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.
