Basement Flooding Must Be Carefully Cleaned

A finished basement can be a fun area for a recreational space or additional bedrooms for your growing family. However it is used, the threat of basement flooding in this lower level is always a concern, especially with partially buried stories connected to easy access points like your garage. 

Seeing basement flooding in your Sandy Springs home can be very stressful. This can be especially true in a finished basement that you have invested a great deal to remodel and build. Worse still, when these disasters strike, you cannot be involved in the cleanup and protection of this space because of the significant safety hazards and risks involved, such as:

  • Contaminants

  • Electric shock concerns 

  • Structural weakness 

  • Mold

We Work First to Clear the Water

There is no mistaking the threat of standing water after flooding. Not only can this intruding water to the basement bring contaminants and insects, but it also poses other safety hazards for those still attempting to remove their valuables and keepsakes from this lower level. Responding Advantaclean professionals first focus on removing standing water with powerful extractors capable of managing debris.

Is There a Buildup of Mud and Debris?

Flooding introduces more to your home than standing water. Even with that pooling of liquid removed from this lower level of your house, there is still mud and debris to remove. This buildup keeps professionals like ours from thoroughly assessing the structural integrity and being able to track the full scope of work. You might not consider that flooding introduces more to your home than standing water. Even with that pooling of liquid removed from this lower level of your house, there is still a matter of mud and debris to remove. This buildup keeps professionals like ours from fully assessing the structural integrity and being able to track the full scope of work.

Can Anything Be Saved?

Basement flooding can make you begin to question whether anything can get saved at all. With so much demolition and discarding of exposed contents and furniture, our team's priority is to protect what is possible. Initial inspections can help to identify contents, personal belongings, and keepsakes we can clean or that have not yet been destroyed by migrating flood water.

Stripping Surface Materials

It is always best to avoid demolition or tear-out services for wet materials when possible.

Unfortunately, flooding in your home introduces contaminants and bacteria to porous building materials used to create wall systems and floor assemblies of your finished basement. These contaminants pose a risk to your family and compromise the integrity of these construction elements. Immediate action must get taken when exposure occurs to:

  • Drywall – Nearly all of the walls in your house are constructed using drywall. This highly porous material absorbs water quickly, which makes it particularly impacted by contaminants or bacteria within the water.

  • Baseboards – Baseboards are more or less connected to the drywall as an aesthetic piece to make the joining of flooring to the wall more attractive. Its porosity makes it a candidate for removal when contamination becomes a concern.

  • Carpeting – Carpets also must be pulled up and removed. They can rapidly be overwhelmed by the moving water, and any threat of contaminants allows for mold, bacteria, and other microbes.

Drying and Cleaning the Space

Removing wet materials and clearing much of the standing water from the basement is a good start, but more is needed to address the issues fully. Drying is a priority of all flood and water restoration efforts. We have multiple tools to help in this process, including air movers and dehumidifiers for moisture control, which ultimately allow cleaning actions to be successful and permanent. The threat of contaminants is high with natural flooding, so we prioritize whatever approaches protect your family and your household the most. Disinfection cleaning of non-porous materials left installed can be a strong foundation before reconstruction.

Are you dealing with basement flooding? Contact our AdvantaClean of Sandy Springs team at (404) 474-8443. 

Reconstruction Prevents Recurrences 

The best way to protect your basement against future issues is to repair where water could penetrate the foundation. Because much of the structure gets removed when contamination is a concern, it can be easier to identify the penetration points for the basement and replace these masonry units or patch leaks with strong hydraulic cement.

Schedule an Appointment or Call (404) 474-8443

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