| Maryland, flooding, flooded basement, flood waters, Dehumidifiers, anti-flood | 6 Mar 2009 |
| Homemade Solutions to a Flooded Basement in Crises Like the Maryland Flooding by David Beavers |
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The following steps are homemade solutions to fixing a flooded basement:
1. Invest on a preventive solution
You should arm yourselves with the equipment to deal with unexpected problems like this. It is always better to invest in preventive measures rather than to shell out money when the tragedy has already stricken. Homes with basements will be better prepared in incidents like the Maryland flooding if they have anti-flood devices installed. These devices include sump pumps in the basement. Sump pumps will greatly help in keeping the flood waters at a low level when the basement gets flooded. Dehumidifiers are also a wise investment in the house. They will come in handy when you need to dry carpets and walls that have been reached by flood waters since they absorb excess moisture.
A bigger investment may involve getting a professional anti-flooding company to seal and waterproof the areas in your house which are most prone to flooding. This will help avoid leaks and will therefore keep flood waters out of your house. Houses which are excellently waterproofed are heavily protected from crises such as the Maryland flooding.
2. Remove all the water
When the flooding has already occurred, the first and most important thing to do is water removal throughout the basement. Having stagnant flood waters in the basement can be a health hazard since the waters carry with them dirt and bacteria. It will also speed up the deterioration of the furniture and the house structures that have been submerged in the flooding. You cannot begin the cleaning and restoration of your house unless you have completely removed the waters from the flooding.
3. Scrub and shovel
Once the flood waters are gone, you can begin removing the dirt and grime on the floors and walls. Shovel off the dirt and mud. Scrub the carpets to remove any stains and wipe off the grime from the walls. You can also hose off the filth to make cleaning the affected areas easier. You have to extensively clean the basement to make it suitable for occupancy once again.
Carpets and rugs that have been inundated must be taken out of the house and laid in the driveway or in the yard for air drying. Leave them to completely dry before bringing them back inside the house. Carpets and rugs are prone to mold growth so they have to be moisture-free before they are put in the basement again.
4. Cleanse and sanitize
To make the basement safe for the residents again, use a disinfectant to clean the affected area. Deodorize the basement to get rid of funky smells and unwanted odors. Inspect all the nooks and crannies and be on the lookout for any possible growth of molds.
Problems brought by disasters such as the Maryland flooding will be easy to tackle when you know what to do. You need not go to great lengths to restore your basement to its original condition. The tools you need to fix the problem are all found within the four corners of your home.

Flooding is not covered by standard property insurance. Contact your insurance agent for flood insurance information. Property owners can insure buildings and contents, and renters can insure their possessions. Elevation certificates may be on file at your local County Department of Water Resources.
Remember, you do not have to live in a floodplain to qualify for flood insurance. According to FEMA, 30 percent of flood damage claims are not located within a SFHA.
