Nov 20, 2006
We left for Texas at 7:30am for Thanksgiving with my brother and his family. At about 10: 30 the
Palm Bay Utilities installed a new water meter at our house. To do that they had to turn off the
water, swap out the old meter and turn the water back on. Therein lies the problem. No one was
home. When they turned the water back on, the surge over pressured the hot water hose to the
washing machine, bursting the hose. Water commenced gushing into the house. The washing
machine is set in the utilities area on the main hallway of the house. The house is a three
bedroom ranch.
Palm Bay Utilities installed a new water meter at our house. To do that they had to turn off the
water, swap out the old meter and turn the water back on. Therein lies the problem. No one was
home. When they turned the water back on, the surge over pressured the hot water hose to the
washing machine, bursting the hose. Water commenced gushing into the house. The washing
machine is set in the utilities area on the main hallway of the house. The house is a three
bedroom ranch.
Nov 25, 2006
We returned from Texas at 5:30pm. I opened the door to the house to find standing water in the
living room. I heard water running and found a fountain of water gushing from the utility area. I
raced to the whole house water shutoff to stem the flow of water. The rest of the evening was
spent calling insurance people and ServiceMaster to clean up the mess. SierviceMaster arrived
within and hour of my call. This is Thanksgiving weekend, mind you. This was great service. We
moved into our Airstream trailer which sits next to the house.
living room. I heard water running and found a fountain of water gushing from the utility area. I
raced to the whole house water shutoff to stem the flow of water. The rest of the evening was
spent calling insurance people and ServiceMaster to clean up the mess. SierviceMaster arrived
within and hour of my call. This is Thanksgiving weekend, mind you. This was great service. We
moved into our Airstream trailer which sits next to the house.
Nov 27, 2006
As with many problems, the scope is not immediately clear. It seems that since the water set for
so long, that mold formed on the damp walls where the water had wicked up into the sheet rock.
This means a condition known as "black water" is declared and everything has to go.
so long, that mold formed on the damp walls where the water had wicked up into the sheet rock.
This means a condition known as "black water" is declared and everything has to go.
Dec 05, 2006
Murphy's law says "Left to their own devices things will always go from bad to worse". That's true
here as well. Josie and I went to the Fort Christmas Airstream Rally. We had to go because I
was being installed as the Florida Unit President. It was while we were gone that the furniture
repairman came to decide which pieces of furniture had to go and what could be salvaged.
Normally the owner would accompany the repairman and approve or reject the decision on each
piece. Since that didn't happen, I was to be given an inventory and make the selections. That
piece of information never got to the decision maker who decided to throw everything out marked
with an 'X'. That included the dining room table which was undamaged from the flooding and the
sofa base which is 12' long and holds the 9' sofa and was undamaged. We had just had the sofa
reupholstered and I had refinished the base. When I found the table, it had been broken down
into two pieces and the sofa base was completely destroyed. The base is made of walnut veneer.
here as well. Josie and I went to the Fort Christmas Airstream Rally. We had to go because I
was being installed as the Florida Unit President. It was while we were gone that the furniture
repairman came to decide which pieces of furniture had to go and what could be salvaged.
Normally the owner would accompany the repairman and approve or reject the decision on each
piece. Since that didn't happen, I was to be given an inventory and make the selections. That
piece of information never got to the decision maker who decided to throw everything out marked
with an 'X'. That included the dining room table which was undamaged from the flooding and the
sofa base which is 12' long and holds the 9' sofa and was undamaged. We had just had the sofa
reupholstered and I had refinished the base. When I found the table, it had been broken down
into two pieces and the sofa base was completely destroyed. The base is made of walnut veneer.
Jan 03, 2007
So, here we sit in our trailer. We spend about 4 months a year in it, so now it is like 'full timing'.
My guess is we will be in here until mid February
My guess is we will be in here until mid February
| Airstream-Adventures Our Water Damage |
Feb 14, 2007
Well here it is, Mid February and the reconstruction is just starting. I am not happy with
Travelers Insurance service. They still have not come up with a final amount for the
reconstruction. They sent a check for a third of the amount so the contractors can get to work.
Infinity Construction Services of Lake Mary Florida is the contractor. I will take four to six
weeks to finish the job. That means, end of March or the first of April before we are back in the
house. If it takes that long then we will have been in the trailer for four months. We would be
back in just in time to get ready to head north for the summer. We are toying with the idea of
not going this year, just so we can spend some time in the house before a hurricane takes it
away.
The interesting thing about this is that we begin to think that the house will be like this forever.
That we will not see it done. Of course that's not the case but the mind plays funny games. I
really feel for the Katrina victims. I can't imagine how they must feel.
Travelers Insurance service. They still have not come up with a final amount for the
reconstruction. They sent a check for a third of the amount so the contractors can get to work.
Infinity Construction Services of Lake Mary Florida is the contractor. I will take four to six
weeks to finish the job. That means, end of March or the first of April before we are back in the
house. If it takes that long then we will have been in the trailer for four months. We would be
back in just in time to get ready to head north for the summer. We are toying with the idea of
not going this year, just so we can spend some time in the house before a hurricane takes it
away.
The interesting thing about this is that we begin to think that the house will be like this forever.
That we will not see it done. Of course that's not the case but the mind plays funny games. I
really feel for the Katrina victims. I can't imagine how they must feel.
March 21, 2007
A lot has happened in the last month. The house has walls, doors, paint (not exactly what we
ordered), ceramic tile in the kitchen, bathrooms, entryway and utility room. The cabinets are at
the contractors and will be here today and installed tomorrow. Today will be more grouting of
the tile, lots of touch up work. We hope to be in the house by next week. That will make it
about four months in the trailer.
The timing is perfect. We get into the house and then are gone for two weeks to rallies in St.
Augustine. I may have to cancel those, since I was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer
and I have more tests on Friday to determine if it has spread. So, life goes on, hopefully.
ordered), ceramic tile in the kitchen, bathrooms, entryway and utility room. The cabinets are at
the contractors and will be here today and installed tomorrow. Today will be more grouting of
the tile, lots of touch up work. We hope to be in the house by next week. That will make it
about four months in the trailer.
The timing is perfect. We get into the house and then are gone for two weeks to rallies in St.
Augustine. I may have to cancel those, since I was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer
and I have more tests on Friday to determine if it has spread. So, life goes on, hopefully.