A flooded basement cleaning can be a disturbing disaster depending on the level of the water involved. This problem features more of a challenge than the exterior visible water. The damage caused to a flooded basement is more than enough because it disturbs the basement walls and the windows of the building. Accumulated water in the basement can seep behind the cracked walls into the small openings.This leads to development of toxic growths such as mildew, mold and poisonous gases. Hence, strong measures should be considered to mitigate the effects brought about by basement flooding. Avoiding long term damage requires a quick response and the following steps are essential in treating basement flooding.
Start by turning off any power that leads to the basement. Maybe you use the basement for laundry or you’ve converted it to a home office, whatever you use your basement for, you want to turn off the power straight away. Everyone knows that electricity and water don’t mix.
With the power turned off you can venture into the waters below. Be careful where you step and remove any items that are completely free of water damage. Boxes, photographs, furniture, basically anything that has no water damage should be removed from the area as quickly as possible.
When you head back down take towel or cloth with you. Any smaller items that are slightly damp, but can be saved, should be wiped dry before removing them from the flooded basement.
A weeping tile is a porous pipe used for underground drainage. The pipe is typically plastic with small slits cut lengthwise into it, which allow for the collection of excess water from the ground. Rocks are placed around the weeping tiles to prevent the pipes from getting clogged with dirt. The purpose of the weeping tile is to allow excess moisture to seep through the gravel, be collected by the pipes, and then drained away from your home’s foundation.
Many older home have weeping tiles made of clay. After decades, these weeping tiles can become blocked, which can potentially cause basement flooding. If this occurs, the only solution is to have your weeping tiles replaced with new perforated plastic drainage piping. This required digging down to the footing of the house to remove the old tiles and have new ones installed.
You’re also saving your family’s health when you clean up a flooded basement right away. You probably know that your health is your number one treasure and you can’t put a price to it. Making sure that you don’t allow a flooded basement to affect your health is protecting something that no one can put a price onto.