Have you ever been lulled to sleep at night by the sound of rushing water, only to realize that the sound of rushing water was coming from your kitchen? If you’ve ever found yourself in a panic because your kitchen is flooding, then don’t worry—kitchen flooding is a more common occurrence than most people might think.
But what’s the cause for kitchen flooding? Why is it more prone to flooding than say, your bathroom, the part of the house that’s constantly in contact with water? Well, the answer is easy: your kitchen is usually the part of your house that’s more prone to flooding due to all the appliances that are connected to your house’s water supply lines. Add that to the fact that appliances are way more prone to malfunction than your showerhead is, and you can see why floods in the kitchen can be a common household problem.
3 Appliances That Cause Kitchen Flooding
Dishwashers
One of the top culprits for kitchen flooding, dishwashers are prone to malfunction. This is because the water supply line may be damaged or in bad shape, and you won’t notice until it’s too late. Once the line is broken, water starts to leak into the enclosed space under the appliance, eventually overflowing and flooding your kitchen floor.
Under-Sink Systems
This only applies if you have water quality or filtration systems installed in your sink. If these accessories break or malfunction, they can begin to leak water.
Refrigerator Ice Maker
Refrigerator ice makers are directly connected to a water supply line. If the refrigerator ice maker breaks,
Your Kitchen is Flooded, What Now?
First things first: keep calm! If your kitchen is flooded, you may worry yourself into a panic. Take a deep breath and remember: it’s just water!
Turn Off the Power & Water in Your House
The first thing you have to do is immediately turn off the power and water in the kitchen. You want to protect yourself from electrical hazards, especially if the water is coming from one of your appliances. You’ll also want to shut off the water in your house, as if the water is coming from your water supply lines, you’ll need to shut off all the pipes to stop the flow of water from rushing out.
Save Your Furniture
Don’t let your furniture get ruined from excess water damage! Focus on removing items that’ll be immediately destroyed by the moisture, such as paper items, rugs, and wooden furniture and accessories. You can quickly toss these in a box to make them easier to carry outside the kitchen. Glassware and other water-resistant items like pots, pans, and plastic containers can be saved for last.
Clean Up the Mess
The worst part of the whole ordeal: the clean-up. If the flooding wasn’t too bad, you’ll only need a mop in hand to sop up the excess water. However, if the flooding was severe and your cabinets and furniture are sopping wet, you’ll need to call a professional cleaning service to help you get everything back in order.
Open the Windows
Once all the water is gone, open up the kitchen windows to let the air circulate and get rid of any stale air. It’s best to do this during the day to also let the sunlight in, as the heat will help evaporate any remaining moisture in the kitchen.
