Leaky basement nightmare

[bombatomba]

The past little while I've noticed some water in my basement.  Not a big deal, but recently the water flow has increased.  I've been greeted by puddles in the back and middle part of my basement when I go down to check.  My game room is on the other side of the basement (which is shaped like an "L") and currently safe, but with time who knows.  There has been rain for a portion of the day for like a week out in Metro Detroit.  

So who ya gonna call?  The people who installed the drain tile and sealed the basement.  Thank God the people whom I bought the house from bought lifetime transferable insurance with it.  I hope they will honor it, and also not have to tear up the floor in my basement to fix it.

Nonetheless my current scanning and screen-shotting (?) are on hold for a bit.  I can't think straight knowing that there is water leaking onto the floor no more than twenty feet across from me.  

[Zagnorch]

Don't worry about the scanning part, bud, I'll pick up the slack on that deal for ya. 

But if you really feel there's a credible threat to your collection, you might want to consider temporarily relocating the most valuable and/or treasured pieces to higher ground.

[Razor Knuckles]

Hope everything gets fixed quickly for you. Just be glad you don't live on Hines Drive.

I've yet to see water in my basement. The only water damage present in my basement in the game room is in the ceiling tiles prior to me moving in. Kinda looks like something inappropriate.

[img width=700 height=525]http://i1077.photobucket.com/albums/w462/RazorKnuckles/wd001_zps5e6a738e.jpg[/img]

[Shadow Kisuragi]

Everything off the ground. Rule #1.

[Crabmaster2000]

Everything off the ground. Rule #1.

x100

[bsr241]

Make sure the sump pump always works.  Rule #2.

[Zagnorch]

When all else fails, move to places where basements are almost unheard of.

Places where your collection is at risk of damage from earthquakes instead of flooding.


Seriously, I sure hope that water flow has subsided since you first brought it up.

[Shadow Kisuragi]

Florida...where you're subjected to Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Wildfires, Flooding, and the rare Earthquake, but don't have a basement.
Please do yourself a favor and either move the collection or get a dehumidifier (maybe mothballs?) and place it nearby. While not immediately damaging, the added moisture in the environment will cause problems.

[techwizard]

i really need to get a dehumidifier...my game room basement isn't overly humid most of the time, but i do live on an island surrounded by water, which can't be good for the games.

[Tynstar]

I am glad I live in Arizona sometimes

[bombatomba]

Thanks everyone for the kind words and thoughts.  The water hasn't stopped, but has slacked to the point where I no longer have to attend to it two or three times a day.  My weapon of choice?  About twenty towels in constant rotation, as well as a large Wet/Dry Vac.  I've contacted the basement company and they will be out this coming Saturday for repairs and maybe a drain tile flush.  There was some damage but not to my gaming collection (or magazines or computer hardware).  About fifteen of my hardcover books were saturated and destroyed whilst on their bookshelf (not sure how that happened).  A bunch of Stephen King, Douglas Adams, and R.A. Salvatore novels were trashed, but thank the Lord that is wasn't anything irreplaceable (yearbooks).  I can replace all of those books with a small application of money at any number of thrift stores when I get the hankering.  The Dark Tower series as well as From A Buick 8 will be digitally bought, as they are yearly reads (usually).  There is also a small section of carpet that will have to be ripped up.  Nothing big, though.

While there is a great deal of stuff in my basement, most of it is either off the floor or within large plastic tubs/crates, as I am a very paranoid person by nature.  I actually have two dehumidifiers, although they are rarely on at the same time (usually in winter when ground water movement is at its highest), and this was in place well before I started heavily collecting.  I also like to put silica gel packets in computer towers (in my basement) as well as anything that has paper or cardboard in it.  Worth the investment.

Thanks again for the words and thoughts, everyone!

[Shadow Kisuragi]

Let me know which books need replacing. I have extra copies of all of those authors.