Basements are flooded when house lies in a low lying area. There could be many reasons for a flooded basement. If your basement is flooded, it could be due to flood water or due to clogging of holes and storm gutters. In later case, the water flows over them and collects at corners or floods the basements.
Removing water from a flooded basement is tricky. Unlike other places, if you remove all water in one go, you may cause damage to structure of your basement. Cleaning a flooded basement requires very carefully planned work.
Whenever you plan removal of water from your flooded basement, check if there is water outside the basement walls. If your area still has water, outside water may be putting pressure on basement walls, and if you suction the inside water out, pressure may cause walls to collapse. Ensure that there is no outside pressure on walls of basement, before full suction. You can use a suction pump with a long hose attached to pump water outside.
Now, when you are suctioning the water out, do not put the pipe just outside you basement but provide channel for outlet of water. If the water level in your basement is high, just pump out one foot a day. You can make markings of each foot and try out in consecutive days. In case you notice that the water has raised overnight a level or two, it will mean that flooding is still on. In such cases, you need to leave pumping out water and wait till it recedes outside. Once you start the drying of flooded basement, leave windows open so that dry air can come in and begin drying of damp walls.
If you see regular flooding of your basement, you can make trench drain. To construct a trench drain, you need digging tools, drain pipe which is about 6 inches in diameter and gravel. This drain can be made only after you have dried your flooded basement. Find an area close to the wall and where the drain can be straight. The outlet of trench drain should be in a lower lying area, but away from basement to avoid backward flow of water.
You will now need to dig the basement floor and take gravel out till you reach the depth of about 2 feet. Mark the path before digging, so that it is easier for you. After you have dug the trench, place the drain pipe and cover it with gravel or with stones. The outlet of this pipe should be pointed downwards. Cover the drain pipe with concrete or vinyl matting. Now, whenever there are rains or flooding, your basement will be free from water as water will flow away from trench drain.
By using trench drains, you can avoid any damage to structural walls also of your flooded basement. Once you have drained all water, you can dry the areas and take care of goods stored in basement. A flooded basement is a pain, but you can take care of it by using trench drains.
Richard Barthallo distributes information on homeowner concerns. Additional information available at http://www.moldrestorationusa.com/ALBANY_Flood_Damage_Cleanup_Flood_Damage_Service_ALBANY_NY
Possibly Related Posts:
- Beds Got Personality Too - Find One To Match Yours
- Using Easels To Help You Decorate Your Home
- Determining the Right Home Entertainment Center Furniture for Your House
- Ceramic Tile Cleaning in Charlotte
- Ceramic and Marble Tile Cleaning in Charlotte
Leave a Reply