I'm a new homer owner and came home from a trip to find that something in my furnace room had not drianed properly. There is water damage to the door at looks like it goes under the laminated flooring. There is mold growing now on the baseboards. How do I go about fixing this? What is the aproximated cost? I figure I'm going to have to lift up the floor and take down the molding and possible some drywalling? On top of that I'm not sure what caused the damage in the first place. Any help would be appricated.
Deer Theresa Klauke
First of all you have to find the source of the liking and fixed.
Second if you already have mould you must verify the extend of the damage
Third I will suggest to remove all the drywall (because you may no notice but usually mould need very little moist to grow if already set in) in your basement along with your floor.
The mould keep spreading upwards to your main floor and you don't want to take chances.
As regards of cost is impossible to tell without having the proper extend of damage.
(Wear protective clothing as well mask (professional type) and globes.
This is a very serious health concern
I can see that your message has no reply, perhaps if you post next time in ask the pro tab you will get more answers.
John-Luc Rizzo
I have noticed that a lot of new homes do not have the floor in the basement sloped properly. Combined with the fact that many hot water tank drain hoses are not fed to the drain but end at the bottom of the HW tank. I don't know if this is your problem but you may want to check it.
As mentioned above first find and stop the source of water otherwise mold will continue to grow. Then do a complete clean-up of the area that contains water damage by removing surrounding drywall and any wood or moisture holding materials.
Mold is made up of microscopic spores that are invisible to the human eye. The spores float though the air and it is impossible to remove it all, however they are not an issue unless they come in contact with damp areas and start growing.
Remember safety first, when cleaning mold and removing old materials. You should always use a proper respirator, gloves and eye protection. Scrub the area thoroughly with water and a detergent then ensure the area is completely dry when finished. If the water source is from the sewage system it is best to contact a professional with experience in cleaning mold.
Some ideas that could be causing problem. Do you have a sump pump that is not draining correctly or pump might not work? Check the humidifier on your furnace sometimes they leak. Also when you go on vacation, your hot water tank should be brought down to the low setting to avoid overheating, and overflow. If you haven't had a reoccuring water problem and you are ready for repairs, you can remove the lower 2 feet of drywall around the perimiter of damaged area to determine severity of the damage. If damage is minimal remove any absorbant materials such as insulation, drywall etc. and have a qualified flood and
water damage team clean the mess up for you. sometimes you can dilute javex bleach, about 50/50 and spray the floor and wall studs to kill the mold spores. Just be aware of the safety hazards when dealing with this type of clean-up. Disgard of any materials damaged, it's not worth trying to save your flooring in the case that the mold will return.
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