There has been some talk on here about insurance and cash reserves. I thought we were in pretty good shape. All of our roofs are newer, but we still kept enough set aside for two roofs, a couple of furnaces and a water heater or two. What could happen that we weren't ready for?

Ten inches of rain in a few hours, that's what. All but one of our properties flooded. We have two collapsed basement walls in one. And no flood insurance, because we're nowhere near a floodplain.

I'm hoping we can get the house shored up before major structural damage occurs. Of course nobody is open on a Sunday. We'll deal with it, but it will be a lean year. If you're operating on a shoestring budget, might want to make sure you have something in reserve for the unimaginable. It happens.

Oh Robin so sorry! You just never know what natural disaster is around the corner...I understand the no flood insurance: I mean, the mountains of western NC flooded last year and no one had flood insurance because no one expects it to flood in the mountains.

Keep in mind there are floods, though, and then there are floods, and insurance defines damages differently.

Don't be too quick to say your properties simply flooded - which means water rose. There is also WIND-DRIVEN flooding, which is different. There is also flooding that happens from building damage, like through a roof - all different in insurance coverage.

Contact an adjuster!

I feel for you. It must be tough dealing with multiple issues at once. I hope all works out in the next few days.

So sorry this happened!

Thank you for the lesson.

Robert - Climatology is based on history of weather where meteorology is based on current weather conditions.

Down here we hear lots of Climate Change talk. Daaaahhhhh. You mean as we go along, history changes. Say it isn't so.

Robin, sorry to hear that this happened to you.

One or two emergencies is a headache. I can only imagine what you are going through.

Robin,

YIKES! Our major flood (600 homes, several of mine) was 20 years ago but seems like yesterday.

Like WMH said flood insurance does not always cover. One of ours was the basement floor drain was a fountain - "plumbing issue, not a flood" another the water broke the basement window and rushed in. Again, a "drainage issue", not a flood.

My tips from experience: Open up every wall 4 feet. The water soaked up inside the drywall so just cut it so a full sheet goes back easily.

The Red Cross promoted the "Katrina Blend" (as in New Orleans flood) Spic N Span, bleach, water. Wash everything sown with that.

"Fast moving air" (commercial fans) will actually dry out the studs DRIER than when new.

Red Cross advised to not close up any wet area for 2 weeks AFTER dry.

We tried to clean and repair furnaces and WHs, but would up replacing them soon after.

Be SUPER careful! Things with motors like clothes washer or old wiring / sockets were shorted out from the wetness,

The mud and water are TOXIC. EVERY chemical, mud, manure, oil, Roundup, farm fertilizer, dumpster, trashcan, and contaminant in the city. Oddly, different neighborhoods had different odors.

Buy the 4200 PSI pressure washer. ($800 at Lowes or HF) The extra power will save you lots of time.

Use POOL SHOCK from (Rural King) and a full face chemical breather mask. It's bleach times 100.

Mold sets in about 4 days from the flood to gotta open up the walls quickly.

Be ruthless. If it got wet it goes.

Once dry, use a moisture meter in a photo and spray ($399 sprayer) the open areas with WHITE ZinsserBIN to show it was professionally sealed. You need photos prove you REMEDIATED the home when you go to rent or sell it.

Your buyer might not be able to get insurance on a previously flooded home with it.

Housing will be scarce so we got them rented the day they were ready.

The LL Assoc (me! and a few others) talked to the judge and we agreed leases and rent were still in effect if the water did not enter the LIVING SPACE. A wet basement did not end a lease.

The flood impacted the underground spaces that water uses so we had water problems in driveways, foundations, crawls, and basements after the flood that were never a problem previously.

Believe it or not, we had no problem renting the homes that had 6 feet of water inside, and each year fewer and fewer prospects were concerned. Realtors said 4 years later no one remembered!! Back to normal.

You guys are strong - you'll get thru this!

BRAD

Our flood made me realize God's total power. He took two hydrogen atoms, one oxygen atom, two simple things, added gravity and laid His unstoppable will on the land.

I just bought another five gallon pail of B-I-N last week.

$318 plus tax.

Good stuff that they are sure proud of.

Excellent list, Brad.

My skin is sensitive to Spic ' n Span, so I use Simple Green, bleach and water. And No Dip Backs! That is: clean rags go in the clean soap/ bleach/ water mixture, get lightly rung out, used to wash, then tossed in the discard bucket. And, because I don't want to dip dirty hands in the clean soapy bucket, I dip and wring out a whole bucket full of clean rags at a time. When I need more wash rags, I rinse off my hands first, so only clean hands and clean rags go in the soapy mixture. The discard rags all get washed in the washer , three times, then dried on high heat. I figure that should remove or kill all the nastiness.

More thunderstorms this morning. Ugh! The trickle of water in my basement hadn't stopped as of last evening. So far, only one of my four rentals got water, but wasn't enough to cover the whole floor. Two of my basements had the very expensive ( *all things basementy*) repairs fairly recently. But, I'll be paying off those repairs for a long time. So, expensive either way.

Robert in Ontario, the very biggest thing, as far as I see it, that is missing from all of these Paris accord/ climate change ' experts' is the MOST important role that plants and animals play in our ecosystem. Sure, sure, burning old solar energy releases more carbon than using new solar energy. BUT, the biggest release of carbon is taking areas that were once covered with layer upon layer of vegetation, and diverse species of animals, including predators which keep the herbivores bunched and moving, and replacing all of that with useless mown lawn. Now, I'm not so sure I want ALL of the predators back in my neighborhood ( kinda glad the two species of rattlesnake that used to be here are extirpated. Not so sure I'd want mountain lions or wolves right in my neighborhood either. But, hawks, garter snakes, coyotes, fine. So, Robert, plant layers of plants, from large canopy trees, down through the smallest mosses. Leave the leaves in the fall. Reduce the lawn areas to only what is used for play spaces. Build a stumpery, pile some rocks for critters to nest. Even at my rentals, I am doing these things. My tenants are accepting it, and even some neighbors are joining in. All those plant have roots, deep, deep roots that store carbon back into the soils. After a few years of leaving the leaves, planting more plants, especially shrubs and prairie grasses or other deep rooted plants, you'll notice the soil has changed color to a deep, dark hue. That's carbon black, baby! Get that carbon back in the soil where it belongs. Lawn grass, with its puny roots just doesn't do it.

Robin, wishing you a speedy recovery from this mess. Here's hoping this morning's event didn't leave either of us, or anyone else, with more damage.

A month ago there were some serious flash floods in my area and in NY and northern NJ. Few have flood insurance mainly because they weren't in a flood zone and not expecting floods. Who could have guessed sewers getting overwhelmed?

This is a reminder to add flood insurance. Should be inexpensive given that I'm not in a flood zone.

That's where you get dinged.

I know a few people that self insure. One major event and they are okay. Something like what happened to Robin and they are out of it.

But then what happens when you over insure? All that money spent with no returns at all.