How to Clean a Basement Carpet after a Flood

A water soaked carpet can be a real mess. Especially when it’s in your basement and it’s soaked from possibly contaminated sewer water.  Yuk! Every moment you delay, your carpet’s survival is under threat. At the same time, there’s little purpose in trying to do anything while the water’s still coming in. This is definitely no time to be rash. You need a cool head here.  Here in Toronto, between the weather and the age of many of our homes, basement flooding is quite common.  If you do experience a basement flood, and your have carpet down there, here are a few tips for you to follow.

flooded carpet with mold

Turn off the Water Supply – If a basement suddenly develops a leak, it’s quite possible an appliance down there has developed one too. Turn off the water at the entry point. Just don’t go below because it might not be safe to do so yet.

Switch off the Electricity – Don’t mess with this one. Your life could be at stake. Turning off the main switch is only good enough if the basement’s correctly wired. Rather ask an electrician to make your basement electrically safe for you.

Inspect the Area – Now you can take a good look around the basement, and hopefully find the root cause of the problem. Check the ceiling and the walls for obvious signs of running water. Look at every plumbed-in appliance carefully. Then examine the carpet for water-intrusion from beneath. The darkest, wettest spot is likely where your problem lies.

Salvage the Carpet

If the carpet is cheap, or clearly ruined, don’t waste your time with it. Put in an insurance claim and have a new one fitted. A carpet that isn’t cleaned and dried properly is a great candidate for mold.  However if you have a high insurance excess and consider it worth salvaging, here are two alternative solutions.

  • If the carpet is recoverable but really water-sodden (or you need to uplift it anyway to attend to an underground leak) clear the basement and use a commercial wet-vac to mop up as much water as possible. Then remove the carpet (watch out for rusty nails on edging strips) and take it someplace where it can dry out in the sun.

 

After that, you can find a carpet fitter to relay it for you. Don’t waste time trying to salvage the underlay though. It’s relatively cheap, and will stretch and tear as you take it up in any case.

 

  • If the water spill is localized and clearly not welling up from below, all you may need to do is mop it with the commercial wet-vac (don’t press down hard) and then turn on several large fans plus a powerful dehumidifier. Don’t rush things. When it’s finally dry, you can shampoo it clean.

Move Quickly

Ignore a damp carpet in a basement, and you’re inviting mold to settle down there, from where it could gradually migrate upstairs and affect your family’s bronchial health. Should you be unable to take any of the steps we recommend immediately, then it’s time to call in a commercial carpet cleaning service urgently.

Longer-Term Concerns

Clearly, there’s little point in reinstating a carpet until the root cause of the flooding has been solved. Depending on your skills you may be able to sort out a plumbing problem yourself. However, if you’re faced with water intrusion you’re going to need advice from a basement water-proofing specialist, because that’s probably a more serious concern that will require a professional inspection.

 

 

Think About Going Green On Your Next Home Improvement Project [infographic]

save money by going greenHave you thought about “Going Green” when it comes to your next home improvement project?

If you’re like most people, you love the idea but not really a big fan of the cost.  While most green home improvement projects end up saving you money in the long run, having to pay a premium up front puts off many homeowners who otherwise would love to go green.  Even here in Toronto, which isn’t the first city that comes to mind when you think “Green” (especially after a trip down good old highway 401), you see lots more innovation happening in the home improvement space.  Many home owners and businesses are seeking out LEED certified projects from qualified contractors.

Even if you’re not interested in going totally green in your home, there are lots of smaller projects around your home that can lead to big savings and a better environment.  Did you know that a single high efficiency shower head can save you almost $300 a year, or a total of $6000 over a 20 year span?  Or that a thermal floor heating system can save you about $400 a year, or $8000 over a 20 year span?  All of those little savings can add up to the vacation of a lifetime when you retire!

If you want to see how you can go green and save alot of money over the long term, check out this infographic courtesy of 1bog.org.  You can see how projects big and small around your home can add up to a nice savings over the long term and a better environment for us all.  Now that’s a good deal.

Home improvement infographic for green building

This is a guest post by Lisa Sinopoli, a lifelong resident of Toronto and your friendly neighborhood Vaughan Real Estate Agent

 

How do I Find the Source of my Basement Leak?

It’s easy to know a basement’s leaking when there’s water running down the walls, or pooling on the floor. It can be more difficult to find the source of the problem though. As a waterproofing contractor in The Bay Area, we are often called in to find the source of a basement leak after the homeowner has tried unsuccessfully to find the source.  The following advice is pitched at the level of the novice, or DIY family handyman. Anything more than that and you’re better off to call in a professional waterproofing contractor, before the inconvenience turns to permanent damage.

  1. Check the Ceiling First – If you spot any ceiling stains this must be where you look first – before you blame the walls for water running down them (or the floor because of pooling water). There is no substitute for a comprehensive inspection. If there’s a false ceiling under the concrete slab or rafters, you must remove this in its entirety so you can look properly.

 

  1. Inspect the Plumbing – Water has an amazing ability to travel almost anywhere because it’s so slippery. In fact it’s even been known to travel uphill for a short distance because of capillary action. Check every joint on your plumbing and appliances thoroughly. Be aware that metal failure does eventually follow on from vibration.

 

  1. Spot the Efflorescence – Don’t stress, this is just the white power that results from interaction between water, and bricks or concrete. Brush away the powder (it’s harmless although you might like to wear protection), then tape a piece of cooking-foil across the center of the area. Remove the foil a day later and examine it. If there’s moisture where it pressed against the wall you’ve got a basement leak. If not, the efflorescence is caused by humidity in the air.

 

  1. Look for Wall Cracks – Where these exist (and there’s water seeping through them) you’ll generally spot them easily because liquid follows gravity, and runs straight down a smooth wall. If not, abandon your cursory search and divide the area into an imaginary grid. Start by looking at the top, then work your way down progressively to the floor.

 

  1. Check for Peeling Paint – The hydrostatic pressure of water weeping through a wall is powerful enough to lift the paint off. While you’re inspecting for cracks, also check for any sign of mold, because this will only grow where a wall is damp.

 

  1. Finally, Examine the Floor – If you can’t find a leaky ceiling or damp walls, then the water laying on the floor is welling through it on account of hydrostatic pressure from below. Tell-tale clues of the location of this include lifting floor tiles or a squelchy floor covering. If there’s anything standing on the spot that’s made of metal, it will have started rusting too.

What to do About It?

Now that you’ve found the source of the water leak, your next step should be to do something about it. That’s because over time, water seeping through a building degrades the structure permanently. Before you attempt to fix a leak at the point that it appears, remember that the only way to do this properly is at the source. And if that source is on the outside of a buried basement wall, you may be just a little way out of your depth.  A qualified waterproofing contractor can conduct an inspection, and lay out several possible solutions for you to examine.