Heavy rains Friday led to flash floods in the Greater Cincinnati region. As residents assess damage left behind, some may find their basements submerged in water. While cleaning up a flooded basement may seem like an impossible task, it can be done.
Here’s what to do.
Dealing with a basement flood? Here’s what to do
First and foremost, residents should never walk into a room when water is on the floor, as extension cords or other electrical wiring may be compromised and the standing water could be electrified.
After ensuring everyone’s safety, there are a few important steps to take within the first 24 hours to keep mold development to a minimum, according to American Family Insurance:
Who to call in Greater Cincinnati if your basement is flooded
Greater Cincinnati residents should contact the Metropolitan Sewer District, or MSD, if a potential sewer backup is the result of flooding. Residents must report the backup to MSD within 48 hours of discovery to be potentially eligible for reimbursement of qualifying property damages.
After the report, an MSD customer service crew will investigate and determine if the damage is eligible for assistance through its Sewer Backup Program. If the damage qualifies for reimbursement, MSD will provide professional cleaning services to owners and tenants at no charge.
Visit msdgc.org/sbu to learn more about MSD’s Sewer Backup Program.
Who to call in Northern Kentucky if your basement is flooded
Northern Kentucky residents should contact Sanitation District 1, or SD1, to report basement backups or other sewer emergencies as soon as possible so the agency can investigate the cause.
Unlike Cincinnati, SD1 does not offer a backup remediation program.
“Our focus is more on backup prevention, and we do offer an assistance program for that,” Chris Cole, media relations representative for SD1, told The Enquirer.Visit sd1/org/246/Backup-Assistance-Program to learn more.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: What to do (and who to call) if your basement is flooded
Reporting by Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kaycee Sloan, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
