Saturday, May 6, 2000
The Second Disaster - To LTF
Since I e'ed you last my life has become even more exciting. Shortly after my last email to you, on the very day that OCC was putting our Humpty Dumpty mobile home back together, the City of Prescott called. Since our last meter read in March 56,100 gallons (exactly, we've gotten the bill) of water coursed through our home in Prescott. This disaster is covered by insurance, thank god. Only material damage, thus my overall mood has been exhilaration. My back is beginning to complain from all the day trips up and down the mountain. Mom refuses to view the house until it has begun to resemble it's former state. I don't blame her. I've learned a lot about what is called "Disaster Resoration". Two "Disaster Restoration Specialists" were called within minutes of the insurance adjuster's arrival at the house. The water had been off for 28 hours. There was a quarter to a half inch of standing water throughout the house except in the dinette, which is raised and apparently, as this disaster has shown us, tilted ever so slightly.
The carpet, linoleum and wood tile throughout the home will have to be replaced. Mom's opinion is, "Good, I never liked that carpet, anyway." Most of the drywall swelled and molded at the bottom. That will have to be repaired, which involves replacing about a foot of drywall throughout the home. The subfloor, which is not yet completely dry, is buckling nicely and will have to be replaced. The insulation, which is soaked and molding, will have to be replaced. The entire house will have to be fumigated for mold and other things. Because the crawl space was soaked that will have to be artificially dried. When the wood flooring was pulled we discovered that it had been laid over linoleum sheeting which was so old it had been glued with an asbestos adhesive. That will have to be removed by more specialists before the construction company can go in.
I have only just begun to confront moveable property damage. The adjuster and the construction company owner both think the entire mess can and will be cleaned within a month. I hope so. Despite the exhilaration I feel as though I'm teetering gravitationally on the edge of the black hole out of which the universe was birthed. It, I, could go either way. I have no idea why I am having such an emotional reaction to all this. It hasn't kept my brain from rational processing; it just, sometimes, halts my movements. I'm glad this is covered by insurance. I need the help.
The carpet, linoleum and wood tile throughout the home will have to be replaced. Mom's opinion is, "Good, I never liked that carpet, anyway." Most of the drywall swelled and molded at the bottom. That will have to be repaired, which involves replacing about a foot of drywall throughout the home. The subfloor, which is not yet completely dry, is buckling nicely and will have to be replaced. The insulation, which is soaked and molding, will have to be replaced. The entire house will have to be fumigated for mold and other things. Because the crawl space was soaked that will have to be artificially dried. When the wood flooring was pulled we discovered that it had been laid over linoleum sheeting which was so old it had been glued with an asbestos adhesive. That will have to be removed by more specialists before the construction company can go in.
I have only just begun to confront moveable property damage. The adjuster and the construction company owner both think the entire mess can and will be cleaned within a month. I hope so. Despite the exhilaration I feel as though I'm teetering gravitationally on the edge of the black hole out of which the universe was birthed. It, I, could go either way. I have no idea why I am having such an emotional reaction to all this. It hasn't kept my brain from rational processing; it just, sometimes, halts my movements. I'm glad this is covered by insurance. I need the help.
