What to Do with a Wet Basement
April 19, 2010
In spite of the innovations in technology, homeowners are still plagued with wet basement problems. The situation is even worse for homes that were built several decades ago not only because of the absence of newer and more reliable construction techniques and materials before the turn of the 21st Century, but also because as a home becomes old, its water protection systems become less and less efficient.
Almost every homeowner deals with wet basements at one time or another. It is a rather common type of property damage problem, and the sooner we figure out how to deal with it, the better. So, how can we deal with such a messy problem? Understand that this does not only involve the basement alone but also everything that is located in the area, including furniture, appliances, and floor coverings. You have to take these into consideration, too.
• The first thing to do is to take out all furniture pieces, electrical appliances, and other items in your basement and place them in an area where they can completely dry out such as the basement or even the yard.
• Next, place fans and dehumidifiers in the room to get rid of minimal amounts of water. If your basement has windows, keep them open for awhile. However, if the room is too flooded, it would be best to secure a pump which will take the water out faster.
• Carpets and other floor coverings need to be completely dried out with the use of a dryer, a vacuum cleaner, or high velocity fans; otherwise, your basement would smell really stale, and would also make your flooring very soggy. Plus it also increases the likelihood of your basement developing molds.
Aside from the ones mentioned above, it is also necessary to find out what caused the problem so that preventive measures can be taken to avoid getting wet basement in the future. Usually, leaky walls, floors, and pipes are the culprits so checking the area for any leaks should be your priority. In the event that you do discover some leaks, note that these are often attributed to poor drainage systems particularly the gutters; it is worth looking into and see if they need cleaning or re-piping.
If you think you cannot handle waterproofing your basement by yourself, there are always contractors who can do the job for you. Mind you, they do not come in cheap but if you do not want to be all stressed out because of wet basements then it is worth giving a try.
FEMA and It’s Role in Helping Flood Victims
April 6, 2010
Nearly everyone in the United States is familiar with FEMA – at least most people are aware of the fact that the federal government sent FEMA officials and aid workers into New Orleans to help residents get out of their flood ravaged homes and neighborhoods. As we watched the events unfold on television, we saw FEMA on the ground providing affected residents with a warm and dry place to stay and helping people make new, temporary living arrangements.
Not only are FEMA officials sent into action during a major disaster such as a flood, FEMA is also given the green light by the government to make low interest loans available to businesses of all sizes, agricultural co-ops, and private organizations that have suffered flood related money problems. Farmers can seek loans up to $500,000 to cover production and property losses. There is also FEMA crisis counseling in place in flood ravaged areas which provides help to residents who were traumatized by the disaster, income tax assistance to assist people in filing for casualty losses and legal assistance to help people sort out such things as social security issues and veteran’s benefits. FEMA is a large organization that is multi-faceted to ensure that the citizens of the United States are provided with assistance during times of extreme crisis.
For anyone who has been a victim of a flood, they should go to FEMA’s website and register for assistance. There are also toll free telephone numbers which can be called. Applicants can expect to be asked a series of questions when applying such as insurance coverage, name, address, contact information and so forth. If FEMA is already on the ground in a flood zone, affected residents are urged to seek out the nearest Disaster Recovery Center manned by FEMA so that the proper guidance can be given in regards to which types of assistance they may be eligible for.
FEMA also has some important information on its website informing people what to do after a flood which are well worth mentioning. People are asked to keep an eye and ear on news reports concerning the quality of drinking water. They are also advised not to walk through moving water and to be wary of areas where flood water has receded as roads could collapse. It is not advisable to return home following a flood until told to do so by local officials and people should stay out of any building that is surrounded by water. They also advise homeowners to clean and carefully disinfect water soaked items because flood water can contain harmful chemicals and raw sewage. These are some tips that unfortunately, many people fail to follow due to nerves being on edge and the fact that emotions are running high following a flood disaster.
