Basement flooding -- plumbing leaking

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I went down into the basement tonight to get some canned goods and discovered that part of the basement is flooded and doesn't smell very good. As nearly as I can figure out, there is a slow dripping leak from one of the plumbing waste water pipes that has been soaking into some cardboard boxes, wooden work benches and shelving, and flooded the new peel-and-stick flooring that I just put down last summer.

I have been throwing out the ruined stuff (thank goodness I put most of it into plastic boxes!) and mopping and soaking up the water as best I can. I've got a call in to a repair man for tomorrow to come look at the leak for me, but I'm wondering how to clean up the mess. Some of the wood down there got pretty badly soaked and will have to be thrown away (already developing mold), although I will salvage what I can of it.

What's the best way to clean this up? Bleach in water? I'm running an electric fan and a dehumidifier down there right now.

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), March 27, 2001

Answers

Bleach and water is excellent. The fan and dehumidifier is good, but what is even better is getter heat into the basement. Getting the temperature up will dry the basement even faster then a dehumidifier.

-- David in NH (grayfoxfarm@mcttelecom.com), March 27, 2001.

Julie, hold the bleach! The fumes are not good for you! Use "Nature's Miracle", an enzyme deodorizer that is available in the bigger pet supply stores, or in KV Vet Supply, Jeffers, etc, mail order catalogs. This stuff is great, works on everthing, and I mean everything!

The electric fan and dehumidifier will help tremendously too, continue to run them even after you think everything is dry, I run an electric fan all the time in our old farmhouse basement, keeps the damp musties away, our cellar is a real cellar, old and damp otherwise, makes the whole house smell!

Sure sorry to hear about the mess, yuck!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), March 29, 2001.


Thanks for the advice! I'm trying the Nature's Miracle along with Oxygene and saving the Chlorine bleach for a back up if need be, however, so far the Oxygene and NM seem to be helping a lot!!! I've still got to do some drying, but it;s getting there.

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), April 02, 2001.

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