Heavy rain and strong winds can create a wide range of problems for homeowners. When city sewers can’t handle a sudden surge in storm water, that water can back up and flood basements, or it can saturate the ground to the extent that it seeps into homes through basement walls.
Once the water has receded, you may be left with quite a mess to clean up — and you need to act quickly to remove excess moisture from your home, before other problems develop.
Unseen moisture
If you’ve had standing water in your home, you’ll need to make sure that spaces you can’t see are thoroughly dried. For example, if you can see a water line on drywall, the wooden studs inside your wall may be damaged, too. Drywall is relatively inexpensive to replace, so remove any damaged sections and look for other signs of water intrusion inside walls. Use dehumidifiers to dry-out wood, and remove and replace any insulation that shows signs of storm water damage.
Keep in mind that storm water may contain chemical runoff or other pollutants, so if you’re attempting to salvage porous items — like rugs or towels — wash them thoroughly in hot, soapy water.
Water in the basement
If a heavy downpour usually leads to a wet basement in your home, the problem may be poor exterior grading. If, for example, you have a slab patio against your home, it should slope gently away from the foundation. But over time, concrete slab may settle, and water can sometimes collect on the surface. That water has to go somewhere, and it may work its way down through your foundation and into the basement.
Rather than spend your time cleaning up water after every storm, you’re better off having a foundation repair professional evaluate the problem and discuss a permanent fix. At the very least, you may need basement waterproofing.