Sump Pump Failure Basement Flooding — Clearfield, UT

Loss Type: Category 2 Water / Sump Pump Failure During Storm
Location: Clearfield, UT near 700 South
Response Time: 71 minutes
Job Duration: 4 days
Insurance: Yes – State Farm (sump pump endorsement)

The Situation

During a heavy overnight rainstorm a homeowner near 700 South in Clearfield woke to find their basement partially flooded. Their sump pump had failed due to a burned-out motor during the storm — the worst possible time for a mechanical failure. Groundwater had risen through the sump pit and spread across approximately 450 square feet of the basement floor, reaching a depth of 3 to 4 inches in the lower sections. Our team provides water damage restoration across Davis County, and this Clearfield job was a Category 2 response. The basement had a partially finished layout with drywall on two walls, a carpeted recreation area, and an unfinished utility and storage area on the opposite side.

The homeowner called at 2:40 AM. Our on-call crew arrived at 3:51 AM.

The Problem

Sump pump failure water is classified as Category 2 under IICRC S500 because groundwater contains soil contaminants, minerals, and biological material picked up as it migrates through the earth before entering the structure. All porous materials in contact with the water required evaluation under Category 2 standards — meaning carpet, pad, and the lower section of any drywall in contact with the water were subject to removal. Prolonged moisture intrusion of this type also creates conditions that can promote mold growth in below-grade spaces if not fully dried and treated.

The finished drywall on the two walls of the recreation area had absorbed groundwater at the base to approximately 8 inches above the floor line. The carpet and pad in the recreation area were fully saturated. The unfinished storage side had concrete block walls that had absorbed moisture at the base and would require extended drying time.

A replacement sump pump was installed by a plumber the same morning before our drying work began — a necessary first step to prevent re-flooding if rain continued. The State Farm sump pump endorsement covered the remediation scope.

What We Did

We began truck-mounted extraction immediately upon arrival, removing bulk groundwater from the full basement floor. We removed the carpet and pad from the recreation area and cut the drywall on both finished walls to 12 inches above the visible water line — the Category 2 standard for ensuring all potentially contaminated material is removed.

All removed materials were bagged and disposed of as Category 2 waste. An EPA-registered antimicrobial was applied to the exposed concrete slab, concrete block walls, and all exposed framing per IICRC S500 Category 2 protocol.

The structural drying system included:

• 3 commercial dehumidifiers positioned to cover finished and unfinished zones
• 5 air movers directed at exposed wall framing, concrete slab, and block wall bases
• Desiccant dehumidifier added on day 3 to accelerate drying of the concrete block walls
• Daily moisture readings on concrete slab, block walls at multiple heights, and wood framing

The concrete block walls on the unfinished side required the desiccant assist on days 3 and 4 to reach target moisture content — a common requirement with block construction due to the material’s high absorption capacity.

The Outcome

All structural materials reached target moisture content by day 4. State Farm covered it all through the sump pump endorsement, which covered the full remediation scope. The homeowner’s contractor replaced the drywall on the recreation room walls, installed new carpet, and sealed the concrete block walls on the unfinished side as an additional moisture barrier. We recommended a battery backup sump pump system in our job report — a low-cost prevention measure the homeowner subsequently installed before the next storm season.

“Getting a call at 2 AM that your basement is flooded is terrifying. They showed up in the middle of the night, got the water out fast, and had a full plan in place before sunrise. Four days later everything was dry and documented. State Farm covered it all.”

— M. Tanner, Clearfield UT

More Clearfield Projects

This job is one of several water damage responses we have completed in the Clearfield area. You can also read about the burst pipe flooding in Clearfield we handled during winter, a sewage backup in Clearfield requiring Category 3 response, and a crawl space mold in Clearfield remediation that followed extended groundwater exposure similar to what is described in this case. View more of our water damage case studies from Clearfield and across Davis County.