Water is unwanted guest no matter if your basement finished or not. One of the major threats to safety and hygiene of your home is a flooded basement, because water standing there damages the foundation, ruins stored items and furnishing, causing the growth of mold and mildew. What steps should be taken if you’ve faced with this serious undertaking? Check over here for quick steps to remove water from your basement.
– Inspect exterior
Storms or heavy rains, falling trees or tree limbs can exploit weakened parts of home; damage its exterior and cause flooding in a basement. Besides, storm-related destruction can ruin power and gas lines. Examine exterior of your home, detect deterioration signs beforehand. If you find downed power lines or smell gas, immediately call a pro.
– Turn off utilities
To prevent accidental injuries check everything, even if you don’t have damaged utilities. Before starting any basement renovation works, turn off gas and electricity.
– Ventilation
To reduce odors and lower moisture levels, open windows in your basement and throughout your home. If it‘s possible, use fans and blowers for better ventilation.
– Pump water
The balance of pressure between your basement’s interior and the surrounding soil is upset by flood water. Immediate removal of all amount of water can cause your walls to crack and collapse. To avoid this, pump the water down only a few feet or inches (in dependence of its total depth), then mark the height. Check the waterline after 24 hours. If the mark is under water again, wait 24 hours more and pump out the same amount of water, mark the level. Follow these steps until the waterline is stable. Water-free your basement by pumping out small increments of water in 24-hour cycles.
– Debris removal
After pumping, to avoid health hazards and the growth of mold and mildew remove all water-damaged or wet items. Scoop out mud, sediment and any other accumulation with a shovel. Then hose down basement flooring and walls with a bleach-water mixture.
– Change vents and filters
As vents and filters are vulnerable to moisture, they can potentially spread harmful mold and other contaminants, which is dangerous for the health of your home even after abatement, so change them immediately. Besides, mud and sediment also accumulate in vents, blocking airflow. Wash them in a bleach-water mixture.
Hire a basement renovations pro to ensure your home is moisture-free, and provide an appropriate solution if it‘s necessary.