The short answer
Do: make sure the power is safe, find the source, photograph everything, move what you can and call for help. Don't: wade into water near live electricity, use a household vacuum, pump out a deeply flooded basement too fast after a major flood, or restart gas appliances that got wet before they're checked.
On this page
What to do
Check the power
If water is near outlets, cords, the furnace, the water heater or the panel, stay out and call your electric utility or an electrician.
Find the source
Is it coming from outside, from plumbing, or up through a floor drain? The answer decides who to call and how insurance treats it.
Stop it if you can
Shut off the main water valve for a plumbing leak. Clear a blocked sump pump inlet or reset its power only if it's safe.
Document
Photos and video of the water level, the source and damaged belongings.
Move and protect
Lift belongings onto shelves or upstairs.
Call for help
A cleanup company for the water, a plumber for plumbing or sewer problems and your insurer.
What not to do
- Don't wade in with the power on. Water and electricity are the biggest risk in a flooded basement.
- Don't use a household vacuum. A wet/dry shop vacuum is fine for small amounts of clean water if there's no electrical risk.
- Don't pump too fast after a major flood. FEMA and Red Cross flood recovery guidance recommends pumping a deeply flooded basement out gradually when the ground outside is still saturated, so outside water pressure doesn't damage the walls.
- Don't restart wet gas appliances. Have a furnace, boiler or water heater that sat in water checked first.
- Don't treat floor drain water as clean. It may be sewage. See sewage backup cleanup.
Where did the water come from?
| Clue | Likely source | Call |
|---|---|---|
| Water along wall edges or through cracks after rain or snowmelt | Groundwater or surface water | Cleanup company, then a waterproofing contractor |
| Water spreading from the water heater, washer or a pipe | Plumbing or appliance | Plumber and cleanup company |
| Dirty water from the floor drain, especially when fixtures upstairs run | Sewer backup | Plumber, then sewage cleanup |
| Water rising with a river or street flooding | Flood | Cleanup company and your flood insurer |
Westfield-area basements
Westfield averages 48.39 inches of precipitation a year, sits in the Westfield River floodplain and gets spring snowmelt on top of that. Sump pumps, window wells and foundation joints do a lot of work here. In February 2025, heavy rain and snow flooded streets and homes around the region after snow and ice blocked storm drains, and one West Springfield resident told WWLP that water came into his basement through cracks in his windows. See flooded basement cleanup for how professional cleanup works, and our main page on Westfield water damage restoration for everything else.
Preventing the next one
- Test the sump pump each season and consider a battery backup.
- Keep gutters clear and extend downspouts away from the foundation.
- Make sure the ground slopes away from the house and window wells drain.
- Store belongings in plastic bins on shelves, not on the floor.
Sources
- Westfield, Massachusetts (Wikipedia: 2020 Census population, geography, Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport climate normals, 1981–2010)
- “Streets and homes throughout region flooded from heavy rain and snow” (WWLP 22News, February 2025)
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to go into a flooded basement?
Not until you know the electricity is off or the water is nowhere near outlets, cords, appliances or the panel. If in doubt, stay out and call your electric utility.
Why shouldn't I pump out my basement all at once?
After a major flood, saturated soil presses on the outside of the walls. FEMA and Red Cross guidance recommends pumping gradually so the walls aren't damaged.
Does homeowners insurance cover a flooded basement?
It depends on the source. Plumbing failures are often covered; flood and groundwater usually aren't, and sewer backup often needs an endorsement.