A flooded basement, bathroom, kitchen, or another area of your home is never a welcomed event. Unfortunately, plumbing problems like leaky pipes, clogged drains, and faulty sewer lines can cause homes to flood. If you find yourself in this ruinous situation, follow these suggestions from our South Pasadena plumbers to protect your property and members of your household.

Turn Off the Electricity to the Affected Area

Water and electricity are never a good combination. If you have standing water anywhere in your home, turn off the electricity to that area of the house until all the water has been removed.

Keep Everyone Away from the Flooded Area

Standing water can be hazardous when it contains raw sewage. Also, stagnant water can breed bacteria quickly. This often happens in situations when homeowners are away for an extended period of time only to return to find that a pipe broke and several inches of water has filled their home. When you have flooding in the home, cordon off the affected area and keep small children and pets away.

Get Rid of the Water

If you have a small area of your home that has taken on water, you can try to remove the water yourself using buckets. Some homeowners may also use wet/dry vacuums to remove the water. If you choose this removal method, be careful not to let the cord touch the water. We recommend hiring a water removal company to help you with this step.

Dispose of Damaged Household Items and Building Materials

Once all the water has been removed, you’ll need to tear out any flooring, baseboards, drywall, or ceiling materials that have been damaged. Also, clear out furniture and place them in a sunny, warm, and dry location to finish drying out. Some people try to salvage some building materials, but doing so can be harmful. It doesn’t take long for mold to form. Also, water damaged construction materials are weakened and could affect the structural integrity of your home.

Call a Licensed Plumber in South Pasadena

After you’ve cleared the area, call a plumber to inspect the situation. You don’t want this to happen again. Hiring an expert to inspect for hidden leaks and diagnose the problem will help you figure out what happened. Once you know what caused the problem, you and your plumber can work together to come up with a repair or replacement solution to ensure you don’t have water damage again.

Did you know you can prevent most flooding problems? Faulty sump pumps, broken pipes, and damaged sewer lines are just three examples of problems that can lead to flooding. Luckily, with routine maintenance, most of these issues can be resolved before disaster strikes. Call My South Pasadena Plumber Hero today to learn more about our preventive maintenance plumbing services!