Basements can experience water and drain backups for several reasons including drain clogs, equipment failure, and extreme weather. With the first day of Spring on March 20th, now is the time to make sure you and your basement are prepared for the unexpected.
What can I do to prepare & protect my belongings?
- Stored items should be placed in plastic totes with lids which keep out moisture and pets.
- Cardboard is not recommended for long term storage. When cardboard is in use, items should be stored on shelves or milk crates up off the ground.
- Clear out broken or unwanted furniture by scheduling for donation or bulk pickup.
- Contact leasing@creativehousing.org if you need more information on how to do this at your property.
- Ensure there is ample space around appliances and equipment.
- In general, there should be at minimum 36” around basement fixtures to all for proper functionality and servicing.
- Don’t use your basement frequently?
- Plan to visually inspect the basement on a weekly basis or periodically during extreme weather events.
- If experiencing any issues with drains other fixtures in the home, check and see if the basement is affected.
- Evidence of water (markings on the floor, matter around the floor drain, etc., should be reported to maintenance@creativehousing.org when found.
- It’s always a good idea to call from the home in case maintenance needs additional troubleshooting from the site.
What to do if I find water in my basement?
- Call Creative Housing!
- Our maintenance staff will collect information to determine next steps.
- A work order will be put in for service.
- Timeliness will be explained at the time of the request.
- Emergency calls that require same day service may require someone be onsite to provide access to the property.
- We will notify you if this is the case.
- It is important to be home if you have committed to do so.
Who is responsible for cleaning up my basement after a backup?
- Creative Housing will ensure the cause of the backup has been addressed.
- Households will be responsible to address any stored items that were affected by the event.
- See recommendations above.
- Wet cardboard/furniture/items must be removed within 48 hours
- Creative Housing equipment may be temporarily installed to address moisture issues.
- In the event the main drain backs up causing sewage in the basement, the household or a disaster clean up company should clean the area within 48 hours.
- Expectations may be outlined by the maintenance department during the event.
- Backups found to be caused by the household (wipes being flushed, objects in the drain, etc) will result in the household receiving a bill for service.
If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to our maintenance department, who will be happy to assist. You can give them a call at: 614-418-7725 x16 or email: maintenance@creativehousing.org.