How To Restore Your Basement After Flood Damage

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by: crozon
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Date: Mon, 8 Feb 2010 Time: 11:49 PM
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Before you begin cleaning your basement, make sure you keep track of all your expenses and the number of hours you spend cleaning your flood-damaged basement. These documents will help when it comes time to file an insurance claim. So make sure you keep all your receipts from cleaning supplies that you buy and any rental equipment or cleaning firms you hire. You should also take note of how long the clean-up takes, which includes the amount of time you personally spent cleaning.

Water damage can lead to severe contamination so make you dispose of any food and medications that where stored in the affected area.

When it comes to water safety make sure you first contact your public health authority to get approval to ensure your water is safe to drink. In Ottawa and, in most areas, by dialling 3-1-1 you can get all the information you need.

After flood damage you should not use the sewage disposal system until you have been given the approval from proper authorities that it is capable of handling waste.

Cleaning your belongings and drying out your basement is going to be the top priority to help prevent the spread of mold. If you require help in cleaning up it might be best to contact a professional to assist you.

The 5 basic steps to cleaning up after a flood are:

1) Remove Standing Water
It is recommended to remove standing water slowly to prevent any further damage. A good rule of thumb is to drain no more than 30% of the water volume per day.

2) Remove Mud
After the majority of the water had been removed you should begin hosing down your basement walls as most of the health hazards are contained in the mud that is left behind.

3) Tear Down Walls That Need To Be Replaced
It is important to remove flood-soaked insulation in walls as soon as possible. Wet insulation will hold moisture, which will encourage the growth of mould and bacteria while not allowing other building materials to properly dry out.

4) Clean Up Area
If you have a finished basement you'll want to try to tackle one room at a time so you don't feel overwhelmed by the situation. Using the two-bucket approach, one bucket for cleaning and the other for rinsing, is the most efficient way to go. Make sure you protect your hands, lungs and eyes by wearing safety equipment like rubber gloves, masks and safety goggles. Remember most of the water may actually be sewage so you want to take precautions so you don't get sick.

5) Disinfect Effected Area And Belongings
After the area and belongings have been cleaned make sure you disinfect everything. You can use a simple combo of 1 parts bleach to 1 parts water to help control any mould or mildew that may have formed.

It will take some time to completely dry out the basement. By opening doors and windows and using fans and dehumidifiers it will allow moist air to escape, which will help in the drying process. You won't be able to use your furnace to help dry out the basement until a qualified HVAC technician has looked at it.

Finally, after everything is dry, you will want to rebuild your basement. It is best to look for a contractor that will work hand-in-hand with you and your insurance company to help develop reasonable rebuilding budget and get your basement back in working order in as little time as possible.

About the Author

Corey Rozon is a business writer from Canada.
This article was written with the help of Service Blocks Inc., kitchen renovation contractors and Ottawa basement renovation contractors.

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