# help - had an upstairs toilet overflow..



## SKINNY (Oct 8, 2008)

the dripping and seeping has stopped so I am most concerned about the interior walls and subfloor drying..


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

As long as they weren't saturated and didn't stay wet for a long period of time, they should dry out fine.


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## SKINNY (Oct 8, 2008)

Thanks.


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## ccarlisle (Jul 2, 2008)

Well, we would first ask where the water came from? the toilet bowl or the toilet tank. One is clean water the other grey water and then act accordingly.


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## bjbatlanta (Jul 16, 2008)

I would assume it's the bowl and likely "gray water" (the tank doesn't normally "overflow"). Still, are you going to tear out the floor in the upstairs bath, drywall ceilings and walls in the downstairs bath , and garage ceiling?? Kind of costly for something that happens all too often. I WOULD have a lot more repair work if people DID tear out every time the commode overflowed.....


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## SKINNY (Oct 8, 2008)

It was the "gray water" from the bowl.. Somehow my daughter clogged the drain and at the same time the flapper got stuck open due to a chain coming loose and entering under the flapper.. The water seemed very clear so it wasn't like a sewage spill or anything (thank goodness).. The seeping stopped rather quickly and there didnt seem to be any real saturation of wallboard so I think I lucked out and caught it before it really caused a disaster.


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## ccarlisle (Jul 2, 2008)

I don't assume anything in water damage restoration. Done it too long and I'm paid not to. Plus what starts out as clean water can become grey - even black - within days...these are categories of water - not the colour.

At the same time, a 'grey' water incident doesn't always require tearing out the floor, the walls or the ceiling below. But drying the affected areas is a permanent as well as perhaps treatment for any microorganisms that may be there. Now depending on how much water there was and the accessibility to it, you may need some tear-out to be on the safe side but that is case-dependent. Dry it out thoroughly with fans over 24hours, apply a disinfectant just in case and report back. You may see paint peeling after some time - not right away - and plaster may swell. But these are fixable.


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