Had one of the valves under the kitchen sink leak when we were gone for a couple of days. Mucho water in the kitchen to the point there is water coming up from under the tiles in front of the area. We have a portable dehumidifier in kitchen and a couple of fans. Anything else we can do to dry out the area before major damage?
Well, since you are at the edge of 'nothing to lose' status- if you have water perking up through the tile cracks when you apply pressure, and if basement ceiling below is open, you could try drilling a couple tiny weep holes from below. Hopefully without coming up THROUGH the tile.
But realistically, I'd start saving up for a new kitchen floor. And buy the GOOD shutoff valves next time, plus do what I do- keep a plastic tray under the sink plumbing. It acts like a drawer to hold all the cleaning supply containers (which are also prone to leaks), and still can hold a couple gallons of liquid, which COULD make a difference.
I'll check in with the insurance company tomorrow to see if it is covered. The shut off valves worked perfectly for over 21 years. I am still not sure why the stopped. Although I think I'll take the plastic trey thing to heart.
Reason #864 to turn the water off anytime you leave the house.
to koala bears: food, water, shelter and something to crap on."
Try to weigh down the tiles while they are drying to prevent (maybe) curling, and to hold them to the subfloor while they are rying. It might help???
If it's really wet the humidifier will take forever to dry the room out, and you'll probably get mold.
What the disaster recovery people do in your circumstance is to open the windows and place very powerful fans to blow air all around the room and out the windows. Replacing the air via big fans is much more effective than a dehumidifier.
Copyright 2010 by Shaun Breidbart. All rights reserved.
You should look into what your water pressure is. A pressure spike in the water system can often cause leaks especially with the TP safety valve on your water heater. You can pick up a water pressure gauge at any of the Lowe's or Home Depot stores. Well heck, you should know that as long as you've been around the home repair group. :-)
TDD
It is high, don't remember exactly how high right off, just that the plumbers and my sprinkler guy are always impressed (grin). We are about
1/2 mile from the main pump and processing plant for the aquifier.Did you make a typo error on the 60 to 70 deg F ? Many of the dehumidifiers will not work well or at all when it is much below 70.
Also someone mentioned opening the windows and using fans. I hope it is above freezing where the water damage is at.
Well, the factory sets the regulators to 50lbs pressure and that's where I leave them set. I replaced the 1" regulator at a service station that had 190lbs water pressure. The high pressure was blowing out the Sloan flush valves in the restrooms, blowing out the washers in all the water faucets, messing up the ice machine and of course the TP valve on the water heater was leaking all the time. After replacing the regulator, the only thing that had high pressure was the outside spigot and any water hose, nozzle configuration would shoot a very impressive stream.
TDD
is to koala bears: food, water, shelter and something to crap on."
Exactly the oposite, in that room the air is saturated with water, no single humidifier could lower that rooms humidity as easily as fans circulating in dry air, its winter here and indoor humidity is lower. He might even have his furnace humidifier calling to humidify. If your heating system has a humidifier turn it off, run dehumidifier and fans below the kitchen and in the kitchen.
Call your insurance company. They may even have a water damage repair company they send out to attempt to dry it before everything buckles.
We had a major kitchen leak, but had concrete slab floor, so that wasn't damaged. I would use a powerful wetvac and extract as much water as soon as possible. Since I'm an optimist, with a wood floor it could help prevent warping/bulging if you can put something heavy on the tile until the floor dries. Good luck, Kurt.
With our flood, we were able to get the water up quickly so kitchen cabinets were not harmed - water had been about 1" deep after washer hose broke.
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