Flooded basement?

It appears the worst of Hanna has passed, and no doubt many homes in our area are now facing a flooded basement. Unfortunately the vacant homes will likely sit for days that way before someone checks on the property, and the damage will be extensive by then.

But if you find your home has water in it, what can you do? Here are some tips from doityourself.com and a Disaster Preparedness list:

• If you just have a small amount of water, use a mop or old towels.
• Be careful of shock hazards! Turn off electricity before entering.
  
• Borrow or buy a portable sump pump, wet vac, or wet shop vac. (These are also available to rent.)
• Ensure all the drains are clear - especially outside of doors.
• Once it stops raining, open the windows to allow moisture in the air to escape.
• Use fans to circulate the air and speed up the drying process.
• Use a dehumidifier.
• Check with your insurance company as soon as possible (consider snapping some photos or video to document the situation)
  

Luckily tomorrow is supposed to be a nice day, which should help with the drying out process.

Ready to waterproof your basement to avoid this in the future? There are any number of good companies you can contact for estimates and consultations. Your real estate agent should have an arsenal of qualified contractors in their rolodex. Ask them for a recommendation.