The water and the damage done
It's been a rough week, folks.
Five days after the Great Flood of 2010 . . . The big industrial fans and dehumidifiers supplied by the water removal company are STILL GOING, so we haven't really been able to get down there and do much. We did try to empty some water-damaged boxes yesterday, and to our chagrin found that quite a few books and winter clothes were damaged beyond repair. Some of the baseboards need to be replaced. The carpet could not be saved, so we'll have to replace it, or come up with another flooring solution in the finished section of the basement. Thankfully, the water didn't reach the level of the drywall, so the walls are all OK.
To echo what I said previously: it could have been a lot worse.
I learned from this experience that I'm really good in a crisis. I mean, when it happened, I jumped on it, found a water removal company, kept my head, etc. I didn't freak out and I haven't cried (yet!) over losing stuff or whined about the suckiness of the timing of this incident.
But, Dear Readers, I feel the need to warn you about something. If you own a home, go check your homeowners' insurance policy NOW. Be sure that you have the appropriate endorsements or riders in your policy to cover things like water damage or sump pump failures . . . or that you have a separate flood insurance policy . . . or whatever the requirements may be in your state. Seriously, go now and check. Don't just assume it's in there. Read the fine print.
The only thing we can do is just move on. So we will. To quote Albert Einstein: "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."
Five days after the Great Flood of 2010 . . . The big industrial fans and dehumidifiers supplied by the water removal company are STILL GOING, so we haven't really been able to get down there and do much. We did try to empty some water-damaged boxes yesterday, and to our chagrin found that quite a few books and winter clothes were damaged beyond repair. Some of the baseboards need to be replaced. The carpet could not be saved, so we'll have to replace it, or come up with another flooring solution in the finished section of the basement. Thankfully, the water didn't reach the level of the drywall, so the walls are all OK.
To echo what I said previously: it could have been a lot worse.
I learned from this experience that I'm really good in a crisis. I mean, when it happened, I jumped on it, found a water removal company, kept my head, etc. I didn't freak out and I haven't cried (yet!) over losing stuff or whined about the suckiness of the timing of this incident.
But, Dear Readers, I feel the need to warn you about something. If you own a home, go check your homeowners' insurance policy NOW. Be sure that you have the appropriate endorsements or riders in your policy to cover things like water damage or sump pump failures . . . or that you have a separate flood insurance policy . . . or whatever the requirements may be in your state. Seriously, go now and check. Don't just assume it's in there. Read the fine print.
The only thing we can do is just move on. So we will. To quote Albert Einstein: "Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."
