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yuck, sewage mess in my house... any tips?


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yuck, sewage mess in my house... any tips?
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ime_NY
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Join Date: Jan 2006
 
2006-08-27, 21:27

Hi all,

So I came back from my summer internship to find out that I can no longer live in my room. At least for a while now.

Here's what happened: the sewage line from my bathroom exploded, so sewage started seeping through the basement carpet. My room is on that floor, and the sewage stain trail ended a few feet before my room door. My family cleaned everything up, but mold started to grow everywhere. Mold was on my door, and the mold even settled on my bedsheets.

We shampooed the carpet, cleaned every inch of my room's walls twice, and even used some powdered carpet cleaner (with baking soda! hoorah!). We let my futon bed air out, and since then, we've been running a de-humidifier for about 15 hours a day.

Is there anything else we should have done? I'll alcohol-rub everything that I plan to put back in my room, even my books.

Is there a way to test the quality of the air, carpet, and walls to see if my room's in a liveable condition? I'm pretty sensitive to mold and other allergens, so the only test I can think of is to see if I can survive a night sleeping on my futon in the room!

I was considering placing this thread in the Genius Bar, but I doubt the answer I need is computer-related

Thanks in advance!
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billybobsky
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Inner Swabia. If you have to ask twice, don't.
 
2006-08-27, 21:33

You are going to be fine. You've done everything you can do except replace the carpet..
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Windowsrookie
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2006-08-27, 21:38

If mold was on the outside of the walls, it could be on the inside.
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alcimedes
I shot the sherrif.
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2006-08-27, 21:39

Bleach. Lots and lots of bleach. And open the windows when you use it. If have stains on the drywall use killz to prime it ASAP.
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Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2006-08-27, 21:44

Napalm.
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ime_NY
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
 
2006-08-27, 21:55

Thanks Bruce. Thanks everyone.

We actually plan to replace the carpet in a month or so.

I wish i did have napalm though
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billybobsky
BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope.
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Inner Swabia. If you have to ask twice, don't.
 
2006-08-27, 21:56

One other thing I can suggest is a fresh coat of paint... Most paints have antimicrobial activity of their own...
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2006-08-27, 22:04

I was going to suggest Killz as well.
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Windswept
On Pacific time
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Moderator's Pub
 
2006-08-27, 22:20

I wouldn't spend ANY time down there until the carpet is replaced.

I think the bare floor (concrete?) under the carpet and carpet pad should be cleaned with bleach or something similar. If the sewage water seeped 'under' the walls, which I imagine is likely (depending on how long the water sat before being discovered), you may have mold growing inside the walls.

Shampooing the carpet just won't get all the horrible stuff deep inside.

I mean, it's bad enough when *plain water* floods a carpet, with the mold that forms underneath. But with 'sewage'... ACK!!!!

Good luck though.
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Yontsey
*AD SPACE FOR SALE*
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cleveland-ish, OH
 
2006-08-27, 22:25

I would look into calling a professional in to look at the place and check the walls and what not because it definitely would not be healthy living down there.

Die young and save yourself....
@yontsey
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Ebby
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Join Date: May 2004
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2006-08-27, 22:31

We had a mold problems for 2 years and tried cleaning the room all the time. We thought it was the shower and the humidity until we remodeled. Turns out the wax seal had been leaking slowly for a VERY long time. Gross to the max! We fixed it last year and the mold went away pretty quickly. Just give it time.

^^ One more quality post from the desk of Ebby. ^^
SSBA | SmockBogger | SporkNET
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ime_NY
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
 
2006-08-28, 00:54

thanks everyone.


What about the futon? Get a new mattress instead?
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initialsBB
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Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Paris, France
 
2006-08-28, 06:28

Quote:
Originally Posted by ime_NY View Post
What about the futon? Get a new mattress instead?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moogs View Post
Napalm.
he he he
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Windowsrookie
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2006-08-28, 07:46

People are enjoying this multiquote a little to much.
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murbot
Hoonigan
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Canada
 
2006-08-28, 07:47

I don't think you'll be able to get everything out of that futon mattress. Dump it.
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jcoley2
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2006-08-28, 21:56

My only suggestion on the mold---did it get into the sheetrock??? If it did, I would suggest you cut it out--and cut high! That is, is the water line and mold went up say 3" cut out 12-15" of sheetrock. If you go this route, when you cut the sheetrock, take out the insulation. Then run fans for several days to get out humidity. The bleach your studs. Then rebuild your wall.

If this an area that could be exposed again, consider going with wonderboard (the waterproof sheetrock they put behind walls in showers) instead of sheetrock.

I would not mess with mold. It can travel very far in the house and is very bad esp. for kids. Good luck.
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