Originally Posted by cindyw
I moved my sewing room to our basement. I'm in south Texas and basements aren't very common and maybe they don't know to make them here because ours leaks. The hurricane last week (the week before?) gave us appx 6" of rain in a day or two and, of course, the basement leaked.
I knew the basement leaks but what I didn't know was the cabinets I had installed on an outside basement wall would let water enter the back of the cabinets. Now about half of my fabric is damp/wet. I didn't discover it until today and it smells but I haven't found any mildew. (BTW, the contractor that installed the cabinets for me is also surprised water got into them and will try to figure out what to do to avoid this in the future.)
Cindy, I'm sorry you've had this experience...been there, done that!
Here in the northeast where many homes are prone to water in the basements if they are near the shore, waterproofing with paint is a must, and many folks put in sump pumps, which will work to keep water from rising in the basement as long as you don't lose power in a storm.
As for keeping the fabrics dry in a wet or damp environment, storing on shelving which is lifted off the floor and away from walls is helpful. If your cabinets stand on the floor, put them up on cement blocks and pull them away from the walls, and then store your fabrics in bins with lock down lids. We actually used those industrial metal shelves (which you can buy at home improvement stores, or shelving places like the container store) and then put them on large caster wheels so you can wheel it away from the water if necessary. It will prevent a lot of the damage, should this happen again. Store fabrics of like color together, so that you are not storing lights against darks, whenever possible.
If you have cabinets that are fixed to the walls (as in kitchen style cabinets), I don't think there are many options except to pull them down and get them away from the walls. Wood, particle board, cardboard (as in bolts that fabrics are wrapped on) all wick the water right to the fabric.
Running a de-humidifier whenever possible, as well as airing the place on a good dry day is helpful as well.
Good luck with everything! Let us know how you make out!