Basement Water Damage Guides · Basement Water Damage Guides

How to Stay Safe When a Basement Floods

Stay safe basement floods guidance starts with one rule and builds from it: never enter a flooded basement, because the water can carry electricity from submerged outlets and panels, and floodwater is not safe water. Everything else in this guide follows from that rule, and every step here is about keeping the household on dry ground while a professional is called. A flooded basement is a room to stay out of, not a problem to wade into.

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Basements are uncommon across most of California, and they exist mainly in older homes and some hillside areas, so this guidance applies to a smaller group of homes. For those homes, though, knowing the safety steps before water appears is worth more than learning them while standing at the top of a flooded stairway. The [basement flooding cleanup](/basement-flooding-cleanup/) page describes the cleanup service in general terms.

The first rule: stay out

The first rule is to stay out of the flooded basement, and it applies whatever the reason for going down might be. Belongings can be replaced, but a person who steps into water that carries electricity cannot. Submerged outlets, panels, and appliances can make the whole flooded area dangerous, and the danger cannot be seen from the top of the stairs. Close the basement door if you can do so from dry ground, and keep everyone away.

Do not send anyone down to look, and do not try to wade in to switch something off. The water will still be there when a professional arrives, and the room is not worth the risk. Floodwater is not safe water, so contact with it should be avoided for any reason.

Electricity in standing water

Electricity in standing water is the danger that makes the first rule absolute. Water conducts electricity, and floodwater in a basement is in contact with the electrical system of the home. A switch that looks dry from above may be wet below, and an outlet covered by only a few inches of water is live under water. Do not touch electrical items, switches, or outlets in standing water.

If the power needs to be shut off, do it only from a dry place and only if it is safe to do so; otherwise leave it and call a professional. Unplug nothing that is standing in water, and do not try to move an appliance that is wet. A professional can deal with the electrics once the water has been removed.

How to Stay Safe When a Basement Floods — California basement water damage guide

Keep children and pets away

Keep children and pets away from a flooded basement, because they may not understand the danger and may wander in out of curiosity. A child or a pet that steps into floodwater is in danger from the water and from the electricity in it, and a pet that drinks floodwater can be harmed by what the water carries. Close the door, tell everyone in the home that the room is out of bounds, and check that the instruction has been understood.

If the home has a tenant, a lodger, or a visitor, tell them too. The safety rule applies to everyone in the home, not only to the person who found the water. A clear instruction, given once, is better than a warning given after someone has already gone down.

What to do about the water supply

If the water is clearly from plumbing, shut off the water main if it is safe to do so from a dry place. The shut-off is usually outside the home or at a point on dry ground, and it should never be reached by wading through standing water. If the shut-off is in the flooded basement itself, do not go down to reach it; leave it and call a professional.

If the water is from rain, shutting off the water main will not stop it, and the useful step is to keep the household away from the room and call a professional to arrange a visit. Do not try to pump water out yourself while standing in it.

What to note from a safe place

From a safe, dry place at the top of the stairs, note what you can see: where the water is, how deep it looks, whether it is still rising, and whether it followed rain or appeared on a dry day. Note the time you found it, and whether any appliance or pipe nearby looks involved. Take photographs from a safe, dry place, because a record of the water level and where it appeared is useful later.

Do not go down into the water to take a closer photograph. The record you make from the stairs is enough, and it keeps you safe while you make it. Those notes help a cleanup company understand the situation when you call.

While waiting for help

While waiting for help, move belongings that are on dry ground away from the stairs and the basement door, so that water cannot reach them if it rises further. Do not carry items out of a flooded room. Keep the household on dry ground, and keep the basement door closed. The [basement flooding cleanup](/basement-flooding-cleanup/) page describes the cleanup service in general terms.

If the water is still rising, or if it has reached electrical outlets or a panel, say so when you call, because that detail helps a cleanup company understand the situation. Stay out of the water, and let the professional deal with the room.

Key Takeaways

The first rule is to stay out of the flooded basement, and it applies whatever the reason for going down might be.
Electricity in standing water is the danger that makes the first rule absolute.
Keep children and pets away from a flooded basement, because they may not understand the danger and may wander in out of curiosity.
If the water is clearly from plumbing, shut off the water main if it is safe to do so from a dry place.
From a safe, dry place at the top of the stairs, note what you can see: where the water is, how deep it looks, whether it is still rising, and whether it followed rain or appeared on a dry day.
While waiting for help, move belongings that are on dry ground away from the stairs and the basement door, so that water cannot reach them if it rises further.

Your Next Step

If this guide matches what you found at home, the next step is a visit — not a guess. Call and describe what you found, and the visit is arranged from what you describe. The Basement Flooding Cleanup page explains what that service covers, the Basement Flooding Cleanup page covers a related part of the job, and the services hub lists every service in one place.

While you wait, do not enter a flooded basement and do not touch switches, plugs or appliances in standing water. Floodwater is not safe water — keep pets and children clear of it.

Keep the guides on this site bookmarked: the first guide, the signs guide, and the preparation guide cover the checks worth repeating — after moving in, and after heavy rain.

Basement water damage help is available across California. See basement water damage cleanup in Sonoma, CA for one local example, or find your town on the service areas page.