STEP 4: Rescue Your Personal Property

Where there will be a few things you want to get out of the basement right away, most things can be moved after you’ve made those two phone calls. Again, it’s important to take care when moving items, as your water could be charged with electricity, and raw sewage or toxic substances may be present in the floodwaters. If you’re not sure if this is the case, it’s best to be on the safe side. If you have photos, electronics, or irreplaceable items that have water damage, do not despair! Many disaster restoration companies have ways to restore your property and restore lost computer data. This is one of the key reasons to opt for them over a standard pump-out job from a plumber or fire department. Since the basement could be humid for a couple days while the drying out process continues, you may want to move out personal items such as photos, documents, and fabrics. They may look fine now, but they could grow mold in the near future. You also may want to get a photographic record of the damage for your insurance company.