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How to Drain a Flooded Basement - Pump Out

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How to Drain a Flooded Basement - Introduction

Flooded Basements Require Special Technique When Pumping Out Water


Introduction
Major flood damage is unquestionably one of the most destructive events your home can experience and also one of the most emotionally stressful events you may endure.

Floods and water damage from major storms can affect your entire home, from the roof, to ceilings and walls to flooring and of course, your basement.

There are a lot of different issues to consider when trying to restore and repair your home from from major flood water damage and not all of them are intuitive. For example, quickly pumping out the flood water from your flooded basement is not safe! I'll explain why shortly but if this is not done properly, major structural damage can occur to your home.

In this tutorial I'll walk you through the steps involved in safely venturing into your home after a flood and how to remove the flood water from your basement. Let's review some of the items you'll need:

    Difficulty Level
  • Average
    Needed Tools and Materials
  • Gas powered water pump and/or gas powered emergency electrical generator
  • High powered flashlight (do not use open flame candles)
  • High waterproof boots or hip waders
  • Dust mask
  • Work gloves and rubber gloves
  • Pry bar and basic hand tools such as a hammer, flat blade and phillips screw drivers
  • Pipe wrench or Channel-Lock pliers

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