subject: Do You Have Water In Your Basement? Clean The Water Out Of Your Basement With These Tips! [print this page] A flooded basement can be time consuming and annoying. Not only do you have to deal with the damage to your belongings, but you also have to worry about damage to your home. And if you don't clean out the water and dry things out fast enough, then you can have even worse problems. Standing water will cause structural damage. Not to mention issues with mold and mildew covering anything made out of a porous material. If you want to clean the water out of your basement fast, here are three tips for you.
1. You need to remove the water. If there is a lot of water, you'll need some kind of extraction tool. Of course you can start with buckets or hoses. If you have a lot of hoses around, you can siphon the water out and let it drain to the outside of your home, away from the house. If it isn't a lot of water, you can use a wet vac, fans, and a dehumidifier to dry out the basement.
2. Use fans and a dehumidifier to keep the air dry. You want proper circulation and dryness so that mold and mildew doesn't start to grow. If you see mold, or if you can smell it, you need to act fast. Anything that is porous needs to be cleaned or thrown out. This is especially true if you get water in your basement frequently, or if you live in an area with high humidity.
3. Replaced damaged wood, drywall, or carpet. Mold can hide behind the wall, under the carpet, and even under tile. If anything seems damaged, even if you can't see it, you need to replace it. Furniture, bedding, or anything made out of a porous material is suspect and should be cleaned or replaced if it didn't dry quickly. When in doubt, have it professionally cleaned or throw it out.
A flooded basement isn't something that can be put off for a few days. You have to deal with water as quickly as possible, or you'll be dealing with worse problems down the road. If the damage seems too extensive, it is better to let a professional deal with at least the majority of the work so that the clean up is done quickly and thoroughly.
