Question Of Pain (OT), Pics added Options

[r_towle]

Hi,
A bit of experience with this here. PM if you want details.

Remove the bottom 2 feet of the drywall, and possibly all of it off the walls in the area affected. The water got to the bottom plate of the wall, it wicked up and that area is now a hazard.

Make sure the complete job gets done. You should only have to pay the deductable...that is all. All restoration should be paid for by insurance.

Please understand a few words to keep repeating.
Baby and mold.
baby and mold.
Each time you talk to the insurance company say those words.

The proper way to do it.
Remove all drywall and insulation in affected area.
Dry it out.
Soak it with bleach...straight bleach.
Let that dry, then close it back up properly.

If Bleach is not used the mold spores will form in the wood and spread to the back of the drywall...then mold and baby will meet. Drying it out is not enough. There are two deadly mold spores in our part of the country...not the same as Texas, but just as bad...both are pine tree mold spores from Eastern White pine.

Mold will create lung problems, breathing issues, and in extreme cases brain damage and death. Sorry, had to say it so you are more paranoid...its for you and your babies own well being.

If your insurance company does not do a complete job they risk a very major lawsuit. There are many cases that will ensure they loose big.
They know this.. They know this very well but they will not admit it to you. They wont give you anything unless you say baby, mold...concern...lungs...etc etc.

The minimal job would be floors, ceilings and 50% up the walls.
New insulation, drywall, plaster, and paint.
New floors.
New plumbing repair.
That is minimal. It sounds like they are trying to get away doing less than that and they legally cannot.


Rich

[stepuptotheMike]

Hi,
A bit of experience with this here. PM if you want details.

Remove the bottom 2 feet of the drywall, and possibly all of it off the walls in the area affected. The water got to the bottom plate of the wall, it wicked up and that area is now a hazard.

Make sure the complete job gets done. You should only have to pay the deductable...that is all. All restoration should be paid for by insurance.

Please understand a few words to keep repeating.
Baby and mold.
baby and mold.
Each time you talk to the insurance company say those words.

The proper way to do it.
Remove all drywall and insulation in affected area.
Dry it out.
Soak it with bleach...straight bleach.
Let that dry, then close it back up properly.

If Bleach is not used the mold spores will form in the wood and spread to the back of the drywall...then mold and baby will meet. Drying it out is not enough. There are two deadly mold spores in our part of the country...not the same as Texas, but just as bad...both are pine tree mold spores from Eastern White pine.

Mold will create lung problems, breathing issues, and in extreme cases brain damage and death. Sorry, had to say it so you are more paranoid...its for you and your babies own well being.

If your insurance company does not do a complete job they risk a very major lawsuit. There are many cases that will ensure they loose big.
They know this.. They know this very well but they will not admit it to you. They wont give you anything unless you say baby, mold...concern...lungs...etc etc.

The minimal job would be floors, ceilings and 50% up the walls.
New insulation, drywall, plaster, and paint.
New floors.
New plumbing repair.
That is minimal. It sounds like they are trying to get away doing less than that and they legally cannot.


Rich

Zach, sorry that you are having to deal with this.

Agree completely with the above with minor exception to the use of bleach. There are more effective chemicals that should be used to kill off mold that may be growing in the areas where moisture has been exposed. Bleach will not do a complete job.

Def agree with the removal of wall sheetrock below 3 or 4 feet.

Mike

[Dr Evil]

Zach, I can come over this weekend if you need some help, company, etc. We may even be able to get you car done (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Call me/PM me for my # if you dont have it somewhere other than your soaked phone.

[VaccaRabite]

There is too much dust and noise at the house right now for us, as we are weekending with the grandparents. Which means I can be online.

So, here are pics I took with Erin's camera of the damage:
Where it started:
(IMG:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3502/3220812617_19a9959bdf.jpg)

The wall behind the burst radiator.
(IMG:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/3220812693_a7cf3d3b36.jpg)

The water in the computer room.
(IMG:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3322/3221663224_cf8b21476b.jpg)

Water Damage
(IMG:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3097/3220813099_bdeef8fbe1.jpg)

The two worst lights where the water was pouring out.
(IMG:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3428/3221663336_d2ccca7dfa.jpg)

Water that wicked into the wood. Wet zone is to the right of the blue tape.
(IMG:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3373/3221663934_ef70ba75b0.jpg)

We had thre of the big dehumidifiers running and 10 of the red fans in the house.
(IMG:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3114/3221664048_bed1d6ff1a.jpg)

Ceiling is gone. The wood support held the lowered ceiling. The lower sheet rock ceiling and the upper plaster ceiling had to come down.
(IMG:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/3220848615_10480a1741.jpg)

Zach

[scotty b]

You gonna put the ceiling back to it's original height or leave it as is ?

[r_towle]

The wall with the window is all wet inside.
All the walls are wet inside from wicking...trust me, they are wet.

Its quick to do it now...it will suck to have to do it later on...

I am really sorry this happened..its a drag, especially in the winter.
At least you and your family are safe...worse things happen.

You will always have a great story about your new ceilings...

Rip the walls open.

Baby and mold is bad bad bad.
Do a little research of illness from moldy houses..
Your insurance company will agree with little effort, they have paid out some pretty big claims in the past for mold.
Its so bad for the insurance companies that when the Texas mold spores get into a house, they total the house and rip it down...its that big of a deal.

Rich

[VaccaRabite]

You gonna put the ceiling back to it's original height or leave it as is ?

As is. I've never missed the extra space, and it would just take more energy to heat it.

Rich, I am going to have them open up that wall. USAA property claims are not opened on the weekends, but I am not going to let them close the recovery phase until that's done.

Zach

[Mark Henry]

Here to be code on those pot lights they need a safety chain, so that in a fire they wont hang like that and electrocute a fireman. Also marrette joints must be in a box.

I'd take the money they are giving me for the carpet and buy anything but carpet. IMO

[VaccaRabite]

Here to be code on those pot lights they need a safety chain, so that in a fire they wont hang like that and electrocute a fireman. Also marrette joints must be in a box.

I'm not sure what the York PA code is. I know my township is stringent about codes, but that is going to be left to the folks that rebuild.

Zach

[r_towle]

Good news on a strict code enforcement crew.
Talk to your building inspector...he will also MAKE the insurance company do certain things...he is your friend and you pay his salary..he is there to protect you, not the insurance company nor the construction company.

Most building inspectors are also contractors...listen to his advice and have him over monday morning to ask him what to do. Seeing it up close and personal with a professionals eye is the best way to go.

You should already have a permit BTW...even demo requires a permit...especially with the electrical issues you may or may not have.

Rich

[scotty b]

Zach something no one has mentioned yet. PLEASE make certain ALL walls are thoroughly checked for water and ALL insulation that has even been dampened is removed. Old wet insulation is a haven for mold.

Vaulted ceiling with some thick crown molding around the top edge (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) .....I'm just saying........... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

[championgt1]

Bummer man! Everything will get fixed. I agree with everyone about the mold. BAD STUFF!! Almost bought a house that was full of it. Had to pay a mold inspector $250 to examine the mold to tell me it was the nasty black stuff. Best $250 I have ever spent.

[cwpeden]

Gee man thats got to suck at this time of year. The local sewar main backed up and as my checkvalve was stuck open, I ended up with 6 inches of you know what in my basement.

I called it the 800 sq.ft. shithole. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/pain30.gif)

The bottom 2 feet of wall was stripped and not repaired until I and the adjuster were satisfied the walls were dry and clean. That was two tests a week apart. for moisture and microbes.

Man it just gives me the willies thinkin about it... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/barf.gif) I can sympathize

[plas76targa]

Whoa Zach, no pun intended but that stinks! we had a similar but less serious occurance over at the old house with an out door faucet bung - froze and leaked in the basement. Insurance treated us well. Curious question - wonder if USAA helps pay the increased electric bill due to those heavy dehumidifyers. I am a cheep sob (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Jeffs9146]

Something like this happened to me 4 years ago. I was in the hospital and a friend went by my house to check on things. When she arrived she found the whole upstairs in 4" of water from a burst (burst is a very important word to use with the insurance company) ice maker water line.

I did exactly what you did and tore everything out finding tile under the carpet in the whole upstairs. The tile and carpet had to be removed.

The insurance company tried to pay me 7K first which didn't even cover the drying out. I decided to do a full remodel and put the insurance $ twards making it the way I wanted it. After fighting with the insurance company for 5 months with my house torn up I received another check for 17K. That didn't cover the replacement floors or the sheetrock, much less the Island Cabnets, which were falling appart from the water. I continued to fight and at the 9 month point they sent me an "independent apraiser" to re-evaluate the estimate. He sent an update that listed the same line items with the same quotes. I thretened to reported them to the Insurance regulators for fraud and they sent me a check for 50K more!

So the moral to the story is, don't give up if you feel you are in the right!! Don't settle for the first check and don't cash any of them until you are satisfied with the work & money you have received!!

Upstairs, downstairs and after

[jimtab]

Zach, sorry to hear about the trouble, here in SF area the codes make anyone with a water heater inside the house have a pan under the heater that is drained either outside or into the main plumbing drain. Expensive, but it might not be a bad "retrofit" when you get done with the cleanup, and before you replace the heater. Another option is a tankless heater. Good luck. Jim

[r_towle]

Zach, sorry to hear about the trouble, here in SF area the codes make anyone with a water heater inside the house have a pan under the heater that is drained either outside or into the main plumbing drain. Expensive, but it might not be a bad "retrofit" when you get done with the cleanup, and before you replace the heater. Another option is a tankless heater. Good luck. Jim

This is old school forced steam heat or forced hot water..
There is no safety valve in this type of system, never was.

If a radiator springs a leak, it can and does dry up your well till you come home.
It could have been worse if he has not caught it when he did...
These systems will keep heating the water, and keep pushing it through the pipes as long as the thermostat says its cold.

Rich

[VaccaRabite]

Zach, sorry to hear about the trouble, here in SF area the codes make anyone with a water heater inside the house have a pan under the heater that is drained either outside or into the main plumbing drain. Expensive, but it might not be a bad "retrofit" when you get done with the cleanup, and before you replace the heater. Another option is a tankless heater. Good luck. Jim

You Californians... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Radiators are not water heaters. Our water heater is down in the basement, brand new and fully functional, and not attached to the radiators that warm our house. Water goes from the house line to a natural gas boiler for heating and is then piped into the radiators, one of which is in each room of the house.

If the water heater (or boiler for the matter) were to go, the worst that would happen is that we'd have water in our unfinished basement. We get water down there at least once or so a year from storms pushing water down the old coal chute.

Zach

[jimtab]

Zach, sorry to hear about the trouble, here in SF area the codes make anyone with a water heater inside the house have a pan under the heater that is drained either outside or into the main plumbing drain. Expensive, but it might not be a bad "retrofit" when you get done with the cleanup, and before you replace the heater. Another option is a tankless heater. Good luck. Jim

You Californians... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

Radiators are not water heaters. Our water heater is down in the basement, brand new and fully functional, and not attached to the radiators that warm our house. Water goes from the house line to a natural gas boiler for heating and is then piped into the radiators, one of which is in each room of the house.

If the water heater (or boiler for the matter) were to go, the worst that would happen is that we'd have water in our unfinished basement. We get water down there at least once or so a year from storms pushing water down the old coal chute.

Zach

OOPS! My bad, that's what I get for guessing. I haven't been around THOSE kind of radiators since I left Alaska in the early sixties. And, we never had any "upstairs"....never had an extra floor up there. Didn't live in a 2 story until I bought my own.....Jim

[VaccaRabite]

Okay, I just talked to the guys from the disaster recovery team. One wall is coming out for sure. Core samples are going to be taken from all the other walls at baseboard level. If moisture or microbes are found, those walls will come down as well.

The fans will still be on through Monday evening, so we will be at the inlaws through Tuesday morning.

Zach