Basement Water Damage
Restorex Disaster Restoration helps a lot of customers who experience water damage in their basements. We understand the stresses and anxieties that come with a flooded basement. The video below gives a brief overview of the required steps to properly clean up a basement after it has been affected with water damage.
Basement Water Damage Clean-Up Process
Step 1: Water Damage Inspection
Step 2: Water Removal
Step 3: Removals
Step 4: Drying Equipment Set up
Step 5: Equipment Monitoring
Step 6: Final Evaluation
Water Damage Inspection
The water damage inspection for a flooded basement is to determine the extent of the water damage in the affected basement. The flooring can be visually inspected but sometimes the water can affect carpet pad without showing on the carpet surface. How Restorex Investigates Water Damage.
The next step is to determine if the water affected the walls. Typically, the water will only reach 1-2 inches throughout the basement. The walls can show wetness up as high 12 inches. The paper on the drywall will wick the water up the surface showing the wall to be wet above the baseboards.
Water Removal
The most effective way to clean up a flooded basement is with water removal. We are able to remove water from basements with extractors. We use the best water extractors on the market and they can remove water through the carpet and pad. During extraction we will need to move the furniture and contents in the basement to run the extractor over all the affected areas.
Removals
Depending on the extent of water damage we might be required to make removals of certain building materials. In a basement with water damage, this can include baseboards, drywall and insulation. Every basement is built differently so it just depends on the initial inspection to decide what is required to be removed.
At this time we would spray a plant based anti-microbial product call Benefect. This product is a hospital grade disinfectant and will help prevent any microbial or mold growth during the water damage cleanup process.
Drying Equipment Set Up
Drying equipment is used to remove the remaining water from the basement. Standard drying equipment for water damage restoration projects are Low Grain Refrigerant (LGR) Dehumidifiers, Electric Heaters, and Air Movers. This equipment provides the necessary energy to remove the water from the affected materials. Read about Restorex’s water damage equipment.
Equipment Monitoring
The drying equipment needs to run for a minimum of 3 days. During those 3 days we need to stop by to check on the equipment. During these visits we will make sure all the equipment is running properly and get temperature and relative humidity readings. These readings tell us if the equipment is creating a good drying environment.
Final Evaluation
After 3 days we will inspect the basement and determine if the building materials have been dried to their original moisture content. If everything has dried properly, we will remove the drying equipment and adjust the furniture and content back to their original locations. The water damage repairs will come after the drying is complete.
NEED HELP WITH WATER DAMAGE? CALL (317) 315-5071
