This is not a decorating post. Nor is it a fun post. Or a project post. This is a “real-life-at-the-Borrowed-Abode” post.
As you may know, here in the DC area we’ve been getting just a bit of rain this week. Yesterday they said we got 10-12 inches in one day.
At 3 pm yesterday Ryan left work, and cars were floating in the parking lot across the street from the building (see below). Shortly after that, our security team issued an email that they were evacuating our building, because it was flooding. As of this morning there was over a foot of water in parts of the first floor, and the office is closed until further notice.
Photo Credit: WJLA.com
Well, last night we discovered water pooling in the basement work room. Several inches in one corner, as a matter of fact. A bunch of swearing and moving stuff out of the way ensued. Behind the piles of paint cans we discovered mold growing on the wall – presumably because it’s been damp there all week. We also discovered a large crack running through the cinderblock walls – and judging by the newness of it, we’re guessing it’s from the earthquake two weeks ago.
We were up ’til the wee hours cleaning it up. In the mean time, we also found water leaking in under the molding around the french doors that connect the finished basement TV room to the guest room. Forgot to take photos. We put towels against it to sop it up, thinking it was a tiny leak. But when the towels quickly became soaked, we realized that they were pulling water that was apparently somewhere behind the molding. Ugh.
Today the A/C is going full-blast, and fans are pointed at the waterlogged areas, in the hopes that we can dry this place out. But water is still seeping in. When we came home from work and opened the front door, a mildewy, musty smell greeted us. Ick. We have a lot of cleaning up to do. One thing we’ve learned, though, is that those fabric drop cloths from Home Depot sure do a great job of soaking up the water.
So that’s the state of the union here at the Borrowed Abode. We’re counting our blessings, though. Far worse things have happened as a result of this storm, and it’s even more heartbreaking that they’ve happened so close to home.
Update: I just found out that the mother of the little boy is the blogger at An Inch of Gray. Of course it doesn’t make things any easier for the family at a time like this – there really are no words for it – but at the same time I left a comment just to let them know they’re in my thoughts.
19 Comments
I hear ya. We’re up in Maryland and yesterday water started coming in through the chimney and leaking down into the basement. We’ve never had problems before but houses were not built to withstand 5 straight days of rain. I hope you get everything dried out!
I hear ya. We’re up in Maryland and yesterday water started coming in through the chimney and leaking down into the basement. We’ve never had problems before but houses were not built to withstand 5 straight days of rain. I hope you get everything dried out!
Glad you guys are safe and staying out of the flooding! I hope your landlord quickly takes care of the problems for you, especially the mold!
(Side note- in West Texas, they don’t believe in drainage systems, so when it rains, it floods like that. It happens at least 3 times a year. When I first met Ryan, I drove thru what I thought was a puddle and ending up flooding my car. Evidently, I wasn’t the only one that did it right there because tow trucks were lined up around the corner waiting on us idiots. The water was up to my thighs. It was awful. Now I don’t drive in the rain.)
Ugh. I still remember when my parents basement flooded while they were on vacation and my sister and I were wet vac-ing and mopping stuff up for days, which fans on high and there were wet towels everywhere. That is not fun. Sorry to hear you are going through the same. Hope you get a nice hot few days to dry it up and there isn’t too much permanent damage. Sending good thought although it would probably be better to just provide some helpful hands. 🙂
Nooooo! I hope that’s the worst you get, and I hope the rains stop soon!
Wow. The smell of forest fires? Not so bad. And that poor little boy. 🙁
Oh dear. I’m so sorry to hear all this. I hope you can get things dried out soon. Good luck.
Yikes! We’ve been getting a lot of rain in the Central Virginia area- but nothing like that! Hoping for a dry and productive weekend for you guys! All this crazy weather is driving us crazy!
Ugh, that sucks. We got a flooded basement from the rain too that forced us to pull up all of our laminate flooring. We’re running fans like crazy too. This rain is just insane.
I’m so sorry about this. That picture’s really scary. I hope that things settle down soon. Thanks for linking to An Inch of Gray. How utterly heartbreaking.
Oh no! I’m so sorry. I can’t believe how crazy this weather has been. Hope things better soon.
oh my. have been reading from houseblogging.com
i do hope that things dry up soon.
thinking of you.
cheryl @ nefotlak. xox
Oh wow, that is so sad. The photos of her children on their first day of school are heartbreaking. Definitely puts the mere loss of things in perspective at a time like this.
I hope your cleanup goes well. That is one blessing of renting – not having to foot the bill for the foundation repair and any other repairs to prevent water problems in the future!
Sorry about all the sadness and destruction in the DC area. Practical note: Shop vacs suck up water like nobody’s business. ITts what we use whenever we’ve had a flood.
We can relate… we are going through the same thing here in New Jersey. Thankfully we are one of the lucky ones. Some people lost their homes very close to us. I found Bleach has become my new best friend. Let’s hope no more rain comes for a while. I wish you well…
I’m so sorry to hear of the flooding at your place! I hope that you are able to keep it under control as much as possible and that the damage is minimal. Wish I was there to bring over extra towels and help you guys!
ugh I can honestly say we’ve been there. Flooding damage is no joke. It sucks and costs money to fix. But like my husband said after several days of me mopping and being angry we were really blessed because lots of people lost far more. Really hope you guys situation improves soon. And hopefully its not as bad as it looks.
Hey Jane – I’ve been out of the loop, so I’m just seeing this now. Wanted to send you a note to “hang in there!” I’ve dealt with moisture issues before. Not fun. On the upside, this is one of those times when it’s pretty nice to know that the place is “borrowed,” no? Good luck!
We have been out of town for a funeral – and thankfully missed this. The park and ride near where I work flooded and the building I work in was leaking pretty bad. I heard about the little boy yesterday – so sad, praying for his family.