What Do I Do If My Basement Is Wet?

With all the recent rain in the Toronto and GTHA area recently we are getting lots of calls from people concerned about damp basements and recent water or moisture issues. Most callers want to know how they should dry out their homes and prevent mold. Here are some general tips on mold prevention.

One of the first things that you should do is STOP and THINK. Don't do anything in a panic. Many people when faced with moisture or mold panic and in many cases make the situation worse.

You should first determine if this is the first time the area got wet or if this has been a recurring issue. The reason for this is that if there is a potential that mould has grown in the past in the affected area and may still be there....or if you see mold...it is best to call a professional mold inspection or professional mould remediation company. Mold clean up is not a DIY project and can have serious and costly results if you don't have the right equipment and don't know what you are doing. You can make a mold or water damage issue that would have cost a few thousand dollars to fix into something that is unaffordable.

If you have hidden mold or you see mold growth then in many cases trying to dry out the basement could disturb and spread mold spores all over the house. Call a professional!

However, if it is the first time that the area received water damage then there are a few things that you can do to prevent mold growth from affecting the indoor air quality of your home. Time is of the essence here.

From the time the area in question got wet, you have about 24-48 hours to begin the drying process to prevent mold from starting.

How to dry out a basement or room that received water damage. This only applies to non-sewer related water damage. Call a professional if water came out of the sewer or drain system.

Roll back the carpet that is wet and cut out the underlayment or padding underneath. This is a sponge and will not dry out in time.If it is a wall, remove all affected baseboards and you may need to cut the drywall and remove the insulation as well that is wet.Install a dehumidifier (or several depending on the size of the room) and install blowers, air movers or fans. You want to move lots of air over this area to start to get the water to evaporate. The dehumidifier will then take the moisture out of the air.If it is humid outside then leave windows closed. If it is not humid outside then open the windows and let mother nature help dry out the affected area.Separate the affected area from unaffected areas with plastic or close doors. The smaller you make the area the quicker things will dry.If you are not fully dry within 4-5 days it's too late! Mold can definitely start to be visible on walls or affected items. Call a professional.

It is important if you detect moisture to quickly and fully dry out the affected area within the week that it happened. Mold growth can start within 24-48 hours but is usually not visible and concentrated enough to cause health or air quality issues until the moisture damage remains wet for several days. If the water loss or moisture event happened over 10 days ago...don't touch it. Get a professional to assess it and have it properly removed.