Short answer
Stay out of standing water until power to the basement is off, and assume river or sewer water is contaminated. Then find the source: a failed sump pump, a backup at the floor drain, groundwater seepage or river water. Remove water, photograph everything for insurance, and dry the space within a day or two. Call a professional for anything electrical or for floodwater cleanup.
Do this first
- Don’t step into standing water until power to the basement is off.
- If the water came up the floor drain or from the river, treat it as contaminated.
- Photograph and video everything before moving anything.
1. Stay safe
- Electricity. If outlets, cords or the panel are in or near the water, shut off power at the main breaker only if you can reach it from a dry spot. Otherwise call the utility or an electrician.
- Gas appliances. If the furnace or water heater was under water, don’t restart it until a professional checks it.
- Contamination. River water and sewer backups carry sewage and chemicals. Wear boots and gloves, and keep children and pets out.
2. Find the source
| What you see | Likely source | Go to |
|---|---|---|
| Pit full, pump silent or humming | Sump pump failure or power outage | Sump pump repair |
| Water from the floor drain with an odor | Combined sewer backup | Sewer backup or groundwater? |
| Water along walls or through floor cracks | Groundwater | Floor-wall joint |
| Water over window wells or through doors, river rising | Overland flooding | White River flooding |
If the river is rising, follow the City of Anderson’s flood instructions. The city says the White River begins to overflow at about 10 feet.
3. Stop more water if you safely can
- Restart the sump pump if the GFCI tripped or the float is stuck, or run a backup or portable utility pump.
- Don’t use sinks, showers or toilets during a sewer backup.
- Clear snow, ice or debris from a blocked sump outlet.
4. Document
Take photos and video of the water, the damage, the pump and anything you throw out. Write down dates and times. Insurance and assistance programs ask for this.
5. Dry out within a day or two
- Remove water with a pump or wet-dry vacuum.
- Pull up soaked carpet and padding. Cut out wet drywall and insulation about a foot above the water line.
- Run fans and dehumidifiers continuously.
- Clean and disinfect hard surfaces that contaminated water touched.
6. Then fix the cause
Once the basement is dry, find out why water got in. On Anderson’s ground, that’s often a sump pump without a backup, an old footing drain on a high water table, or a combined sewer backup. The problem guides help narrow it down.
Who to call for what
| Situation | Call |
|---|---|
| Water near outlets, cords or the electrical panel | The electric utility or an electrician |
| Gas smell, or a gas appliance that was under water | The gas utility, from outside the house |
| Sewage coming up the floor drain | A plumber, and the city’s sewer utility |
| Large or contaminated cleanup | A water damage restoration company |
| Pump failed or can’t keep up | A plumber or waterproofing contractor; see sump pump repair |
| Seepage that returns after the cleanup | A waterproofing contractor; see interior drain tile |
| A claim | Your insurance company, with your photos |
Insurance, briefly
Standard homeowners policies usually exclude flood damage, and sewer or drain backup is often covered only by an added endorsement. Read your policy’s declarations page or call your agent before throwing out damaged items, and keep receipts for pumps, fans and cleanup supplies. If you’re in a mapped flood area, our flood zones page explains what that means for insurance.