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How to Prepare for the Next Basement Flood

Prepare next basement flood California homeowners should think about after one flood is a matter of turning the experience into a plan, because a basement that has flooded once is likely to flood again unless the cause is dealt with. The preparation covers three things: knowing what to do when water appears, knowing who to call, and making the checks that lower the risk of the next flood. A homeowner who has been through one flood is better placed than one who has not, because they know where the water came from and what it did.

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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, preparation after a first flood is the best use of the experience. The [basement waterproofing and flood prevention](/basement-waterproofing-flood-prevention/) page describes prevention services in general terms.

Learn from the first flood

Learn from the first flood by keeping the record that was made at the time: where the water appeared, how deep it looked, whether it followed rain or appeared on a dry day, and what the water seemed to come from. That record is the best guide to the cause, and the cause is the thing that must be dealt with if the next flood is to be avoided. A basement that flooded through a crack will flood through the same crack again unless the crack is dealt with.

Photographs from a safe, dry place, a note of the time, and a list of what was damaged are all part of the record. Keep it where it can be found, and share it with any professional who looks at the home in person.

Keep the numbers ready

Keep the numbers ready before the next flood: a cleanup company, a plumber, and the insurer are the three numbers that matter most, and they should be written down where everyone in the household can find them. A homeowner who has the numbers ready can act quickly, and a quick call is the best first step after the safety steps. The [basement water damage cleanup](/basement-water-damage-cleanup/) page describes the cleanup service in general terms.

Tell everyone in the household where the numbers are, and where the water main shut-off is. A household that knows the numbers and the shut-off can act together, and a household that does not know them can lose time searching.

How to Prepare for the Next Basement Flood — California basement water damage guide

Make the pre-season checks

Make the pre-season checks described across this site: gutters and downspouts carrying water away from the walls, the ground sloping away from the home, window wells clear, and a sump pump checked before the rainy season where one exists. Inside, on a dry day, look for the marks of past water and note whether they have changed. These are general checks, not a promise that a basement will stay dry, because prevention lowers the risk but cannot rule out a flood.

A crack that admits water every time it rains is worth a professional opinion in person, because no general guide can judge whether a crack is structural. A professional looking at the home in person can say more about which checks matter most for that particular property.

Store belongings higher

Store belongings higher after a flood, because items kept off the floor and away from the walls where water enters are less likely to be reached by shallow water. In general terms, items stored on shelves or on raised platforms are less likely to be damaged than items stored directly on the floor, and boxes that are sealed are less likely to take water than open ones. No storage method is claimed here as a fix, because a deep flood will reach shelves as well as floors.

Keep the most valued items where they are least likely to be reached by water, and keep a list of what is stored in the basement. A list made in dry weather is worth more than a memory made after a flood.

Know the safety steps by heart

Know the safety steps by heart, because they are the ones that must be followed without thinking when water appears: never enter a flooded basement, never handle electrics in standing water, keep children and pets away, and call a professional to arrange a visit. Tell everyone in the household the rule, and make sure it is understood. A household that knows the rule can act together, and a household that does not know it can wander into danger.

Floodwater is not safe water, so contact with it should be avoided. The safety blogs on this site describe the steps in full, and they are worth reading before the rainy season rather than during it.

Plan for the next flood, not just the last one

Plan for the next flood, not just the last one, because the next flood may come from a different cause or through a different route. A home that flooded through a crack in one storm may flood through a failed pump in the next, and a home that flooded in a winter storm may flood from a burst pipe in summer. The preparation that matters is the general kind: the numbers, the shut-off, the checks, and the safety steps.

The [basement waterproofing and flood prevention](/basement-waterproofing-flood-prevention/) page describes prevention services in general terms, and the prevention checklist blog on this site sets out the general checks in full.

Key Takeaways

Learn from the first flood by keeping the record that was made at the time: where the water appeared, how deep it looked, whether it followed rain or appeared on a dry day, and what the water seemed to come from.
Keep the numbers ready before the next flood: a cleanup company, a plumber, and the insurer are the three numbers that matter most, and they should be written down where everyone in the household can find them.
Make the pre-season checks described across this site: gutters and downspouts carrying water away from the walls, the ground sloping away from the home, window wells clear, and a sump pump checked before the rainy season where one exists.
Store belongings higher after a flood, because items kept off the floor and away from the walls where water enters are less likely to be reached by shallow water.
Know the safety steps by heart, because they are the ones that must be followed without thinking when water appears: never enter a flooded basement, never handle electrics in standing water, keep children and pets away, and call a professional to arrange a visit.
Plan for the next flood, not just the last one, because the next flood may come from a different cause or through a different route.

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 Waterproofing & Flood Prevention 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 San Pedro, CA for one local example, or find your town on the service areas page.