Should I use Heat or AC to dry up a wet basement? - Reader Question

After flooding your primary goal is to get the water out. Once the water is out, or is to a manageable "dry-vac" level is the point where fans, dehumidifiers and heat will help.

Using your AC to dry the home is not going to work nearly as well as turning your furnace on and increasing the temperature of the basement and running a dehumidifier. Read more in a previous post about Indoor Air Quality Affected by the Basement

ACs have to work harder to take in air, heat it to remove the moisture, then force cool the air to push it into the home. Cold air isn't nearly as effective in forcing air movement in a basement as warm air is.

Best plan: Use warm air to force circulation and decrease the amount that the dehumidifiers have to work (it's easier for them to remove moisture from warm air than cool air). The heat will help the wet areas dry quicker by evaporating the water trapped in the surface which will again, make your dehumidifier more effective.

Fan + Dehumidifier + Warmer Temperatures = Win

Related Reading and Links

Safe'n'Dry Basement Blog: Indoor Air Quality Affected by the basement.
Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make.

Image copyright: Independent Ireland (Independent.IE)

Ask Jacob A question Directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!

How much water should be in my sump? - Reader Question

Answer - whatever the height of the water under your home should be the level that you see in your sump.

This is typically a question that many homeowners have if they have an open sump pump pit location somewhere in their basement. Looking into the sump basin you can see water sitting in the sump. There are, however, a few things that will effect what you see in the sump location.

Things that effect what you see:
1.) The sump has openings to allow water into it besides pipes dumping into the location. - If the sump has openings and is allowing the water underneath the home to have access to the sump then you will be seeing the actual level of water under your home. If there are no holes or entry points then the water you see could be what is left over after the pump switch turns off.

2.) weather conditions and soil saturation - You will see more water in a sump location typically while there is rain coming down and when the soil reaches it's max saturation point.

3.) the height of the sump pump relative to the floor - sump pumps that are deeper than 17 inches in the ground will see more water. If you have a deep sump location you will see more water because there's more water the further down in the earth you go.

If you're sump is working properly it will react with the rise in the level of water and remove it accordingly. If you're seeing long standing water it's possible that your sump location is too deep and needs to be updated.

Having a sump location in your home will allow water to collect. Don't be surprised when you see water, but do be cautious with how the water is being removed.


Related Reading and Links

Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make.

Need answers to your Basement Waterproofing Questions?
Read previous posts about Basement Waterproofing @ Safe'n'Dry Blog

Ask Jacob A question Directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!

Image of Sump pump taken by Paul Thirst @ http://www.catskillhouse.us/blog/

Looking to answer your Questions about Basements and Basement Waterproofing

I periodically get emails, posts on the Pioneer Basement Forums, or comments here on the blog that I try to get to at length.

I wanted to give an opportunity to people who read to ask their own questions and get a solid response.


Feel free to submit your question via comment or email them directly to me. - I look forward to helping you out! 


Or read other Reader Questions that I've answered: Safe'n'Dry Basement Blog - reader questions

Related Reading and Links

Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make.

Ask Jacob A question Directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!

April 25th - Climate Rally on National Mall - Washington DC

http://www.earthday.org/climaterally

For the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day in the United States as well as to put pressure on congress to pass a comprehensive climate bill, the Earth Day Network is planning a Rally in the Mall of Washington DC.

"It is time to stop protecting polluters and enact comprehensive climate legislation that will create American jobs, cap carbon emissions and secure our nation’s future."

A concert will be held and speeches will be made on the National Mall to demonstrate the continuing need for the American government to pay attention to the state of the county's environment.

According to the Earthday.org site the main focus is to apply pressure in hopes of having a bill passed to focus on emissions, green jobs, and the accountability of polluters here in the United States. Free buses will also be provided from a select list of major cities for those who want to join in the march.

FEMA in Rhode Island - Getting help for homes and basements

Life goes on in Isolated Neighborhood

FEMA recently arrived in Rhode Island to survey the worst flood damage to the state in over 100 years. A mobile support unit has been set up in Warwick, RI to help homeowners cope and apply for disaster relief funding.

http://www.floodrecovery.ri.gov/

A site was constructed by the local government to give you access to all the information about flood recovery in the state. This includes where the mobile stations are in Westerly, Cranston, and Westerly, but also how to help, how to get help, apply for assistance, and contact numbers. A link on the page Apply for FEMA Assistance (http://www.fema.gov/assistance/index.shtm) can help you get started on how to do the paper work, where to send it, what to include, and even help answer questions about if you qualify for assistance.

Good news for people with flooded basements

According to the official FEMA declaration, 4 out of the 5 counties in Rhode Island are covered under the declaration. All of these counties are eligible for disaster assistance (Newport, Washington, Kent, and Providence - See map in link for detailed area)

http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=12569

In a local news report FEMA also has a unit that is inspecting basements one by one. This is for completing a visual inspection and report on your property, but it’s also for getting your home and basement in the cue for funds to help install protective measures to keep it from happening again. Rhode Islanders are urged to Register for Disaster Assistance

*UPDATE* 4/8/10:
Bristol County is now included in the RI map on FEMA's site. Now all five counties can apply. 

Massachusetts is slightly different http://www.fema.gov/news/event.fema?id=12571 
The western 4 counties and the East most counties currently aren't on the map.  

Related Reading and Links

Local Gov Site for the town of Warwick RI : http://www.warwickri.gov/
Image used from www.turnto10.com 

Read about the Top 6 Basement Mistakes that contractors and homeowners make.

Ask Jacob A question Directly on Pioneer Basement's Help Forums!