Almost a personal tragedy

42NateBaller

42NateBaller

AKA "Drambuie Dave"
Silver Member
Short story:
Bad news: Water leak in the house that collapsed part of the dry wall ceiling in the basement, and put 2 inches of water in part of the basement.
Good news: Pool table untouched!

When I got home last night and opened the door, I hear rushing water. Knowing that this isn't good, I take a few steps from the garage entrance way to the kitchen, and find myself in an inch or so of water (upstairs). I immediately rush to the garage to shut-off the power.

My thoughts then turn to my three little Shih-Tsu's that stay in the utility room in the basement during the day, because the condo slants in that direction. Fortunately, the dogs were alive but wet. I shut off the water main, and get the dogs upstairs and out of the way. Then I figure out what power I could turn back on.

I ended up wet vaccuming up 120 gallons of water from the basement, and another 24 gallons from the kitchen and entrance ways. The problem was the connection broke between the fridge's ice maker and the water supply.

Like I said in the short version of this story, the pool table and entertainment area were completly untouched, because it's on the "high ground" of the basement (based on house slant). FYI my table is an American Heritage 8'. Thank God for small favors!

Now I have the fun job of dealing with insurance company and the home restoration contactors. Wish me luck! Just thought I'd share.
 
That really bites, but I like that you are looking on the positive side. Good rep for you...it's the least I can do to brighten your day. :o Good luck with the restoration.
 
42NateBaller said:
Short story:
Bad news: Water leak in the house that collapsed part of the dry wall ceiling in the basement, and put 2 inches of water in part of the basement.
Good news: Pool table untouched!

When I got home last night and opened the door, I hear rushing water. Knowing that this isn't good, I take a few steps from the garage entrance way to the kitchen, and find myself in an inch or so of water (upstairs). I immediately rush to the garage to shut-off the power.

My thoughts then turn to my three little Shih-Tsu's that stay in the utility room in the basement during the day, because the condo slants in that direction. Fortunately, the dogs were alive but wet. I shut off the water main, and get the dogs upstairs and out of the way. Then I figure out what power I could turn back on.

I ended up wet vaccuming up 120 gallons of water from the basement, and another 24 gallons from the kitchen and entrance ways. The problem was the connection broke between the fridge's ice maker and the water supply.

Like I said in the short version of this story, the pool table and entertainment area were completly untouched, because it's on the "high ground" of the basement (based on house slant). FYI my table is an American Heritage 8'. Thank God for small favors!

Now I have the fun job of dealing with insurance company and the home restoration contactors. Wish me luck! Just thought I'd share.
Click to expand...
Wish u the best of luck. Claim adjusters here take purty long to attend to stuff down here... does not matter if it is home/car/health/job.... :)
 
i did the plumbing in a $6 million dollar home
the tight ass brought his old washer with him
i happen to be there the day they were moving in
i noticed the rubber hoses were in bad shape
i suggested he get the new metal braided style, especially since the laundry was on the first floor over a finished basement, what they called the media room.
bookoo electronics, big built in tvs, pooltable and all those goodies
he said the hoses were fine in a snotty kind of way
ok buddy, you know what's best ;)

they went to europe for vaction at christmas
came back a week or so later to find a solid ice waterfall coming out of the basement walkout patio doors
ceilings caved in, drywall, insulation , you name it
an estimated $30,000 damage because he didn't buy a pair of $10 hoses
rich folks don't listen to lowly plumbers :D
how could i not laugh in the end?
bet he listens to his plumber next time ;)


​
 
Bhq

I know an older gentleman (88) who is very wealthy. He was married to Audry Meadows many years ago. He didn't like Hollywood. Well, this guy probably has about 30 million in the bank and thousands of acres of land in the largest growing county in the US of A. Loudoun County. He is an avid fox hunter. He is the Master of theFairfax Hunt in Virginia. This guy has his strup leathers repaired with duct tape. Go figure guys. His name is Randy Rouse. Undam believable man.
Purdman
PS: Old coot goes out Fox Hunting 4 days a week at his age. It ain't no easy game guys.
 
Thanks everyone!

Thanks for the stories and well wishes. The good news is that the home restoration crew will be out today to begin work. Don't know how much it's going to cost me, or how much the insurance will cover, but at least we can minimize additional damage. Hopefully they be willing to play a race to 7 for the bill. :D Home table has to have some advantage! Right? :p
 
Dehumidifier

42NateBaller said:
Thanks for the stories and well wishes. The good news is that the home restoration crew will be out today to begin work. Don't know how much it's going to cost me, or how much the insurance will cover, but at least we can minimize additional damage. Hopefully they be willing to play a race to 7 for the bill. :D Home table has to have some advantage! Right? :p
Click to expand...

I would imagine you should have a dehumidifier pumping away to make sure the table does not pick up any moisture. Hope all turns out well for you.:cool:
 
I hate when that happens. Always have nightmares about my basement flooding.

My parents had a outdoor hose bib that ran thru a crawl space under the back porch. Every year my dad would crawl under the porch to shut off and drain the water to keep the pipe from freezing and breaking. My dad died in June. Around Jan my mother was complaining about low water pressure. I could not find any reason for it and no one else could either. You could hear the meter running but didn't know why. A month later the basement started to flood and I could see water seeping in thru the basement wall that was made of brick. I went outside and seen that now the yard was also flooded and water was running out from the crawl space. The water was never turned off and the pipe split. What a disaster. The water bill was around $1200 besides.


What was the cause of the leak?
 
rackem said:
I would imagine you should have a dehumidifier pumping away to make sure the table does not pick up any moisture. Hope all turns out well for you.:cool:
Click to expand...

Thanks! Great advice. Fortunately I have a dehumidifier downstairs. My sister brought one over last night, so we hooked it up upstairs. Plus, I have several fans running, until the restoration guys bring their huge fans in.

Thanks again to everyone who replied. The stories and well wishes are comforting, though I wish none of us had to go through this.
 
42NateBaller said:
The copper coil between the Fridge (for the ice maker) and the water supply broke loose.
Click to expand...
the nuts came loose or the copper broke???
 
Your lucky in alot of ways.good thing it was clean water not backed up sewage..i have cleaned many a basement of both...also any of you that have an older home make sure your floor drain is not plugged up in the line..i have rodded out many sewers and the floor drain is usually plugged quit a bit...
 
I had one of those too. Long story but my unfinished house in MT was vacant for many years BUT I had my pool table (custom built for me 30 years ago) in the basement. Of course the basement was just cement floor, block walls, the well pump, hot water heater and studs holding up the ceiling/floor. Came up from Phoenix for a baptism and wedding. Arrived Saturday afternoon (drove 1200 miles straight through) with kids, mother, both to be daughter in laws. Didn't go into the basement. Got up Sunday morning, dressed for baptism, went to the basement and had 6 inches of water. Needless to say late for the baptism. Went home and pumped water out of basement and dried it with fans for 3-4 days to get ready for a wedding. My son and his new bride spent the 2nd night of their marriage in the basement with my drying pool table! Both table and marriage are doing fine and its sort of a good memory since its a distant memory.
 
42NateBaller said:
Yup. I have busted nutz! :mad: :p
Click to expand...
get one of those braided 1/4" x 30" braided metal connectors
use a little, a little loctite on threads only, not on the o-ring
just a little fyi, if your pressure is too high, everytime that icemaker kicks on an off, that copper tube will tend to move & jump around to absorb some of the shock
that constant movement is what weakens the compression or flare connections over time
the braided hose will absorb the shock without that problem
they are available for dishwasher connections also
i wish the hell i would have been the guy to invent those :rolleyes:
that will be $76 for service call :D
or one smile
good luck
brent
former GPIA, greatest plumber in america
that was my nickname one of my helpers called me
he was GHIA, greatest helper in america ​
 
Last edited:
BHQ said:

get one of those braided 1/4" x 30" braided metal connectors
use a little, a little loctite on threads only, not on the o-ring
just a little fyi, if your pressure is too high, everytime that icemaker kicks on an off, that copper tube will tend to move & jump around to absorb some of the shock
that constant movement is what weakens the compression or flare connections over time
the braided hose will absorb the shock without that problem
they are available for dishwasher connections also
i wish the hell i would have been the guy to invent those :rolleyes:
that will be $76 for service call :D
or one smile
good luck
brent
former GPIA, greatest plumber in america
that was my nickname one of my helpers called me
he was GHIA, greatest helper in america ​
Click to expand...

Will do, and THANKS!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top