Do you have a flooded basement? Even a small flood can turn into a big problem. All it takes is a little water to enter your basement before mold starts growing or structural damage occurs. A flood due to a sewer backup can also introduce a host of bacteria into your home. Follow the steps below to make sure you deal with your flooded basement properly and safely.

Step 1: Safety

If your basement is flooded you need to be aware of the following safety hazards:

·         Electric shock

·         Gas leaks

·         Bacteria due to sewage

·         Structural damage

Shut off the power to your basement, turn off the gas, check your house for any structural damage and if you suspect there is sewage in your basement call a professional.

Step 2: Find the Source of the Flood

There are several different reasons your basement could be flooded. Finding the cause of the flood may help you stop it.

·         A leak in your plumbing: Minor water pipe leaks may be fixed by an experienced DIY’er, but serious leaks will need to be dealt with by a professional. Either way, shut-off the main water supply to your house if this is the problem.

·         Sewage Backup: If the water in your basement is dirty and has a strong odor then it could be from a sewage backup. Do not flush any toilets or use the dishwasher or washing machine.

·         Heavy Rain or Snow: A large amount of rain or snow can form pools of water outside of your home that can make their way into your basement.

Step 3: Call the Right People

For any plumbing leaks call a plumber. If you have a sewage backup call the city first so they can see whether the problem is with your system or the city’s. Check your house for any structural damage and call a building inspector if you find any. If water has come into contact with any electrical appliances you should call an electrician. Finally, call your insurance agent to make sure you are covered for this type of damage.

Step 4: Clean Up the Flood

Cleaning up is a three step process. First you have to get rid of the water, then clean and sanitize the area, and finally dry the basement. If this is too big of a job for you there are many companies that can be hired to do it for you.
 
Do you own a pool or hot tub? Do you pay someone to look after it? If you do then you might want to consider doing the work yourself. All the different chemicals can make it seem intimidating, but it’s really quite simple. After the initial start-up you real only have to worry about two chemicals for the most part, and depending on how often you use it you may only have to check it a couple times a week.

Get a Test Kit

Professional tests kits can be expensive, but your basic kits for homeowners are pretty cheap. I would recommend going for the kits where you test the water by putting drops of dye in it. Avoid the test strips that you put in the water, as I find these can be a little inaccurate and often hard to read. Just get a kit that tests for pH and chlorine/bromine. Any other tests can be done at your local pool and hot tub store.

Balancing the Water

When you start up your pool or hot tub you will need to add a number of different chemicals to the water. Get an empty clean container and fill it with your pool water and bring to your local pool and hot tub store for testing. They will give you a list of chemicals you need to add, and how much of each need to be added.  If there isn’t any water in your pool or hot tub still visit the store for advice. They will know what kind of chemicals you need to add to your local water supply to properly balance it.

The main levels you want to worry about at this stage are calcium hardness and alkalinity. Calcium hardness should be around 250-300 ppm, while alkalinity should be 80-120 ppm. Once these levels have been attained they should remain pretty stable. Bring a water test to the experts every once and a while just to be sure everything is correct. You will likely have to make a few small adjustments throughout the year.

Sanitizer and pH

Once your pool or hot tub is up and running you will mostly be keeping track of the sanitizer level and the pH. If you’re using chlorine, keep the level between 1-3 ppm. Bromine should be kept between 2-6 ppm. pH should always be between 7.2 and 7.6. Remember, any time you have to make adjustments add chemicals in small doses. It’s a lot easier to increase chemical levels than it is to lower them.

Good luck!
 
Water Heater Leaking may not seem like a big deal in the whole scheme of things, but it can quickly turn into a serious problem if you don't do anything to fix it. All it takes is just a little bit of water for mold to start growing, and the longer you leave a leak the more likely it becomes that the water will cause damage to your floors and walls. 

Before dealing with your water heater leak you need to take some safety precautions.

You'll need to shut off the power to your water heater before anything else. Electric water heaters can be shut off  at the circuit breaker. Gas water heaters have a handy "on/off" dial that you can just turn to "off".

If the leak is a big one then next on your to-do list is to shut off the cold water supply. Just remember any water leaking from your water heater may be extremely hot and can cause serious burns. The cold water shut-off valve if usually located above the tank. If you can’t reach the valve safely find the main water shut-off for your house and turn it off

If the water heater leak is a small one, and you have no idea where the water is coming from, consider leaving the the water on for now. This will help you find where the leak is coming from

Check the following locations:

·         The inlet and outlet pipes leading from the water heater

·         The temperature and pressure relief valve

·         The drain valve

·         The bottom of the tank

When you find the leak you can shut off the cold water supply. At this point it's best to call a professional plumber to assess the situation.

For more information, go to Water Heater Leaking Info.

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    My name's Rick, and I'm an avid DIY'er. I hope I can teach you something!

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