Ever had your basement flood?

[ssgharkness020147]

I woke up to a nice little suprise today when the basement flooded. The float on the sump pump got hung up and made quite a mess. Half the basement is finished (carpeted) the other half is not. We used a wet dry vac to get up most of the standing water, then went over the carpet with on of those rug doctors to vacuum up us much as we could on the carpeted side. Tomorrow I think I'll clean the carpet with hot water and soap. Anyone else been through this? Were you able to save the carpet? I've got fans all over the basement and a de-humidifier going, anything else I should do? I'm hoping I can skate out of not having to redo the carpet, just my luck that I cannot find my homeowners insurance policy right now, so I'm not sure if I'm covered for floods.

[RubHer Yellow Ducky]

Originally Posted by ssgharkness020147

I woke up to a nice little suprise today when the basement flooded. The float on the sump pump got hung up and made quite a mess. Half the basement is finished (carpeted) the other half is not. We used a wet dry vac to get up most of the standing water, then went over the carpet with on of those rug doctors to vacuum up us much as we could on the carpeted side. Tomorrow I think I'll clean the carpet with hot water and soap. Anyone else been through this? Were you able to save the carpet? I've got fans all over the basement and a de-humidifier going, anything else I should do? I'm hoping I can skate out of not having to redo the carpet, just my luck that I cannot find my homeowners insurance policy right now, so I'm not sure if I'm covered for floods.

The problem with carpets is if you have padding underneth it. If you do , YOUR SCREWED" amd it don't feel good !!!

The padding generally is foam so the water gets stuck in hidden places, MOLD MILDEW Just plane old nasty... UGLY

SORRY, GOOD LUCK

[K9sH3]

Yes, this happened to my house in VA last October. everything was basically ruined. Carpet and padding was just replaced last month. What a freaking ordeal. I had a sump pump installed in case it ever happens again. After 22 years of having the house in the family it has flooded twice, this time was the worse.
Good luck with it, but you should have the padding replaced no matter what, if ya don't you will have the dreaded mildew smell forever.

[evldave]

When I was in college, I briefly worked for ServePro cleaning up this exact stuff. It's been awhile but it seems like you've done just about everything you can. The key is to keep moisture out of the pad to prevent rot and smell.

If you can lift up the carpet and get to the pad, run the fans blowing directly on the pad. That's where a lot of the problems will end up - the carpet really isn't much of a problem.

[Ground hawg]

Sorry to hear about your luck, I had mine go about 2 years ago. we just had the basment fixed. then about a month later we had an ice storm, went without mains power for 8 days. it's suprising how much water can get in your basemet in a few hours.

1 put in new pump between $50-100
2 put in battery back up unit $150+
3 get generator back up $????how much you got?????
4 get your dad to buy honda jet to take you somewhere it does
n't flood



tell the insurance it was water leak from burst sewer outlet.


Good luck

[3Hummer]

I dont have a basement, and last i checked attics dont flood, unless theres a hole in your roof. But the fisr floor of my house i guess could, espiaclly with the broken patio drain we have that doesnt drain it just floods up, last year during the hurrican it was flooded up our sliding glass door like 4 inches, luckly no water got in, i have no idea how none got in though.

[ssgharkness020147]

I dont think I have a pad underneath. At least it sure as hell doesnt feel like it, I know that the carpet is glued to the concrete so there is no easy way for me to peel it up and see. Either way the floor is a hard as a rock so I dont think there is a pad. I'll have to call the previous owner and find out. Thanks for the tips guys.

Bummer. Good luck with the cleanup. Basements are rare in California, don't have one.

[DRTYFN]

I bought one of these after I sank my first H2.
http://www.delonghi.com/Int/USA/prodotti.html

It took about a week to dry it out completely, but there wasn't even a hint of mustiness in hot weather.

[frenzy1]

Hasn't happened to me yet. My company flooded once after a big storm.

[KenP]

Originally Posted by DRTYFN

I bought one of these after I sank my first H2.
http://www.delonghi.com/Int/USA/prodotti.html

It took about a week to dry it out completely, but there wasn't even a hint of mustiness in hot weather.

HAHA, stay on the trail and that wouldn't have happened.

[RubHer Yellow Ducky]

I have a related question. I'm currently designing the house i'm going to build in NW Georgia and i'm planning on a basement.

A friend told me to have the basement walls poured, same as the floor and that they can use a special concrete which will not allow water (moisture) to seep through.

Have lived in Miami 55 years except for military so a basement to me is a swimming pool.

ANY ADVISE ?

[K9sH3]

Originally Posted by RubHer Yellow Ducky

I have a related question. I'm currently designing the house i'm going to build in NW Georgia and i'm planning on a basement.

A friend told me to have the basement walls poured, same as the floor and that they can use a special concrete which will not allow water (moisture) to seep through.

Have lived in Miami 55 years except for military so a basement to me is a swimming pool.

ANY ADVISE ?

RYD make sure that you build a walkout basement, there are several new wall designs out. Of course any moisture barrier wall is the way to go. There is a new wall that consist of concrete block and foam. I will try and find info and PM you later with it. BUT>>> you need to see what your log home builder says. He may have the newest designs already.

[CO Hummer]

Originally Posted by ssgharkness020147

I woke up to a nice little suprise today when the basement flooded. The float on the sump pump got hung up and made quite a mess. Half the basement is finished (carpeted) the other half is not. We used a wet dry vac to get up most of the standing water, then went over the carpet with on of those rug doctors to vacuum up us much as we could on the carpeted side. Tomorrow I think I'll clean the carpet with hot water and soap. Anyone else been through this? Were you able to save the carpet? I've got fans all over the basement and a de-humidifier going, anything else I should do? I'm hoping I can skate out of not having to redo the carpet, just my luck that I cannot find my homeowners insurance policy right now, so I'm not sure if I'm covered for floods.

I lived in an apartment once that flooded on the ground level. They dried it out by getting those floor fans that look like a snail and blow directly at the floor level, underneath the carpet. They dried everything out and it never stunk after that.