Wet Basement

Tuesday, February 10, 2009
(click on photo to enlarge)

Well, today did NOT start out well at all. This morning, at 6am, I went downstairs to use my treadmill. I walked into the living room of our downstairs and was walking in water. When I stood still the water was up around my tennis shoes. I used my treadmill last night around 7pm and all was well, so this happened over night.


So my mother got on the phone and called On Star to help with our situation. On Star cleans carpets, dry vent cleaning and WATER RESTORATION.


They promptly came out this morning and began vacuuming the water out of the rug.


The hose was connected to a drum in the van.


While his daughter vacuumed (sucked up the water) the rug, Ed used this tool that shows where the water is. If it beeps that is not good news...that means there is water in that area. It was doing a lot of beeping.



After his daughter vacuumed the rug they used this flat piece to further suck up the water.




While she was "sucking" up the water, we decided to go outside and find out where the leak was coming from...found it. If you enlarge the photo...look at the elbow seam...you will see where it is, and has been, dripping down to the ground which was near the concrete.


Here is the puddle of water that was caused by the dripping.


So, off to the store and caulk was purchased. They caulked around the elbow seam. That stopped the dripping.


Got that fixed and now to move the furniture out. All except the sofa sleeper and my treadmill were removed from the room. There is an area, small area, that was not wet, so since the treadmill won't fit threw the doorway it was gently placed in the dry area along with the sofa sleeper.




Of course, an on- looker....



After all furniture was removed Ed started to pull the carpet from the wall.



The padding was cut away and rolled up and put in plastic sacks to be disposed. Note the wet floor.






After the padding was removed they pulled the carpet back in place.



When the padding was removed they put a blower in each corner.



The carpet was put above the blowers so the air would blow under the carpet. This would dry the carpet and the cement floor. Tonight I am checking to make sure the water still isn't seeping up, which it is so I then will towel the water until I can get it somewhat dry.

I am attaching a movie of the what the carpet movement looks like. To begin the movie...on the menu bar at the bottom of the clip...left side arrow click.

Ed will be at the house tomorrow to see how we are progressing. If the floor is dry, the next step is to have someone lay new padding and then lay and stretch the carpet. We then will move everything back into the room. Well, not everything...now is the time to plan for our thrift sale! I will try and take more photos when they are working with the padding and carpeting. What a day!