Brooklyn Blues: Cleaning Out A Flooded Basement

By Author: Leo Nov
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Brooklyn, New York is one of five boroughs in New York, and is the most populous with around 2.5 million residents. The diverse population has allowed for Brooklyn to have a distinct culture, aside from the busy city that it is.

The climate of the city is the humid, continental type, which is commonly experienced in Northern parts of the United States. So, much of the size and make-up of the city affects the climate. Aside from the inland water bodies, Brooklyn is surrounded by numerous water bodies as well. All these contribute to especially chilly winters and hot and humid summers.

Important to take note of is the fact that almost all storm and frontal systems moving to the east of the continent pass or hit the State of New York. This, paired with the close proximity of neighborhood structures, causes a lot of problems come the rainy and stormy seasons. However, precipitation is generally uniform throughout the year.

A direct and probable result from experiencing heavy rainfall and packed neighborhoods is flooding. Full neighborhoods allow for more human waste and less space in general. Also, there is ...
... less primacy on the quality of structures because of the lack of workable space-these are causes for floods to gather up when the heavy rain starts pouring.

Once the storms and rain have come and gone, how do you deal with floods in and around your home that are left in their wake?

Before focusing on floods in your home, make sure that there are no more floods or sources of water to build up so as not to risk re-flooding the premises, causing more damage in the long run.

Once the outside is cleaned up, only then can you start with your home itself. Often times, floods gather in basements. Most of the water lines run through here, and, being the lowest part of your property, it is only natural for flood water to gather here.

When going in to the flooded basement itself, prepare all the necessary gear and equipment. Wear water proof and impenetrable boots and gloves, and long sleeved shirts and pants (that are water proof) as well.

The draining proper is also not as simple as it sounds. Deep floodwaters should not be drained all at once. At most, about a foot of floodwater should be drained every eight to twelve hours. This is mainly to allow the structures to dry up and regain some of their strength and sturdiness. If drained too early, all at once, the walls, floors, and fixtures are left weak and prone to further damage or even collapse.

If your basement houses a lot of chemicals, tools, old furniture, and other foreign objects that you cannot account fully account for in flood water, then it is best to call for expert help.

Trained experts can effectively address basement flooding, account for their safety and yours as well, and ultimately prevent such a thing from happening again. Brooklyn has a wide array of professions and people that are willing to help out in such situations.
Leo Nov is an editorial staff member of RestorationSOS.com. To learn more about Water Damage Cleanup in Brooklyn, NY and water removal, visit RestorationSOS.com.