the entry point from outside if it is safe to do so: a window well that is full, a downspout that discharges against the wall, or a grade that slopes toward the foundation. Do not go into the yard in heavy runoff or on an icy slope to check.
If the water is coming through the floor, through a drain or through a wall, tell the line so the crew can plan for a continuing source. A pump may need to run for a long time, and the crew checks whether the sump is keeping pace.
What should I do in the first evening?
By the evening, the standing water should be removed or under control, the power should be checked, and the photographs and notes should be complete. The evening is also the time to arrange the next day with the crew and the insurer.
Confirm that the crew has your contact details and the address of the affected area. Make sure someone is available the next morning to approve removals and to sign the record, and tell the crew which rooms are safe to enter.
Write a short summary of the first day: the time the water was seen, the source as you understand it, the steps taken and the items moved. That summary is the first page of the record the insurer will want.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pump the water out myself?
Only if the water is shallow, safe and clear of electrical equipment. A household pump or vacuum is not built for standing water in a live basement. Call for extraction when the water is deeper than a few centimeters or has reached the carpet or the walls.
Should I turn off the main water?
Turn off the water at the main valve if you can reach it safely and it is not in standing water near the panel. Shutting it off stops a supply line from adding water while the flood is being dealt with.
What if the water is coming up through the floor drain?
Water rising through a drain is a different problem from water seeping in at the walls. Note where it is coming up, keep people and pets away from it, and tell the line so the crew plans for a drainage source.
Is it safe to walk on a wet basement floor?
Be careful, because a wet floor is slippery and the water may hide objects or openings. Keep to dry areas and wear sturdy shoes if you must move items. Do not walk into standing water near electrical equipment.
Do I need to do anything about the smell?
A musty or earthy smell is a sign that moisture is still in the materials. Ventilate the room if it is safe to open it, and tell the crew about the smell so it can check the readings.
Sources
This guide is general information for Spokane County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.