The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: Brokefuturedoctor on October 08, 2016, 10:29:21 AM
-
What is the best way to clean up a flooded basement? When I say "flooded" its not like there is a ton of water down there, but there is water dripping down behind the walls (through the foundation I assume). It is accumulating all over the place. I am in the process of sopping it up with towels. I don't have a wet dry vac or even a box fan unfortunately. Anyone have some ideas?
I have already spoken to my landlord about this today, and he is working on fixing the problem in the future. We hadn't had this problem until this weekend from all the hurricane rain.
-
You really need a shop vac. Do you have a cement floor? carpeting?
-
First step is to get rid of the excess water in the basement. Make sure your sump pump is working and is doing its job. If you do not have a sump pump, have one installed.
As cranky said, get a shop vac and get most of the water out.
Assuming it has stopped raining outside, open up the windows and get some fans going. This should dry out the place. Box fans should be around $25 each.
If I were you, I would keep a very close eye for mold. Has the insulation/drywall gotten wet, if so, I would recommend doing a preemptive strike on mold by replacing the parts that got wet.
-
First step is to get rid of the excess water in the basement. Make sure your sump pump is working and is doing its job. If you do not have a sump pump, have one installed.
As cranky said, get a shop vac and get most of the water out.
Assuming it has stopped raining outside, open up the windows and get some fans going. This should dry out the place. Box fans should be around $25 each.
If I were you, I would keep a very close eye for mold. Has the insulation/drywall gotten wet, if so, I would recommend doing a preemptive strike on mold by replacing the parts that got wet.
I basically had to use towels all day yesterday, so I was also running my dryer a lot. I know this is a sin among mustachians, but I needed my towels dry. I am getting a box fan, and I will look into getting a shop vac. I will be living here for at least the next three years, so it may happen again in that time.We don't have a sump pump; I will need to talk to the landlord about that.
There is wood paneling in the basement, and the bottom of it all the way around looks wet. I can only assume that there is water damage behind it as well. Should I suggest looking behind the walls to my landlord?
-
...
We don't have a sump pump; I will need to talk to the landlord about that.
There is wood paneling in the basement, and the bottom of it all the way around looks wet. I can only assume that there is water damage behind it as well. Should I suggest looking behind the walls to my landlord?
Yes, you are paying for the use of a working basement. A wet basement is not a working basement and your landlord should be working to fix it.
-
I'd want to know ASAP if there was leaking in the basement of a house I was renting out. Sure, it sucks . . . but catching the leak early on is better than after something really terrible happens.
-
Call a water remediation company and bill it to your landlord. (Better order is to talk to your landlord, let them know it's necessary, and convince them that you can subtract the cost from your next month's rent.)