Faribault Water Damage Advice Call (507) 333-9838 Call
Guides

Water in the basement

Find out where it came from. Up through the floor drain usually means a sewer backup, which many policies cover only with a rider; through the walls or slab, Triple-I says, often means cracks in the foundation or floor.1 Either way, photograph it and get it dry within 24 to 48 hours.2,3

Last reviewed October 24, 20266 sources, numbered in the textSee sources

Call (507) 333-9838

Free service. Call now and we'll connect you with a local restoration company. How it works

Where it came from

Three basement water sources

  1. 01

    Up the floor drain

    A sewer backup. Treat the water as sewage and leave cleanup to a professional.3 A backwater valve lets sewage out but not back in.1

  2. 02

    Through the wall or slab

    Triple-I says basement water is often caused by cracks in foundations or floor slabs.1 Ground that slopes away from the foundation helps keep it out.3

  3. 03

    Off the roof

    Clogged gutters and downspouts that empty at the foundation send water down the wall. Point them away from the house.1

Protect what is stored down there

Triple-I suggests keeping basement belongings on shelves, off the floor.1

What insurance usually does

  • Sewer and drain backup: some policies cover it, many do not; a sewer backup rider can be added.1
  • River or surface water rising into the basement: a separate flood policy.1
  • A burst pipe: typically covered.1

Before the furnace runs again

If water reached the furnace or the ducts, the CDC says to have them inspected before you turn the heat back on.4

Already wet?

Shut off the supply if a pipe is involved, keep off a wet floor while the power is on, and take photos. The first-hour page has the steps in order.

Before you hire

Check the company that comes out

  1. Their Minnesota license number. Residential builders, remodelers and roofers must be licensed; license numbers start with BC, CR or RR, and a number starting with IR is a registration, not a license.5
  2. A contract that spells out the work, materials, total price, payment schedule and deadlines.5
  3. If they contacted you first, the contract must state your three-day right to cancel.5
  4. Why a licensed contractor matters: Minnesota's Contractor Recovery Fund is not open to people who hired an unlicensed one.5
  5. Which water category they assigned, based on what they saw.6

Look up a license: Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (license lookup)

How this works

What happens when you call

It is free to call, and calling commits you to nothing.

  1. A man in a flannel shirt stands at the top of the basement stairs on the phone, looking down at water on the basement floor.
    1

    You call

    Tell them what happened and where. Have the address ready.

  2. 2

    We connect you

    A call network puts you through to an independent local restoration company that serves Faribault and is taking calls.

  3. A technician crouches by a sump pit and points to the pump while the homeowner listens, stone foundation walls behind them.
    3

    They assess and quote

    If you want a visit, they look at the damage and quote their own price. Ask for it in writing.

We are a free referral service, not a contractor. The company that answers sets its own prices. How this service works

Two adults and a young girl smile on the porch of an old white house, a maple in autumn colour in the yard.

Want a local company to look at it?

Free to call. An independent restoration company that serves Faribault answers, and you decide what happens next.

Call (507) 333-9838

Faribault Water Damage Advice is a free referral and information service, not a contractor. Calls go through our call-tracking line to independent local restoration companies, and we may be paid when a call qualifies. We do not do the work and do not set prices or availability. How it works

Sources

Each numbered note on this page points here. We read every page on October 24, 2026. Where sources disagree we say so; where we could not find a source we left the claim out. We are not affiliated with any of these organizations.

  1. Triple-I (Insurance Information Institute), How to protect your home from water damage. No date shown (page copyright 2026). www.iii.org/article/how-to-protect-your-home-from-water-damage
  2. Triple-I (Insurance Information Institute), Settling insurance claims after a disaster. No date shown (page copyright 2026). www.iii.org/article/settling-insurance-claims-after-a-disaster
  3. U.S. EPA, A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home. Page updated February 18, 2026. www.epa.gov/mold/brief-guide-mold-moisture-and-your-home
  4. CDC, Safety Guidelines: Reentering Your Flooded Home. Page updated August 24, 2026. www.cdc.gov/floods/safety/reentering-your-flooded-home-safety.html
  5. Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry, Tips for hiring a contractor. No date shown. www.dli.mn.gov/workers/homeowners/tips-hiring-contractor
  6. IICRC, ANSI/IICRC S500 Consensus Body Issues Position Statement on Category of Water Damage and Weather-Related Events (press release). March 16, 2026. iicrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Weather-Related-Water-Damage-Position-PR_March-2026.p…
Call (507) 333-9838Free service. We'll connect you with a local restoration company. How it works