Home > Basement Waterproofing > What To Do With a Flooded Basement
First and foremost, we need to deterine the source of where the water is coming from. Figuring out the source is not always simple. Sometimes it is pretty obvious and at other times it may require a specialist. There are numerous reasons that can cause this. It could be a failed pump or pump line. or it can be something more complex such as water coming in from one area, traveling through the wall or under the slab entering the basement. Determining the cause quickly is crucial. Water problems do not correct themselves and need immediate attention to prevent long term damage to the home. If the problem is not visible to a homeowner, it is important to have the basement looked at immediately by a specialist to determine the cause. Delaying it may only cause more damage and expenses.
Correcting the issue may be as minor as running gutter lines on top of the ground until you can bury them properly, or as complex as cutting a hole in the concrete floor to place a temporary sump pump . Putting some type of temporary system in place is what we at Kinetic provide during the estimate procedure if necessary, provided that further work is contracted and set in motion to be done. No home should be left with standing water. Neglecting the water results in permanent damage, which increases the need for demolition and higher repair costs. This will also decrease the chances of mold.
Your best defense against mold is the immediate removal of anything organic (ex. carpets, wood, sheetrock, wood flooring, etc). Unless demolition of the wet areas is done within one day, mold and dangers will begin to occur. By the fourth day, the mold problem and air quality will become severe in the home due to stack effect. Kinetic’s demolition turnaround time is generally 1 to 2 days in most homes. We remove all debris, reattach all electrical safely and leave your basement looking clean floor to ceiling. Simply removing the debris and water puts you and your home on the right path to better health in just a few short days.
The last step of our emergency plan of action is dehumidifying the damp areas. Dehumidifiers are available to rent or for purchase. The sole purpose of these units are to dry out the basement area as quickly as possible. The use of large 100+ pint units will dry any masonry out and lower humidity to below the 50% danger mark within 24 hours. Within 3 days it usually dries out things like the wood studs in the wall that may have been left during the demolition. If demolition was not done to the entire basement, we cut out the bottom of the interior sheetrock or paneling to allow dehumidification behind the walls. Our rentals are done in 3 week intervals to be sure of our success. However, all basements should be kept at 50% or lower humidity at all times. This is very important for good health and to dormant any mold present. Mold can affect anyone, not just those with allergies, it pollutes the air we breathe causing a number of health issues. This is why we recommend dehumidification systems for every home.
Call our basement waterproofing experts today at 518-605-4801 or fill out our inquiry form for a basement inspection.
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A criteria for a Healthy Basement Certificate has been established for each level of protection.
All of our Healthy Basement / Crawl Space Contractors
are trained and certified.
All of our Healthy Basement / Crawl Space Contractors
are trained and certified