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11-05-2019, 04:10 PM
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Advice Please: The Great Flood of 2019

My mother's finished basement has flooded, despite having an operating sump pump, due to ten inches of rain.

I have been using the carpet shampooer to remove the water, but there is no question in my mind that the carpet and padding will have to come up, as well as some sheetrock.

Now I could use some advice:

1. What is the best way to carefully remove the base trim to minimize damage to the trim and hopefully reuse it?

2. Is there any rule of thumb about how high above the water line that the sheetrock should be removed?

3. Any other general suggestions?

Most appreciated,
Swamp Woman
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11-05-2019, 04:15 PM
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Re: Advice Please: The Great Flood of 2019

Erm.... what is sheetrock?
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11-05-2019, 04:17 PM
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Re: Advice Please: The Great Flood of 2019

Lol...different regional names here too, Barry:

Sheetrock...
drywall,
gyp board,
plasterboard,
wallboard.
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11-05-2019, 04:28 PM
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Re: Advice Please: The Great Flood of 2019

What would be the point doing all that work, won't it all just flood again?

First job is to stop the flooding I would think. If you don't then whatever you do will end up all mouldy and fusty.
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11-05-2019, 04:36 PM
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Re: Advice Please: The Great Flood of 2019

Originally Posted by Surfermom ->
My mother's finished basement has flooded, despite having an operating sump pump, due to ten inches of rain.

Swamp Woman
What starts and stops the pump?
What rating is it?
Could you fit one with a greater capacity (flow rate)?
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11-05-2019, 04:37 PM
6

Re: Advice Please: The Great Flood of 2019

So base trim is skirting board? If so it is impossible to advise on without knowing how it was originally fixed, other than to say however it was fixed it should be re-useable with careful removal, by whatever means is found to be required. (If that doesn't sound ridiculous )

As for the plasterboard I would say remove it to at least one and a half feet above the high water line, and also to the height of a horizontal stud whichever the greater, so that the replacement board has a decent fixing point...

You will also need to allow the studs to dry before rebuilding and the moisture level can be checked with a simple moisture meter.

Flood remedial work is always a miserable business because of the length of time it takes to dry everything out and it may be worth hiring a de-humidifier to help speed that process.

Good luck!
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11-05-2019, 04:37 PM
7

Re: Advice Please: The Great Flood of 2019

Originally Posted by Surfermom ->
My mother's finished basement has flooded, despite having an operating sump pump, due to ten inches of rain.

I have been using the carpet shampooer to remove the water, but there is no question in my mind that the carpet and padding will have to come up, as well as some sheetrock.

Now I could use some advice:

1. What is the best way to carefully remove the base trim to minimize damage to the trim and hopefully reuse it?

2. Is there any rule of thumb about how high above the water line that the sheetrock should be removed?

3. Any other general suggestions?

Most appreciated,
Swamp Woman
Base trim? Is that like skirting board? Normally the best way would be to use two crow bars and gradually work your way along but that does depend on how it has been fixed. Because the plasterboard has got wet, the plasterboard will probably break anyway.
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11-05-2019, 04:38 PM
8

Re: Advice Please: The Great Flood of 2019

Hi

Sufermom, I feel for you, I really do.

Our houses here are built to different codes than in the USA.

They are predominantly brick and mortar, not timber with sidings.

We have one simple code which covers the whole of the UK.

Very different to the USA.

I have American Contacts.

PM me and I will see what help they can offer.

My Contacts are in Quantico, but bound to know someone where the house is.
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12-05-2019, 05:33 AM
9

Re: Advice Please: The Great Flood of 2019

Thank you all for the suggestions. I am learning so much!

Realist, the problem was a hundred year rain event with more than ten inches in just a few hours. The source of the leak was simply a 1/2 HP that just couldn't keep up.

Besoeker,
you are on the right track. The pump was simply not able to keep up. As part of the cleanup, my brother-in-law replaced the sump pump with a 3/4 HP pump. As a bonus, he taught me how to do it. The pump goes on and shuts off based a float system.

Barry, that is exactly the information that I needed and you and my brother-in-law were on exactly the same page. It took two cuts to make sure we were high enough to easily affix the new sheetrock, but I was happy learning how to use a compact circular saw (which sure, didn't feel compact to me - made for a man's hands). It was great fun once I got over the fear of worry of cutting too deep.

We ended up scoring the skirting board, as you call it, with box cutter and then carefully pried it off. With some sanding and some elbow grease, I think we can reuse all of it.

Swimfeeders
, the basement is all concrete and the first floor is brick and mortar, with the second floor being wood siding. My dad built the place with his own two hands so anything we do to it - we want to do it perfectly. Any number of his friends have declared that it will be last house standing in town. I do greatly appreciate your offer of help, and I expect that your friends have been near here at one time or another . I am pretty sure I have it under control, but thank you!

I am really excited about learning how to do this work and appreciate this of you who can . It isn't easy for me, but it will enable me to work on my repairing skills. Best of all, we can save my mom a mint by doing this work ourselves.
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12-05-2019, 07:35 AM
10

Re: Advice Please: The Great Flood of 2019

It has never happened to me but as you know it is fairly common here. The one thing I can tell you is - throw the carpet away it will end up smelling likewise any chipboard furniture also you need to dry the place out thoroughly which possibly means removing the plasterboard anyway.

Here is some advice from people who know:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-...-home/10780728
 
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