What to Do If Your Basement Floods: Step-by-Step

First 15 minutes: Safety

1. Cut electricity to the basement at the main breaker, if it's safely accessible.
2. Shut off the water main if the source of flooding is a plumbing failure.
3. Stay out of standing water deeper than 1" until power is confirmed off.
4. If you smell sewage or natural gas, leave the house and call 911.

First hour: Stop the source

Identify where the water is coming from:

• Burst pipe: shut off the water main and call a plumber.
• Failed water heater: shut off the water and gas/electric to the heater.
• Sewer backup: do not enter the water. Call a Category 3 cleanup specialist.
• Outside flooding (storm, rising water): you can't stop it — wait for it to recede before entering.
• Sump pump failure: if you can safely access the pump, check the breaker and the float switch.

First 4 hours: Call a pro

Water damage gets exponentially more expensive after 24 hours and exponentially worse after 48 (when mold starts). Get a vetted water damage restoration company on-site as fast as you can — most can have a crew there within an hour, 24/7. Get an instant free quote to find one in your area.

First day: Document & contact insurance

1. Photograph and video everything from multiple angles before removing anything.
2. Call your insurance carrier and start a claim.
3. Save all damaged items — even ruined ones — until the adjuster sees them, unless they're a health hazard.
4. Keep receipts for everything: hotel, meals, temporary fixes.

First week: What can be saved and what can't

General rules for clean (Category 1) water:

• Carpet padding: throw out. Carpet itself can sometimes be saved if dried within 48 hours.
• Drywall: anything wet for more than 24 hours usually needs to be cut out at least 12" above the waterline.
• Insulation: throw out — it doesn't dry properly.
• Hardwood floors: often salvageable if professionally dried fast.
• Cardboard, books, paper: usually a loss.
• Solid wood furniture: usually salvageable; particleboard usually isn't.

For sewage (Category 3) water, almost all porous materials touched by the water have to be removed — including drywall, carpet, padding, insulation, and any upholstered furniture.

What NOT to do

• Don't use a household vacuum or shop vac that isn't rated for water.
• Don't turn on ceiling fans if the ceiling is wet — they could fall.
• Don't ignore wet areas because they "look dry" — moisture meters routinely find water 3–4 feet up walls that look fine.
• Don't run the HVAC if mold growth is suspected — it spreads spores through the whole house.

FAQ