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Water in Basement: Who To Call & When
11/25/2020 (Permalink)
When there's water in your basement, it's hard to figure out who you're supposed to call and when.
When there's water in your basement, it's not always clear who you're supposed to call first. Do you need to call your plumber? Should you call your insurance company first? And what about who to call for your flooded basement cleanup?
The answers to these questions lies in the source of your basement flooding. Here, we will go over who to call and when during a basement water problem.
When To Call Your Plumber
When the source of the water in your basement is due to a plumbing issue, you'll want to call your plumber first. There are many plumbing issues that can cause a wet basement that need to be repaired as soon as possible to stop the flooding. Before calling your plumber, try to turn off your main water valve to prevent any more flooding by yourself and reduce water damage.
When to call your plumber for water in your basement:
- Burst water pipes
- Frozen pipes
- Water softener malfunction
- Water heater leaking
- Plumbing leaks
- Toilet overflows
- Call them before having someone out to clean up
When To Call Your HVAC Contractor
Surprising to many homeowners, there are times when the source of your basement flooding is due to your heating or cooling system. You can help mitigate these issues by turning of the AC or your heating system.
When to call your HVAC contractor for water in your basement:
- Clogged condensate drain line
- Clogged/overflowing condensate pump
- Furnace leaking
- Disconnected refrigerant lines
- Cracked drain pan
- Call them before having someone out to clean up
When To Call Your Insurance Company
You can call your insurance company any time your basement floods, but you should be aware when your flooding isn't covered to save yourself time and frustration on the phone. It's best to call your insurance company immediately after you find flood damage so that they can get claim filed as soon as possible.
Your insurance company will also be able to inform you of any other steps or companies you should be calling to have the issue resolved. You can call your insurance company after you have already had the problem fixed and cleaned up to seek reimbursement, but the reimbursement will not be guaranteed.
Times when your basement flooding will be covered by insurance and you should call them are:
- Flooding due to a burst pipe
- Flooding due to broken appliances, such as water heaters, refrigerator lines, or washing machines
- Flooding due to your HVAC system
Unfortunately, most standard homeowners insurance policies do not cover groundwater basement flooding. You can purchase supplemental coverage if your basement is prone to this type of flooding. This coverage usually only applies if you take steps to prevent flooding through waterproofing.
When To Call A Flood Cleanup Company
You'll want to call a water damage restoration company to perform water removal and drying of your basement. But, you shouldn't call them until the source of your problem is fixed or no longer causing flooding. This is so that their efforts to clean up your flooded basement aren't ruined by more water.
You should call a water damage restoration company:
- After the source of flooding has stopped or been repaired
- When you cannot clean up all the water yourself
- When your insurance company says to call
- When you notice mold growth
- When it happened in a finished basement
When To Call Your Basement Waterproofing Company
If your basement is high risk of flooding, you likely have taken steps to help ensure it doesn't by basement waterproofing. No one wants water in their basement every time it rains. Unfortunately, there are times when these precautions fails and there is still water all over your basement floor.
You should call your basement waterproofing company:
- After the flood has been stopped and cleaned up
- When flooding is due to a failed sump pump
- When installed drainage systems have failed or have clogged
- When you notice water coming through the basement walls
- If cracks appear in the foundation wall
- If water enters the basement every time there are heavy rains
Related Resources:
What To Do When Your Basement Floods