What do you do when you have a flooded basement and water damage?

Unexpected water in your basement can damage walls and floors, destroy carpeting, ruin furniture, and lead—pretty quickly—to mold.

And perhaps the most upsetting of all: As these spaces are so often used for storage, a wet basement can ruin irreplaceable items like photo albums, antiques, and family heirlooms.

When you experience a flooded basement for the first time, it’s imperative to determine if the water problems are going to recur or if it was a one-time event.

Can you safely leave your property downstairs once you’ve got the mess cleaned up? Or does everything need to come upstairs immediately? What’s certain is that if water in your basement is a consistent problem, it’s time to start making decisions.