The sump pump in our basement had failed, and all the many dozens of gallons of water that would normally get pumped into the storm drain outside had come cascading through our basement. Half of our basement is finished into a family room and the other half is unfinished. Our washer and dryer are on the unfinished side and we also use it for storage. The finished side is carpeted and contains quite a few electronic devices including a big-screen TV. There were spots on the unfinished side that contained close to three inches of water. The finished side wasn't quite as bad, but the carpet kind of made it difficult to really tell. All in all, the basement was a sopping and soggy mess.
We called a plumber and fortunately they were able to get there within an hour and install a new sump pump because the water was still rising in the basement. We had a bunch of snow last week that recently melted, and it rained pretty much all day Friday and Saturday. Our water table is high in this area anyway, so the sump pump is pretty much all that keeps the rising groundwater at bay. After we got the new sump pump running, the standing water quickly receded. Then the real fun began. We spent most of the day using a wet/dry vac to soak as much water as we could out of the basement. The carpet down there is still soaked, and I fear that we will need to pull it up and discard it to prevent mold and mildew from forming. I have both of our dehumidifiers running full bore, and have two fans going in an effort to keep air circulating down there. I just hope that it's not a futile effort. We won't know the full extent of the damage for several days until we dry out all of the boxes that got wet and try out all of the electronic devices. The worst part is that I don't think our home owner's insurance will cover it. IMO, insurance is the biggest ripoff that there is in this country. You pay in and pay in and pay in some more for years never making a claim. Then, something bad happens and you need their help. Oh well, sorry, your policy doesn't cover that. You should have paid the additional X dollars per year for the optional coverage. Too bad.
At any rate, after several hours of bailing out the basement, I really needed some stress relief. It was beautiful outside today so I went for a quick 4-miler. It helped somewhat, but I was still really uptight when I got home. Later on, we went to my parents' house for dinner (they came over right away today and were right there beside us helping to clean up). I barely said a word at dinner as I was still trying to process all that had happened earlier and what still lay ahead. After dinner, I went upstairs alone with my iPod and just sat in my old bedroom listening to music for an hour or so. The alone time was really helpful as I was able to sort out my thoughts and feelings. I came to realize that the basement situation could have been much worse. Our furnace wasn't damaged, and the flooding didn't cause any electrical problems that could have led to a fire. No one was hurt, and our situation isn't 1/10000000th as bad as all of those poor folks in Louisiana and Mississippi that got flooded out the other year by Katrina. As always, my Mom and Dad were there for us when we needed them and did absolutely everything that they could to help out. There aren't two better parents or people in this world; of that I am certain. The whole situation somehow brought Lisa and I a little closer together as adversity often does.
Tomorrow, we continue the battle of cleaning up and drying out as well as dealing with the insurance company. Whatever happens, I am going to keep in mind that it could have been much worse and remain thankful for all that is right and good in my life.
Some pictures of the "Great Basement Flood".
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