[LM_NET] Update: OT: Flooding advice needed

[Dawn Sardes <yayagoddess@SBCGLOBAL.NET>]

Well, we survived.
   
  Never having gone through this, I assumed that standing overnight in 5 feet of 
backed-up sewage and water toasted my gas furnace (actually, a boiler, only a 
couple years old), hot water tank, and new washer/dryer that we'd had delivered on 
Wednesday.
   
  I called Maytag, and they wanted a total of $225 to come out next Wednesday to 
look at them to see if they can be salvaged.  I didn't want to spend that kind of 
money just to learn what I already suspected to be true.
   
  We were able to get the two love seats and coffee/end tables out, as well as most 
of my Harry Potter Shrine collectibles.  Of course, the glass encased curio unit 
that held them has to be thrown out.
   
  It finally stopped raining at around 6AM Friday & the water level began to drop
   
  We got out to Lowes yesterday, got a new sump pump in case mine was toasted.  
They only had three left, so I thought I was better off safe than sorry, so I 
bought it.  Mine is not broken though, so I can return it.  We got on a waiting 
list for a pump and dehumidifier.  We got called last night to come in and get the 
dehumidifier a sthey have been transferring truckloads of stock into NE OH from 
nearby states.
   
  By 3PM, the water was gone, leaving some nasty, smelly muck. We went down, 
cleaned & reassembled the stationary sink, hooked up a hose and just began hosing 
the muck toward the drain in the basement floor.    The doorbell rang and some men 
in a van told us they were there to help clean up and rip up the carpeting.  They 
said that Allstate had called them.  They did not charge us, so they must have been 
on the up and up.
   
  So, we let them in and they ran the wet vac and tore out the carpeting.  I'm a 
bit confused, though, as I spoke with Allstate today and they knew nothing about it.
   
  We've had the dehumidifier running down there ever since we got it, and today, we 
went down and began mopping with a strong bleach solution.  My handyman, Bill, came 
over with a new hot water tank and got it installed earlier this evening, so I can 
shower as soon as I'm done with this update.
   
  Believe it or not, the new Maytags still work.  I ran a cycle of bleach water 
through the washer, and cleaned out the dryer with bleach and then lysol.  At 
first, the drum only moved very slowly, but then after a few hours, it started up 
and began to get hot.  I'm still letting it sit, open, with the dehumidifier in 
front of it.
   
  I am considering, however, moving the laundry area to my garage.  The garage is 
heated and has a small, porcelain, lavatory type sink in it.  I am thinking of 
ripping it out and moving the stationary sink there, then laying a cement block pad 
and installing the washer & dryer out there.  We could then cap off that basement 
drain, only opening it when needed for something, like draining the hot water tank, 
and then reclosing it.  The biggest worry about this plan, of course, is how to run 
the gas line to the garage.  But, if that drain was closed, we would not have had a 
problem.
   
  Luckily, I am off this coming week, so I can be there to meet the adjuster and 
contractors.
   
  On Monday, I am going to call my Allstate agent.  I am going to buy flood 
insurance (right now, I only have the sewer backup rider), earthquake insurance, 
War of the Worlds/Alien Invasion Insurance, Global Thermonuclear war insurance, 
Godzilla insurance, even a rider to cover roof collapse should a really really big 
bird fly overhead and poop on the house.  Then I'm going to buy insurance for the 
insurance.
   
  Again, thanks so much for all the good thoughts and advice.  I'm going to hop in 
to the shower and scrub the filth off me now.


Dawn Sardes
Teen Services Librarian
Euclid Public Library
Euclid, OH
yayagoddess@sbcglobal.net.omit.this
Check out my Harry Potter Fan Fiction at
http://www.fanfiction.net
Pen Name: YaYa Goddess

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