[Jennifer H]

Coming home to a flooded house!!<br><br>
We went to my parents for the 4th of July and spent Sunday night there. We ended up there all day on Monday as well. My parents watched the boys while dh and went to lunch and a movie (The Notebook - highly, highly recommend, but it's a 10 Kleenex movie so be warned!).<br><br>
We arrived home at 10:00 last night and dh was walking Lars into his bedroom when Lars slipped and fell. DH realized they were standing in a puddle of water in the laundry room and hallway floor.<br><br>
Upon further investigation, we discovered that the inlet water valve at the master bathroom toilet was spraying water (upstairs... Lars had slipped downstairs). After we got it turned off we found that the linoleum in the toilet area is of course soaked. It also went out into the vanity area (where our sinks, shower, and bathtub are (this area is all carpet). Into about half of our bedroom and our walk-in closet and out into the upstairs hallway. Our dresser and my hope chest (that my grandma gave me when I was 12) have some slight water damage.<br><br>
Of course, that is nothing. Downstairs... our Wilson Art laminate in the hallway and laundry room is completely ruined. The ceiling in the hallway will all need to be removed, the carpet in the downstairs bedroom and that ceiling will be about half removed. Much of the drywall is going to need to be removed as well. Fortunately, the only damage in that room to our stuff is about $100 worth of scrapbooking supplies that I can easily replace.<br><br>
Our deductible is only $500, but they've already warned me that the insurance will only replace the carpet in the damaged rooms. I'm hoping they can salvage our bedroom and upstairs hallway carpet at least. I hate mismatched carpet all over a house. It also really lowers resale value a lot if the carpets are not the same throughout. We have nice carpets and weren't planning to replace them anytime soon. We don't have the money to do the whole house with me off work. What we've been saving was planned for some landscaping and to get new counters in our kitchen.<br><br>
I already had stuff planned for this week to get ready for the baby. Now I can't even get to her clothes or my saved newborn stuff because her room is stuffed with the clothes from our closet, contents of our dresser, etc. I'm not even sure where we are going to sleep tonight. The living room is full of stuff from the downstairs bedroom.<br><br>
Sorry, so long, but I am so stressed out right now and FINALLY am crying by writing all of this out!!!

 

[williamsmommy2002]

<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hug"> I hope you can get it all cleaned up. Try to relax and realize that things will work out.

 

[wolfmom]

i'm so sorry you have to deal with that!! I know i would go to pieces. I can't even handle it right now if i drop something let alone if something else goes wrong! try and stay positive and relaxed.<br>
peace,

 

[Artisan]

UGH! What a horrible thing! I'm so sorry this happened to you!

 

[happay]

Oh Jennifer! That's so terrible! I'm sorry you have to deal with that right now. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/hug.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="hug"> I hope you can figure out a way to get it all straightened out and fixed up without too much stress or work.

 

[Jennifer H]

Updating.<br><br>
There are some silver linings to all of this. It could have been last week when I was also trying to tie up loose ends at work. DH had already taken a few days off work and was home to help. The baby is not here yet. They are going to replace all of our laminate flooring - a chance to change color if we want to. They are going to strip some hideous wallpaper from our spare room (I just hadn't gotten to that room yet) and paint several areas in our house (unfortunately, they are more newly painted areas that didn't really need it yet). We are about 90% sure that our carpet will be able to be reused.<br><br>
I am in much better shape today. Things are still pretty disastrous and there is more damage than we originally thought. There are these VERY loud blowers and dehumidifiers going 24 hours a day on both floors. Sleeping is not easy. But, I'm coping okay. We are down to one working bathroom and it has damage as well, but not as bad. I can't pack for the hospital, can't do the cooking/freezing I was planning to do and still can't get to the baby clothes. My almost three year old is emotionally frazzled and has become clingy. But, for whatever reason I am coping.<br><br>
There is too much moisture and dust to bring a newborn home, but we'll cross that bridge if we come to it (I'm not due for three more weeks). I'm going to call the insurance company tomorrow and ask if the baby comes early could we get reimbursement for staying in a hotel. We'd go to my parent's house, but they live an hour away and my son started Kindergarten today (year round school).<br><br>
Thanks for letting me vent!!

 

[merino]

In the misery loves company category, I'm due 2 days after you are and I came home to a flooded basement yesterday. The damage is nothing compared to what you're going through, since our basement isn't finished, but what a mess! I just wanted to curl up in a little ball and have someone else fix it! DH, my dad, and I managed to get most of the water out last night, but there is still a bunch of cleaning up to do, and there's a possibility of more rain this evening. Please, no more rain! Like you, I'm trying to look on the bright side- it could have been worse. I hope you're able to get everything cleaned up before baby arrives!

 

[idocrase]

i am sad that jennifer and merino have to deal with flooded houses...i can't imagine, and send lots of sympathy. i hope your babies hold out for a little while. i remember how i felt 2 weeks ago when bonnie was a week old and this 300,000 acre fire was burning 20 miles away, traveling our way (the smoke was incredible...visibility of less than .25 miles) and i was worried that we might have to evacuate (we didn't)....<br>
actual floods in your house is worse!<br>
Glad to hear that there are some good spots, though.<br>
Hope everything continues to improve!

 

[StephandOwen]

Wow! I'm just lurking but wanted to send hugs your way. I know all too well what you're going through (minus the pregnant part and add in a 3 month old baby). I live with my dad and he came home one morning (3am after he got out of work) in January. When he opened the front door water came gushing out. He turned off the water in the whole house and woke me up to find out what happend. After a little inspection we realized that a pipe in the upstairs bathroom broke (just feet from where me and baby were sleeping! I must have been soooo tired to not hear that!). It flooded that bathroom, down the floor of the upstairs into the downstairs living room. When he got home there was about 4 inches of standing water on the floor in the living room and it was literally raining in the living room. The water ran into the dining room, hallway, and closet. The basement was also flooded and *raining*. After all was said and done, wood floors had to come up from the living room, dining room carpet was replaces, bathroom floor was replaced (and bathtub had to be pulled out to fix the pipe... that was not fun!), living room ceiling torn down, 3 of the 4 living room walls were completely torn down and replaced, entertainment center was ruined, along with odds and ends. It took a while to fix it all but you know what? It looks good now! Instead of wood floors in the living room we got really plush carpet- perfect for a baby learning to crawl! And just because I love sharing pics.... here's a few taken during that time <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/shy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="innocent"><br><br>
After the walls, ceiling, and floor were taken down...<br><a href="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dc25b3127cce87be998cbeab0000001610" target="_blank">http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...beab0000001610</a><br><br>
The other side of the living room...<br><a href="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dc25b3127cce87be9ee1fe5d0000001610" target="_blank">http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...fe5d0000001610</a><br><br>
When it was all done...<br><a href="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dd28b3127cceba43d7b2fcd70000001610" target="_blank">http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...fcd70000001610</a><br><br>
(don't mind that piece of molding across the fire place! It hadn't been put down when I took the picture)<br><a href="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b4dd28b3127cceba43d7c57d900000001610" target="_blank">http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/4...7d900000001610</a><br><br>
Anyway... I'm rambling on and sharing more than you ever cared to know! LOL! Good luck with everything!

 

[Jennifer H]

Oh Merino. I'm sorry that you have to be in this camp! Steph, thanks for sharing your pictures. It gives me hope!!!

 

[Jennifer H]

Oh! And for the first time in this pregnancy I'm glad dh was so resistant to a homebirth and I caved and said we'd go back to the hospital... there is NOWHERE to birth a baby in this house! Literally! Not one place without crap everywhere!!

 

[happay]

Jennifer, I'm glad you are able to remain somewhat positive about the situation. I hope you can get things straightened out in time for the baby! My office flooded earlier this year and we had to put up with those blowers and dehumidfiers for 10 days. It sucked and all because some moron on the floor above me left a circulating water cooling system on over the weekend when they weren't even using it! (I work for the chemistry department at the university.) It was pretty hard to work in all that noise so I can imagine how hard it must be to live in it. Things will get better though and for your sake, I hope they do soon! Merino, I hope the same for you!

 

[Foobar]

I am sorry to hear that.<br><br>
We were flooded a few years ago and it was insane. I am impressed that you are doing ok with this....

 

[merino]

Thanks for all the kind wishes. We're pretty much cleaned up from last week, but of course there is a flood watch in effect today! Honestly, there isn't much left in our basement to be damaged, except for the major appliances. I just hate feeling so powerless! Perhaps this is my chance to learn about surrendering to the forces of nature before I go into labor...

 

[Amina Momma]

<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/bow.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="bow"> Wow. I am sorry you are dealing with such a major remodel just before birth. Reading this has me shut up about being board this last week with most everything ready and waiting for a few more days. Thanks to you I will just mellow out and be grateful. I hope you get a great remodel out of all this. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/shy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="innocent"><br><br><div style="margin:20px;margin-top:5px;">
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<div>Originally Posted by <strong>merino</strong></div>
<div style="font-style:italic;">there is a flood watch in effect today! ...Perhaps this is my chance to learn about surrendering to the forces of nature before I go into labor...</div>
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Wow. is there something structural you could do to the house to prevent flooding?... And surrender is a great way to look at it.