We had a water leak under our house that came from a hole in the 11 year old expansion tank---we ran a sump pump for 16
by Danny H
+2
hours to drain the water (the leak went undetected for a month) and get to the tank to replace. I am currently running a high speed fan to assist with drying---any other suggestions? Will I have to replace the insulation, etc ?
5 answers
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A dehumidifier will keep the air dry and speed up the drying process even faster than a fan. If you can get things dried out in just a few days you should be ok, unless if got trapped inside a space that can not breathe. Then you will definitely have to open it up or it will not dry out for a long time. That will bring on the mold and mildew problem, and that is something you want to avoid.
![Paul M]()
Paul M
on Dec 03, 2011
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If the insulation has gotten wet, remove it and put in new. This is a possible insurance claim as well. Have you contracted your agent and inquired about it? Any material that has gotten wet that is organic in nature should be ideally removed and replaced. Of course your floor joists and bottom of the floor sheathing was exposed to elevated moisture for long lengths of time. Has your floor warped? Look around and check to see. If it has, again something to tell your insurance company about. You are however doing the right thing by moving the air and drying the exposed surfaces out. But after 24 hours mold begins to develop. And while the fiberglass insulation itself will not grow mold, the paper facing on it will as will any dust that has become trapped in it over the years.
![Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com]()
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Dec 04, 2011
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Danny, Water from a reasonably recent water expansion tank hole/pipe is very likely to be an insurance claim and the secondary damage (mold) is likely to be covered as well. We are located in Fuquay Varina NC and our web site is www.ppr-nc.puroclean.com. We would be happy to provide you a free evaluation/estimate. I am the owner so please feel free to call (919) 762-3100 with any further questions you may have...
![EMERG+NC Property Rescuers]()
EMERG+NC Property Rescuers
on Dec 08, 2011
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Danny, I had a similiar situation. It was covered by insurance so I had the mold removed professionally. Then my insurance went up the exact amount to cover it in a year's time. Want to bet if if comes back down? The professionals set a humidifier inside the house, removed a heat vent and conected it to the hole in the floor. It ran for 3 days. Before this they removed the insulation. Once it had dried out, they treated the wood with a bleach-like solution. Once it dried, I replaced the insulation myself. The insurance would not pay for that. Good luck withit.
![Armin]()
Armin
on Dec 09, 2011
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I agree with Woodbridge. If the leak went undetected that long, you probably have saturated insulation which will hold the water for a while and the paper backing will harbor mold growth. I would recommend removing teh insulation, installing a dehumidifier to dry it out before air sealing and insulating the crawlspace.
![Tidewater Insulators]()
Tidewater Insulators
on Dec 09, 2011
Paul M
on Dec 03, 2011
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Dec 04, 2011
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