Knowhow-Now Article

What To Do When A Flooded Basement Slows Down Your Home Improvement Project

When you purchase a new home one of the first things that you should do is check with your insurance agent to be sure that your homeowners policy includes coverage for flooded basement. Not all policies are created equal and typically water damage is an additional part of a policy that may not be included with basic coverage.

Water damage can be one of the biggest nightmares a homeowner can face especially if you were in the middle of a basement remodel for your latest home improvement project. How you recover from a flooded basement depends greatly on two considerations. The first is how severe the flooding is, and second is how able you are to deal with the problem.

Having rugs with padding as well as insulation and finished walls all act like giant sponges when it comes to water. Even if you just had a mild flood it can quickly become a multi-person cleanup job. If the flooding or the damage is pretty severe you should really call a professional remediation service.

Tip: Thinking about replacing your outdated, faded or stained carpet? Keep an eye out for carpet installation promotions from retailers like Home Depot and Lowe's. They quite often offer carpet installation at a much lower cost to encourage the purchase of their carpeting.

The professionals will not only be able to remove the water, they will be able to remedy the cause of the flooding and begin the drying out process. They will also be able to treat any issues of mold and mildew.

If it is somewhat mild and you plan on tackling the job yourself be sure to take some safety precautions. Never walk into a wet flooded basement in bare feet. You cannot see what is under the water and could severely injure yourself. Also, do not go near the electrical service panel until the basement area is completely dry.

If you need electrical power for cleanup use a heavy-duty extension cord and plug it into an upstairs outlet. Be sure that you have dry hands and were rubber close to unplug your sump pump from its wall outlet and then plug that into the extension cord.

Tip: Paint the gaps where paneling will meet. Even if you install the paneling carefully, the wall underneath might show through the cracks.

Once there is a minimal amount of water left you can use a wet dry shop back to pick up the water. You will then need some large powerful circulating fans and a dehumidifier to help the drying process. You will also want air sponges, which are charcoal canisters to help to absorb any musty odors from the air. Most home improvement stores will carry and rent all the equipment that you would need for your project.

If you had a rug with a pad underneath you need to pull all of the rugs edges away from the walls and any thresholds that are on the floor. You have to get air moving between the rug and the rug pad. If you can get everything to dry quickly enough you will be able to avoid any mold and mildew issues.

If you do start to experience mold and mildew a few weeks later you should consider hiring a professional to comment and take care of it for you before it becomes not only a costly issue but a health matter as well.

Knowing what to do if you experience a flooded basement can help to avoid costly repairs as well as mold and mildew remediation down the road.

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