Water in the basement and fallen trees – these devices are your emergency equipment for water & storm damage
Floods, heavy rain, heavy storms and strong thunderstorms: Especially in the summer months, violent storms occur again and again. It is not uncommon for these weather events to bring nasty surprises such as uncovered roofs, uprooted trees, floods and flooded basements. The major disasters are dealt with by the fire brigade, technical relief agencies and other organisations. However, less serious damage can often be repaired by yourself. You can find out in our blog what devices to use for these situations and what you should pay attention to.
With the right equipment, you can eliminate minor flooding and storm damage around the house and garden yourself.
Overflowing basement after a storm? This needs to be sorted immediately!
What have we learned from previous flood disasters? Water always finds its way through. Whether in heavy rain, through a burst pipe or overflowing streams: basements full of water and water damage in the building are often the result. If the water is very high, you should call the fire brigade, which can pump it out with a large device. However, if the water is only limited, you can also pump the water out of your home and basement yourself. But before you get started, there are a few things you should take into account. A step-by-step guide:
- Observe the water level: Wait until rain and thunderstorms are over and no more water enters. You should only start pumping out the basement when the water level is lower on the outside than on the inside, because the water presses against the wall from the outside. The water collected inside compensates for this pressure. If you start pumping, the pressure from the outside can damage the masonry of the building, which can cause cracks.
- Turn off the power: In all disasters and clean-up work, you should first and foremost always pay attention to the safety of yourself and others. Property can be replaced, but human life cannot. So, before you enter your basement, you must switch off the electricity, because water and electricity often lead to deadly electric shocks. If the power box is in the basement, is under water or is only accessible through the water, you should notify your energy supplier or call the fire brigade.
- Document the damages: If the power is turned off, you can take pictures and videos of the flooded basement and the damage caused. This allows you to create evidence that you can submit to insurance companies, if necessary. Depending on the insurance, you can also clarify what to do next over the phone, i.e. what damage you can and should remedy independently.
- Pumping out: Depending on how much water has accumulated in the basement, you can start pumping out with the help of a suitable pump. However, you should first be sure that the water was not contaminated by pollutants previously stored in the basement, such as fuel oil, paints, etc. If this is the case, you should inform the fire brigade, because they have means to bind dangerous substances, and thus prevent them from getting into the sewer system.
- Remove sludge: With the help of a waste water pump or a special sludge extractor, you can pump water and sludge directly from the basement. If there is any residue remaining, you should remove it as soon as possible and keep it moist during the process. Once the sludge has dried, it becomes a hard, heavy mass that is difficult to remove.
- Tidying up and disposal: Before you can dry the basement room, it is important to clear out any damp and damaged items. If you would like to report certain damages to your insurance company, you should make sure to keep the damaged items, to be on the safe side.
- Drying: To prevent mould from forming, the damp basement must dry thoroughly so that no moisture remains on and in walls and floors.
You can absorb smaller puddles of water and residues of liquids with an Einhell wet/dry vacuum cleaner.
You can use these devices for pumping out and drying:
- Petrol Water Pumps: With an Einhell petrol-powered water pump, vast quantities of water – depending on the model, up to 23,000 litres per hour – can be extracted without the need for a mains power connection.
- Dirty Water Submersible Pumps: Depending on the model, Einhell dirty water submersible pumps can pump up to 23,000 litres per hour. Certain models, such as the GE-DP 900 Cut, are even equipped with a cutting mechanism that chops up solids like clumps of sludge. If mains electricity is unavailable, a cordless dirty water pump is a worthwhile alternative. Once the bulk of the water has been removed from the cellar using these high-performance pumps, a flat-suction pump can be used to extract the remaining water down to a residual level of just 1 mm.
- Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaners: To remove the remaining residual water, Einhell’s wet and dry vacuum cleaners are ideal. Depending on the model, they feature particularly large collection tanks with capacities of up to 50 litres. Here too, you can choose between cordless and corded versions.
- Power Generators: While pumping out the cellar, the electricity supply in the house should be switched off. To still be able to operate corded pumps and other electrical devices, a power generator is extremely useful. Ideally, the generator and the required petrol should be stored in areas not at risk of flooding to prevent exposure to moisture. Under no circumstances must a wet generator be used – the risk is significant! Additionally, due to exhaust emissions, generators must only ever be operated outdoors. Wait until the rain has passed and ensure the generator is not placed in a puddle.
- Tip: If the power fails or has been switched off after a storm or due to water damage, it’s practical to have cordless lamps in the house. Our range of lamps not only offers impressive brightness but also benefits from long runtimes thanks to Power X-Change batteries.
Lightning and storm damage in the garden
A strong storm sweeps over your property and sweeps away anything that has not been nailed down or protected from the wind. Broken branches and fallen trees adorn numerous streets and gardens. While the fire brigades are busy clearing trees from roads, you can work in your garden yourself, provided you have the suitable tools. If the storm caused damage to furniture, cars, etc.; for example, due to a fallen tree, you should again document these with photos and videos so that you can discuss the damage with your insurance company.
After heavy rain and storms, you are always well equipped with cordless and petrol devices, because you do not need a working power supply with them. With a petrol or cordless chainsaw, fallen trees and thick, damaged branches can be cut and sawed off, in order to then dry and be used as firewood, for example. You can also reach high, kinked branches with pole saws, and you can cut off smaller branches within reach with a cordless pruning saw.
For example, you can cut off bent or broken branches with the Einhell cordless pruning saw.
After the storm is before clean-up
Leaves, dirt and sludge residue: Paths, yards and terraces often look like a battlefield after a storm. You can ease the cumbersome clean-up work with Einhell's powerful devices. With cordless leaf vacuums, you can collect dry leaves and dirt directly in the collection sack to dispose of it in a targeted manner. With the powerful blowing power of cordless leaf blowers, you can, for example, also blow wet and moist leaves or small stones out of the way. High-pressure cleaners help you clean dirty floors, garden furniture, cars, etc. and also remove sludge residue. The cordless surface brush PICOBELLA, combined with the matching brush, even removes deep-seated dirt. With the cordless push sweeper, you can clean the yard, terrace and pavement in the last step. However, make sure that the floor is completely dried when using the sweeper!
Summary: Quickly repair water and storm damage with the right tool
Many of the devices mentioned should be part of the standard tool kit for amateur gardeners and homeowners anyway and are a helpful support not only in everyday life, but also after storms. Because once the catastrophe has happened, the basement has filled with water and the garden has been devastated, quick action saves you money. And even if you were lucky and your own belongings were spared, other people may need help. Above all, one thing has become clear after past floods: In difficult situations, people move together and actively help with the clean-up work. This is precisely where the Einhell water pumps, power generators, wet/dry vacuum cleaners, chainsaws, sweepers and the like can help.
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Published on 27.07.2022
Marina Liefke is an Online Editor at Einhell, where she deals with virtually all texts related to tools, garden equipment, and accessories. She acquires the necessary know-how through practical product training and close collaboration with the Einhell product managers. Her favorite tool is the PRESSITO cordless compressor because when the air is running out, it pumps it right back in.