Why do older Clinton homes get basement water?
Houses from earlier decades were often built with block foundations and drainage that hasn’t kept up with the years. Gutters clog, downspouts end right at the wall, and the soil around the foundation settles toward the house instead of away from it. After a soaking rain, water seeps through block walls and across the basement floor. River and hillside lots add to it.
If water is coming in, don’t wait for it to dry on its own. Wet carpet, drywall and wood can start growing mold within 24 to 48 hours.
What to do when your basement floods
- If water is near outlets, cords or the electrical panel, stay out and keep others out.
- If it’s a pipe or water heater and it’s safe, shut off the water.
- Take photos of everything before you move it.
- Call or text us at (865) 255-9692, any hour.
We extract the water, remove what can’t be saved, dry the structure with air movers and dehumidifiers and take moisture readings until it’s dry. See water damage restoration and emergency water removal.
Can wet basement carpet be saved?
Sometimes. Clean water from a supply line, caught early, can often be dried and the carpet cleaned. Water that came in from outside, through a wall or under a door, is Category 3 because it carries soil and bacteria. Carpet and pad soaked by it are usually removed, not cleaned. We tell you which it is before anything gets torn out.
How do you clean carpet in an older house?
Older homes often have carpet over hardwood, worn traffic lanes and stairs that carry all the foot traffic in the house. For heavy soil and pet spots we use steam cleaning, which is truck-mounted hot water extraction, drying in about 1 to 3 hours. Lighter soil or delicate fibers can get low-moisture cleaning that dries in about 30 minutes to 2 hours. We look at the fiber first. More on carpet cleaning and pet urine odor removal.
Is a musty crawlspace a mold problem?
It can be. A crawlspace that stays damp gives mold everything it needs. If the house smells musty or you see growth on the joists, we take readings, find the moisture and deal with both. See mold remediation. Like all restoration, it starts with a look and a written estimate.