Washing machine flooded 🤦‍♂️

[Firewoodjoe]

Well my washing machine is on the main floor. It filled and never shut off. Just ran water over the top of the drum. So that ran down the floor to my finished basement. Ran across the ceiling and down the walls. All drywall and insulation. Finally soaking the carpet. So in the 8 years this has been finished I've had three water problems. I'm sick of it. First do I risk this drywall? Let it dry out? I have dehumidifier and fans going. Or Should I just be done with carpet and dry wall? Slowly Remodel each room different? Opinions please. 

[mike_belben]

Man that sucks.

Put the washer out on the porch is what we do in the south.  I think i would fab an overflow pan with drainline like for waterheaters. 

If youre gonna keep it you better start bleaching. Once that mold grabs hold its a bear. Will spread in thru all the stud bays and fiberglass,  start making you sick little by little as it circulates.

[Iwawoodwork]

For saving your carpet, it depends on what you have for pad and sub flooring. If it is a basement concrete slab with carpet, get the most powerful wet-dry vac and suck out the moisture then heat area until completely dry. If it is the main living area floor and there is particle board sub floor, use the wet-dry vac to get as much of the moisture out of the carpet as you can then pull the carpet to get the subfloor dry. If it is an older home with wood subfloor and your carpet pad has a plastic sheet over the pad you might not have to pull the carpet.  I had a home (1970's) with t&g subfloor and the dishwasher fill line broke and flooded the kitchen dining area.  We had installed foam backed kitchen carpet  and could not get the water out and it soured, we had to take the glued down carpet (very sour)out and scrub floor with vinegar or bleach to remove the sour smell residue 

[sawguy21]

Gut it and let dry, let the wood moisture content drop to I believe around 15% before covering up or you will be doing it again in a few years. Mold is miserable to deal with. We had a freezer on the porch because there was no room for it inside, I just junked it because of rust and mold.

[21incher]

I would  call my insurance  company and see who they recommend for flooding cleanup and If you have coverage. Companies specialize in that and can save you problems in the future. It should  be covered by insurance and could run into thousands of dollars to do properly. 

[SawyerTed]

+1 on a call to insurance.  Might be the best to go with a company that deals with that kind of water damage mitigation and repair on a regular basis.  There are few things worse than dealing with wet sheetrock, insulation, wet carpet and padding. 

[Firewoodjoe]

Insurance has been called. He said within two days they'd get back with me. I said I don't want to wait two days and he said do whatever work you want to dry out and keep track of cost. I'm going to cut some holes to let air in and visually inspect. But I've never saved drywall and will most like tear it all out. Sucks. 

[JJ]

ive seen ice dams cause enough water damage to gut interior.   Definitely open a claim, as doesn't take much before deductible is exceeded on a finished home.   Better somebody else is doing demo work.

    JJ

[Firewoodjoe]

Well I have the carpet lifted and fans blowing under it. I cut a hole in the dividing wall.  I didn't insulte that wall and that only seems  to have gotten wet on the bottom plate (2x4). So the only real problem I can see is the ceiling. One side of the ceiling is open as it adjoins the utility room and that is not finished. I also have a hole cut in the first floor osb flooring so air can move up and out.  I'm sure even though the water ran off it it's prolly to wet to save. But at least air is moving now. I'll wait a few days for insurance. Thanks. Ugh 😩 

[Menagerie-Manor]

In my last home the washer was on the second floor installed in a 2" deep sheet metal pan with a 2" open drain piped outdoors and I also had a Watts auto shutoff solenoid on the supply lines.

[Firewoodjoe]

In my last home the washer was on the second floor installed in a 2" deep sheet metal pan with a 2" open drain piped outdoors and I also had a Watts auto shutoff solenoid on the supply lines.

I like it. I think mike_belben mention that also. I will be doing something like that also. 

[Ianab]

he said do whatever work you want to dry out and keep track of cos

Take lots of pictures  It just helps document things as being flood / cleanup related vs existing wear and tear. 

[Firewoodjoe]

Well a water damage inspector came and said the drywall will be fine. The meter said it was drying out. They installed big fans and dehumidifier. Insurance will cover it all so far. New flooring in one room padding in others. 🤷‍♂️