ZEELAND, Mich. — When it starts to rain outside, one Zeeland family knows what’s next.
“Here we go again,” says homeowner Amber Snyder, a busy mother of eight who doesn’t need to be dealing with a flooded basement.
“I was in tears one day this week because I’m so tired of this,” she said.
Their basement has been a constant flood zone for six weeks, thanks to melting snow and a rainy forecast. It has caused damage to two of the kids’ bedrooms and the drywall.
Ayers Basements Systems, based out of Lansing, has been working to repair the problem, a common one lately for many West Michigan homeowners.
“It is unbelievable with the magnitude of rain we’ve been getting. I think our office has booked 143 appointments this week, ” said Kurt Kramarenko, project manager.
He says if you have a basement that is prone to flooding, always put safety first.
“Don’t go into basement when it is flooded, you could have electrical issues down there. Call somebody who knows what they are doing,” he explained.
Kramarenko says if it is safe zone, try and find the source.
“See if there is failure. Many times a (circuit) breaker has popped, if you have a sump pump it may be it has just stopped. Make sure you have power in the breaker and make sure the pump is activated, said Kramarenko.
Get the water out as quickly as possible with the sump pump or a Shop Vac. The quicker it gets dry, the less likely you will have to deal with mold.
Some homeowners can’t prevent flooding altogether because of their foundation, but he says many can.
“Just check your gutters. Make sure the gutters are extended past the overdig, six to eight feet is good, and make sure the gutters are clean.”
The Snyder family is working on drying things out downstairs. Until then, “Get some good boots,” laughs Amber Snyder.
