Basements flood from below and from the side: a sump pump that quits during a storm, groundwater pushing through a foundation crack, snowmelt pouring into a window well, or a floor drain that backs up. In Boulder, spring snowmelt and summer thunderstorms are when most basement calls come in.
Crews handle water damage claims from every major carrier, including:
Insurers are named for reference only. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by any insurance company.
Finished basements are the hard part. Carpet pad, drywall, and the framing behind it soak up water from the floor, and below-grade rooms stay humid long after the standing water is gone. Without commercial dehumidification, those materials can take weeks to dry on their own, which is plenty of time for mold.
Water category:Usually Category 2 (gray water); Category 3 if it came from outside or a sewer line
Step 1
Submersible pumps clear deep water first, then extractors pull water from carpet and pad so the crew can decide what can be saved.
Step 2
Pad soaked with gray water is usually removed. Carpet can sometimes be cleaned and reinstalled; drywall is typically cut above the wick line.
Step 3
Groundwater and drain water carry bacteria, so floors and wall cavities are cleaned and treated before drying.
Step 4
Basements need more dehumidification than above-grade rooms. LGR dehumidifiers run with air movers until the slab and framing read dry.
Step 5
The crew notes where the water entered, which your insurer will ask about, and documents the loss with photos and moisture logs.
Local notes
Basement calls in Boulder spike during spring snowmelt and summer thunderstorms. Homes on sloped lots in North Boulder and along the foothills take runoff toward their foundations, and the September 2013 flood showed how fast creek corridors can overwhelm a neighborhood. If you live near Boulder Creek or one of its tributaries, check your flood zone and consider a sump pump with battery backup.
Insurance
Coverage depends on where the water came from. A burst pipe or appliance leak in the basement is usually covered. Water from a failed sump pump or backed-up drain is excluded from a base HO-3 policy unless you have a water backup endorsement. Groundwater seepage and surface flooding are generally excluded and only covered by a flood policy.
Read the Colorado water damage insurance guideNo honest company can price this over the phone. These are the things the crew measures on site. Read the full cost guide.
Get a crew out to inspect it
An IICRC-certified crew measures the damage, explains the scope, and documents it for your insurer. You decide whether to go ahead.
(720) 806-6511Or estimate your drying scope firstSnowmelt raises groundwater and soaks the soil against foundation walls. If gutters dump water next to the house, window wells fill, or the sump pump can't keep up, water finds its way in through cracks, joints, and drains.
For a small puddle of clean water, maybe. For anything that reached carpet pad or drywall, household fans don't remove moisture from the air, and the basement stays damp. Commercial dehumidifiers are what actually dry a below-grade room.
It depends on the source. Sudden plumbing leaks usually are. Sump failures and drain backups need a water backup endorsement. Groundwater and surface flooding generally need flood insurance.
