Water in Basement Services
When residential or commercial buildings are invaded by water, no matter where this water had originated from, most of the water will eventually find its way down to the lower most levels of the building. If the building has a basement this is where much of the water will end up. Since water naturally flows downwards it is not surprising that flooded basements are the most common type of water damage. Remediation companies offering water damage restoration must therefore become highly proficient in providing extraction of water in basement services.
In the following paragraphs you will find the highlights of what is involved in tackling flooded basements and the restoration work that must follow once all water has been removed.
Pumping Out the Bulk of Water
When a basement is flooded the water must be pumped out since it lays lower than the level of the ground and therefore there is no way to allow it to flow out. However, if the basement is fitted with some type of drainage into the sewer system (from a sink, a toilet or a shower for instance) attempts will also be made to take advantage of the possibility of draining at least some of the water. It is important to understand that drain openings and drain pipes may easily become blocked with debris in case of flooding.
Powerful pumps are needed to pump out water from basements. This is so because the water must be lifted up to ground level. Since even the most powerful pump can only lift water a max of some 20′ (around 7 meters) (due to a max pressure difference of 1 bar between the vacuum the pump creates and atmospheric pressure) it may be a real challenge to achieve a steady, fast flow of water out of the basement.
Drying Out
Once all the water has been pumped and drained away comes the time to dry out all humidity left behind.
Any objects which can be removed to be dried separately (or disposed of if deemed unsalvageable) will be packed and taken away. Industrial fans will be deployed in order to create high volume air flow through the basement. The flowing air will absorb the moisture and carry it out with it. This stage of water in basement services may be rather lengthy (up to several days) and will end only when all excess humidity had been gotten rid of. It is vitally important not to let humidity linger, even not in hidden away corners, in order to avoid mold infestation.
Once the basement has been thoroughly dried out it will be possible to carry out any structural and cosmetic restoration needed in order to return it to its pre water damage state.