Quite a big leak; have I forgotten to do anything?

[KatyMac]

Yesterday the cold water tank in the attic has overflowed and the joint to the over flow failed

I had water pouring through the Bathroom, DD's bedroom and the lounge ceilings

I turned the electric off, turned the water off, rang the plumber, rang the insurance company, we have de-humidifiers in & working the insulation is out of the attic, everything damaged is put to one side

What have I missed?

[lalalonglegs]

I think you've got it covered. You sound the right sort of person to have around in an emergency .

[KatyMac]

Thanks

I didn't feel like that person; I felt like a headless chicken

[PigletJohn]

roll up the wet carpets and put outside so the insurance assessor can view them (assuming you have new for old cover, they will pay for supply and fit of new carpet of equivalent quality, or other flooring at the same price. You are not obliged to go to their preferred supplier but they may knock a bit off the amount if not as they get some kind of kickback commission. If the insurance co's damp contractor takes the carpets up, make sure you keep a small sample from each room for the assessor to view later.

When it happened to me they wanted me to go to Carpetwrong with vouchers, but I got better quality for the amount from a local independent trade supplier (who also fits carpets in commercial and domestic customers). I was able to buy more of the same for undamaged rooms, paying privately for supply and fit at the same time, and as he priced it as part of a large order, the balance I paid was very reasonable.

You need the floor to dry out, if it is a wooden floor, it can dry from air through the airbricks, but will be quicker if you take up a few floorboards. A concrete floor needs to be exposed by taking up the floor covering.

In my case the insurance co appointed a contract manager company called Chemdry, I had a substantial claim and the service and builder's workmanship was very poor, I now wish I had engaged a loss adjuster or similar to work on my behalf, even if I had to pay him out of my own pocket.

If you need beds and bedding in a hurry, speak to the insurers, it should be OK if you have the receipts and the quality is the same, but say you want an emergency interim payment for it.

Any modern furniture or kitchen cabinets is likely to be made of coated chipboard or MDF and will be ruined by damp.

Take the electricity meter readings at start and finish of dehumidifying because the machines use a lot and you can claim for the cost. They do however provide some warmth so your gas bill may be a bit lower.

[KatyMac]

No gas & I luckily did a meter reading yesterday morning - to check changing supplier.

Only 1 carpet and we can't get it out without big strong men

One tAtty laminate which I think we saved
One rug (out in garden)
One vinyl (waiting to see)

Very few losses except a drill in a puddle, and DH's dance shoes - it was 1 foot from the ballroom dresses & the drum cover was wet but not the drum.

However the electrics have now all blown...so the electrician is back

My big worry is DH's chest as a bad asthmatic with chronic lung disease damp & mold are a big worry

[PigletJohn]

It looks to me like your laminate is damp and is starting to swell up at the joints.

The vinyl will have to be rolled up to let the floor dry, and it will probably crease or crack.

The electrics might have got wet dust or dirt in them, so will not dry out, they will have to be taken off and washed out or replaced. Very common in light fittings but also happens in sockets and plugs. If there are any junction boxes under the floor (there shouldn't be) they will cause trouble.

You might want to buy a Canister wet and dry vac at a DIY shed, they can cope with water, plaster dust and mud (you can wash them out with a hosepipe afterwards). You will need one with a pleated cardboard filter, and a spare filter. If the ceilings come down you will have plaster dust which is very trying. The wet-and-dry can cope with that, you get a big paper bag that goes in the drum and wraps round the cartridge.

Your dehumidifiers may have a dust filter on the inlet side that you can take outside and shake or hose clean. I would get some disposable dust masks to wear during any clearing up; get the ones with a plastic valve on the snout.

I have to wear one during plastering and joinery work as the dust affects me badly.

[PigletJohn]

p.s.

Your husband might benefit from a few days in a local hotel while the worst of it is going on. If he is diagnosed with breathing problems the insurers are more likely to agree. It need not be an expensive luxury place, even a Travelodge will give you a break, and will be warm, clean and dry.

[KatyMac]

I am speaking to Papworth tomorrow to get advise (he is away until Sat & I'm not sure he should come back)

I think the laminate might be OK (damn) but the rug and carpet have gone I reckon

Dh & I are both disabled - this could be tricky

[PigletJohn]

wrong link, this is the wet and dry vacs
and this is an example of what I call a cartridge filter

I get my filters and bags off ebay, no prob if you know the correct make and model. Mine takes very big bags like pillowcases

[KatyMac]

They are putting DH in a hotel or something; they are going to ring us

[KatyMac]

But noit me or DD

[PigletJohn]

see if you can agree a room rate/night price, and book it yourself. Then see if you can find a basic chain that offers a family room. IIRC lots of then you just pay for the room regardless of who's in it. You'll get beds, bathroom, TV, kettle at least.

[Joycey29]

Just to say, in similar boat but out of house til April! so Five of us in a flat! ( it's a big flat
You seem to have done everything we had to do.
Just keep tabs on every expenditure and ask for where figures come from.
Got a great insurance company but it all can run away without monitoring!
Good luck!

[KatyMac]

I would have preferred a holidday let; your leak must have been awful Joycey29; how long was it leakoimg for.

I am so glad my mate got rid of the wet insulation; but I'm worried the insurance co will think it unneccessary

& I'm not sure I fancy sleeping away from DH

[Joycey29]

Ten days of a burst pipe whilst on holiday! Three floors sodden!
Still I m now focussing on the new kitchen, new sofas etc
Trying to stay positive but roll in April!

[PigletJohn]

I had a bad one two years ago. Am much more committed to pipe insulaton now, and turning off the main stop-cock when the house is unoccupied.

[MandaHugNKiss]

Sounds to me like you forgot to have a little cry...

Seriously, this kind of post is a wake up call/reminder to a lot of people to take steps to prevent, as much as you can, this kind of thing happening to them. I hope you and DH aren't apart for too long (as pj suggests, if the insurance company are paying you rather than the hotel direct, it's more than possible to get family rooms at good rates if you'd rather stay together)

[KatyMac]

We are home

DH is in the hotel; the upstairs dehumidifier is pulling out about a bucket since 3ish yesterday (so about 28 hours) but the downstairs one is pretty much dry

The bathroom feels dryish but DD's room is still very damp.

The ceilings look OK, a bit water marked but they look (to my untrained eye) sound. We have lost 2 lightfittings, DD's carpet, the large rug from the lounge. The dishwasher has died/burnt out probably because it was on when the water was turned off it kept fusing the house (but I don't know if I can claim for that as maybe I should have noticed & turned it off - plus what is the wear & tear on a 18yo Bosch)

The jury is still out on the downstairs laminate (but it doesn't look bad) & DD's mattress

[PigletJohn]

You should tell the insurers the dishwasher has been damaged.

It is possible water got into an electrical part. Did water run down the wall behind it or through the ceiling above it? The electronic controls are inside the door and more easily damaged than the parts in the base.

Kitchen units and worktops are damaged by damp in the joints, screws and backs.

[Chopstheduck]

Oh flooding is horrible :(


Have they sent round a loss adjuster yet? We had someone come round to assess all the damage. The ground floor laminate had to be stripped out and replaced throughout, and the lower half of the kitchen. Ours didn't come from the ceiling, but and overflowing toilet. By the time we got up the kitchen was 6-8" deep in water.


Oh, and you should also be able to claim for the electrical cost of running the dehumidifier units. We got a cash sum for the bill.

[KatyMac]

The dehumidified man is back tomorrow; the loss adjuster is coming on Wednesday.

There was no water near the dishwasher, but we turned the water off (to stop the leak) and the dishwasher was on

The kitchen stayed fortunately dry

[KatyMac]

& the house stinks

[Chopstheduck]

ours stank where the cupboard and that had gone damp, but it does go eventually. Are you sure you haven't missed some water laying somewhere?

I hated the whole experience, had weeks with no proper flooring, those noisy dehumidifiers, then no kitchen, it really is a nightmare. Hope it is all sorted soon for you.

[KatyMac]

I just don't know; I wonder if we should lift the laminate in the lounge?

[Chopstheduck]

So you have laminate flooring that got wet? Ours was all pulled up by the guy who came to install the dehumidifiers. The underlay was soaked, and it all had to go.

He had a funny probe thing that showed the extent of the damp, and even though we actually only had very little surface water in the lounge, it had spread underneath and so was soaked. Under that we had cracked asbestos tiles, which were taped over to make them safe, and then they just ran the dehumidifiers for a few weeks.


I really would have thought, that if you had it pouring through the ceiling the laminate would be damaged and need replacing. :( Though it DOES sound like you got to the problem quicker than us. Ours would have been running for 10 hours overnight.

[KatyMac]

Ours was a maximum of 3 hours I think more likely 1.5-2hrs