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3 Step Clean Up Plan After Your Basement Floods

3 Step Clean Up Plan After Your Basement Floods

Do-it-yourself Waterproofing Tips

So what’s next after a heavy rain and your basement is flooded with water? The good news is surface water, wall seepage or back-flow from sewer lines typically causes little to no structural damage to your basement or foundation. The water inside the basement braces the walls against the pressure of outside water and waterlogged soil.

1. Drain water out of a the basement

Wait to drain out basement water until the water level outside the home has decreased and a majority of it is gone. This will prevent the basement walls from pushing in or buckling and prevent the basement floor from heaving. If there is a large amount of water in the basement or if there is no basement drain, you may need to buy or rent a sump pump to get rid of the standing water.

If your electrical panel is located in an area of your home that has been flooded, you will be unable to use an electric sump pump, unless you use a pump driven by a 12-volt auto battery. Stop pumping when the two water levels become equal. Pump the basement water out at the same rate at which the flood waters recede. This will keep the integrity of your foundational structure in-tacked.

2. Clean up and remove debris

Once you have drained the basement water you can being the process of cleaning your basement. Remove the silt and dirt residue from the basement walls with a high-pressure hose. Next, using a shovel collect all the mud and debris off the basement floors to encourage your basement to dry out. If the stains are stubborn and do not come clean with the hose, use a stiff bristle brush and household detergent to clean. Begin scrubbing at the top of the basement wall and work all the way down to the floor. Rinse often with clear water.

Begin drying your basement immediately. This will decrease the ability of mold and mildew growth that can cause an already unfortunate situation to become much worse. If you are sensitive to mold or mildew or see any mold in your basement, be sure to wear a mask or respirator containing an appropriate filter. Open all doors and windows to allow moisture to flow outside the basement. Fans will help to direct the moisture out the open doors and windows. A dehumidifier will help speed up the drying process by removing excess moisture in the air.

3. Install a basement waterproofing system

If you basement floods after a heavy rain or snow melt it is important to install a basement waterproofing system to remedy the issue and prevent future flooding and water seepage.

Don’t Make These 5 Mistakes When Waterproofing Your Basement

Don’t Make These 5 Mistakes When Waterproofing Your Basement

Do-it-yourself Waterproofing Tips

1. Not managing roof water run off

The most commonly overlooked solution to a wet basement is actually found outside the home. Properly managing exterior water is always the first step when fixing a leaky basement. Having gutters installed with downspouts that take roof water a minimum of 8 feet from the foundation will help prevent water from pooling in the porous soil next the foundation.

2. Not sloping the soil along the side of the home away

The immediate soil outside of your foundation remains less dense than the virgin soil 3 feet out. That is due to two reasons – first, when the soil is back filled around the newly built foundation it cannot be packed down tightly because it would cause the foundation walls to cave in. Second, warm basements radiate their heat loss into the soil around the foundation making the first 6 inches spongy and causing water to soak up faster than the heavier compacted soil further out from the home.  To help prevent water from collecting in that area, fill in any depressions along the sides of the home to slope away from the home.

3. Ignoring settling service walks

Some older homes have service walks along the sides of the house that settle over time. Be sure these service walks direct water away from the foundation and don’t block water from draining.

4. Falling for the cheap paint fix

Many DIY homeowners fall for the cheap waterproofing paint fix only to be disappointed a short time later when their water problem returns. When you paint the cement walls the lime in the concrete will create a white effervescence bubble between the wall and paint. This brittle bubble will break off in shale causing a bigger mess. Waterproofing paints are cheap for a reason – they just don’t last and can’t fix a seeping basement.

5. Sealing the cold joint

Never seal the seam where the floor and walls meet. Some homeowners choose to seal the cold joint with hydraulic cement in an attempt to plug-up where the water is entering the basement. When you plug-up this joint more pressure builds up in the walls and causes the water to move to another place in the basement. When that happens remedying the wet basement becomes a lot more work, because that hydraulic cement will need to be removed before installing a basement waterproofing system.