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Flood water extraction and pumping in Cedar Rapids

Standing river water pumped and extracted from the lowest point up, before drying can begin.

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  • Cedar River flooding
  • Storm and hail damage
  • Frozen and burst pipes

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Extraction

Flood Water Extraction and Pumping: what it covers

Quick answer

Flood water extraction is the removal of standing water from a basement, crawl space or floor, usually with pumps and extraction equipment, before any drying can begin. Standing water stays in contact with walls, floors and wiring, so it comes out first. Crews work from the lowest point upward and check the power before the pumps are run.

Flood Water Extraction and Pumping illustration for Cedar Rapids, IA

Standing water is the most urgent part of any river flood. Every hour it sits in a basement, it soaks the lower walls, the sill plates and the floor, and it spreads silt into every corner it reaches. Extraction is the step that stops that spread. A crew pumps the water out before any drying equipment is set, because drying equipment cannot pull moisture out of a surface that is still under water.

Extraction in a Cedar Rapids house is a matter of sequence. The power is checked first, especially where the electrical panel, the furnace or the water heater sits in or near the water. The pumps are then set at the lowest point, the water is moved out through a hose to a drain or a discharge point the homeowner has approved, and the level is watched so the water does not run back into rooms already cleared.

Call (833) 490-5225 as soon as water is standing in the house. The line is answered 24/7 and a crew is sent as soon as one is free. Do not try to run a pump yourself in water that is near an outlet, a panel or a furnace, and do not wait for the water to drop on its own, because it will not dry in the walls while it stands.

Service area
Cedar Rapids & Linn County
Availability
Phones answered 24/7, emergencies first
Warning signs

Signs you need flood water extraction and pumping

Do not enter standing water if the power may still be on, if the electrical panel sits in the water, or if there is any sign of damage to the wiring. Do not run a pump in water that is near an outlet or an extension cord. Never run a generator inside the house, in a garage or near a window, because it gives off carbon monoxide. Keep children and pets well away from the discharge hose.

  • Water standing across the basement floor or lying in a low spot on the ground floor
  • A water line on the walls that rises above the floor and stops in a neat band
  • Water that is still coming up through the floor drain or the sump pit
  • A damp smell that gets stronger each hour the water stays in the room
  • Electrical outlets, a panel or a furnace sitting in or next to the water
  • Silt or mud that is still moving in the water when it is stirred
Our process

How our flood water extraction and pumping visit works

  1. Check power and access

    The technician checks whether the electrical panel, outlets and equipment in the water can be safely isolated. If they cannot, the pumping waits until power is shut off from a safe position. The route to the pump location is cleared as well.

  2. Set the pumps at the lowest point

    Submersible pumps are placed in the deepest part of the water, usually the floor drain or sump area, so the standing water moves toward them. Several pumps may be needed where the floor is divided into rooms.

  3. Discharge the water safely

    The water is run out through a hose to a drain, a storm connection or a discharge point the homeowner approves in advance. The crew avoids sending water back into a neighboring house or onto a sidewalk where it will pool.

  4. Remove the silt and the last inch

    Once the water is low enough, the remaining water and silt are removed with squeegees, wet vacuums rated for the job and hand tools. The last inch often holds the most silt, and it is the step that keeps the floor from crusting over.

  5. Measure and hand over to drying

    The floor and lower walls are measured for moisture, and the readings are logged. The drying equipment is set against those readings, so the next phase begins with a clear picture of where the water went.

Job stories

Typical jobs for flood water extraction and pumping

Typical job
Illustration: Standing river water pumped out of a cellar before drying starts

Standing river water pumped out of a cellar before drying starts

What homeowners notice
A homeowner finds an inch of brown water across the cellar floor after a rise in the river. The electrical panel sits on the wall above the waterline, and a furnace stands in the corner of the room.
What we do
The crew first checks the power and the panel from a safe location. Submersible pumps are set at the lowest point, the discharge route is agreed with the homeowner, and the last water and silt are removed by hand so the floor can be read.
What to expect
The cellar is clear of standing water and ready for moisture readings, and the equipment and the discharge route are recorded for the next visit.

Usually one visit to pump, then readings on later visits typical visit

Why must standing water come out before drying starts?

Drying equipment removes moisture from the air and from surfaces above the water. While the water is still standing, the lower walls and floor keep taking it in, so the drying cannot catch up. Extraction stops the water from moving deeper into the structure.

A dehumidifier in a flooded room works against the water rather than with it. The humidity rises because the standing water keeps evaporating into the air, and the wet floor keeps feeding moisture into the walls. Pumping the water out first breaks that cycle and gives the drying work a fair start.

The sequence is also a matter of safety. Pumps and power tools placed in standing water are a hazard, and the crew handles the electrical side before any drying equipment is plugged in.

Can a homeowner run a pump in the basement?

A homeowner can sometimes start a pump, but only where the power can be isolated and the water is away from outlets, the panel and the furnace. A pump that is wrongly placed or wired can cause a shock, and a pump run for too long can burn out and leave the water higher than before.

Most basements that flood with river water have hidden hazards: a half-submerged extension cord, a panel on the wall above the water line, or a sump that is connected to the building's wiring. A homeowner who does not know where those are should not wade in to find them.

If a homeowner does decide to run a pump, the outlet should be on a circuit that can be cut from a dry location, and the discharge hose should go somewhere the water cannot come back into the house. The phone line can talk through those questions before anyone enters the water.

Where does the water go after it is pumped out?

The water is discharged through a hose to a drain, a storm connection or a point that the homeowner approves in advance. Discharge should not send water back into the house, a neighbor's basement or the street where it will pool against the foundation.

Silt in the water is the main reason discharge needs care. Pumped water that carries mud can clog a storm drain or leave a film on a driveway and a lawn, so the crew checks the route before the pumps start.

The discharge route is agreed on site and is recorded in the job notes. If the route changes during the pumping, the crew stops and confirms the new route with the homeowner before continuing.

What makes extraction take longer in some houses?

The volume of water, the depth, the number of rooms, the access to the pump location and the amount of silt all add time. A house with a sump that backs up, a crawl space with low clearance, or a cellar with a narrow stair takes longer to clear than an open floor with a clear drain.

Silt is slow to remove. Once the water is low, the last inch is a mix of water and mud that must be lifted by hand and bagged, and it can hide a second layer of material under it.

The price of extraction is explained and approved before work starts. Nothing on this page names a figure, because the time depends on what is found once the water is pumped. A crew that gives a number over the phone without seeing the house is guessing.

Does the crew work through a generator or the building's own power?

The power source depends on the house. The crew uses the building's own circuits only after the electrical side has been checked, and it may run a generator on a dry, ventilated surface outside the house. Generators are never run inside a building or in an enclosed space.

A generator produces carbon monoxide, and running one in a basement, garage or near an open window is a serious hazard. The crew places any generator well away from doors, windows and vents, and it is checked before it is started.

Where the house's own electrical system is wet, the crew does not restore power to it. The electrical side is handled by a qualified person before any circuit is re-energized, and the homeowner is told when it is safe to use the house.

Options

Types and options for flood water extraction and pumping

Deep standing water in a cellar

A cellar with water above the knee is a full pumping job. The pumps run until the water is near the floor, then the last water is removed by hand. The time it takes depends on how deep the water is and how fast the drains can carry it away.

Shallow water across a finished floor

Shallow water on a finished floor is often the most damaging, because it soaks into carpet, pad and subfloor without showing a deep line on the wall. Extraction focuses on the floor, and the readings decide how much of the flooring must come up.

Water in a crawl space

A crawl space with standing water is harder to reach and to see. The crew checks the access, the low clearance and any wiring or ductwork in the space before the pumps are set. Standing water there is removed first, then the insulation is checked.

Linn County

Why flood water extraction and pumping is different in Eastern Iowa

River water in Cedar Rapids arrives in basements and on ground floors after a rise in the Cedar River. The City of Cedar Rapids gives the 2008 crest as 31.12 feet, and that crest is the reference point for how high the water can come in this city. Extraction is the first job whenever the river has reached a house.

The 2008 flood water covered about 10 square miles, or 14 percent of the city, according to the city. A house in that footprint may have had its water pumped out by a neighbor's pump, its drain flooded from the street, or both. The crew checks the drain and the discharge route before any pumping starts, because the street drain can be as full as the basement.

The City of Cedar Rapids keeps a floodplain office, and that office is the local contact for floodplain and repair questions. A homeowner who is unsure about what can be done to a flooded building before the water is out should call the office as well as the restoration line.

Skip the guesswork. Call for a straight answer.

Tell us what's happening and we'll tell you honestly whether it's a quick fix, and what flood water extraction and pumping should cost.

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Where we work

Flood Water Extraction and Pumping across Linn County

Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.

Related

Cedar River Flood Damage

Standing river water pumped out, then the building dried to readings, for homes hit by Cedar River flooding.

Guides

Read before you book

Cedar River Flood Water: What to Do First in Iowa

The first steps after Cedar River flood water reaches a home are to keep people out of the water, cut power to the wet area only if it can be done safely, and get standing water out before drying begins.

FAQ

Flood Water Extraction and Pumping FAQs

How soon should standing water be pumped out?

As soon as it is safe to start. Standing water keeps soaking the walls and floor and spreads silt, so each hour it stays adds to the damage. The line is answered 24 hours a day, and a crew is sent as soon as one is free, so there is no need to wait for daylight.

Will the crew pump water from my neighbor's yard too?

No. The crew works on the property where it is called and pumps only the water in that house or on that lot. Water from a neighboring property is a matter for the owner of that property, who may also need to call a crew of their own.

Can extraction damage my floors?

Extraction is done with care, but heavy equipment and a long wet period can mark finished floors. The crew notes any damage before the work starts and photographs the floor at each stage, so a later question about a stain or a warped board can be answered from the record.

What happens to the silt left behind?

It is removed by hand after the water is low, because silt left on the floor dries into a crust that holds moisture and smell. The silt goes into bags or a container for disposal, and the floor is rinsed before drying begins. Some silt sits under the top layer of flooring and has to be checked separately.

Does pumping water out fix the problem?

It removes the standing water, which is the first and most urgent step. The moisture that has soaked into the walls, subfloor and framing still has to be measured and dried, and that work follows the pumping. Pumping alone does not finish a flood job.

Who decides where the water is discharged?

The homeowner and the crew agree the discharge route on site before the pumps start. The crew will not send water into a neighbor's property or onto a path where it will pool, and any change in route is confirmed with the homeowner before it is made.

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