Quote:
Originally Posted by srmom
I had 5 inches in my living room (why someone would build a "sunken living room" in Houston is beyond me)!!
But, to be fair, this is the first time in years that we've flooded, we have French drains all around it and they usually do the trick. Problem this time was that there was so much rain (I'm in the Memorial area 10 -12 inches from 12 to 4 am), that the water in the street was so high that the drains wouldn't drain so they backed up. Oh, well... worse things have happened.
We have brick floors in there, so we just got the furniture out and lifted the Oriental rug off the floor and bailed water - for 3 freaking hours!!!
Crazy thing, what woke me was the tornado siren going off somewhere close by at around 2:30! I had never heard it before and it totally freaked me out! My dogs were going crazy, so I went to look out the front door, the street was like a river raging down towards Buffalo Bayou! Then, I looked to the left, into the living room, and saw our indoor wading pool! So, I got my husband and son up and we started moving the stuff.
Right now, we are still drying out the rug, but it will be fine along with the furniture 
Obviously, I didn't go in to work yesterday!! |
I am so sorry to hear your house was flooded. Rugs and carpeting are the most difficult to have to deal with. I, too, am in the Memorial area. We had water in the hall bathroom but it never ventured further. We were so lucky, because I did not buy flood insurance. Our house is not in the flood plain so it is not required, but I am definitely going to buy it now. My friend told me it is very inexpensive and saves a lot of worry. Everything we have is replaceable except my kids but I'd rather not have to deal with FEMA! I remember during Tropical Storm Allison, I heard about a woman who was calling everyone she knew asking how she could get her baby grand piano up the stairs!
It's hard to believe that the fourth largest city in America has no system in place to deal with flooding. The ground is so soft, it is called "gumbo". That is why we don't have basements here.
The three network channels and the three local stations ran reports all day yesterday showing the devastation. Cars were flooded out everywhere and some watched in horror as an SUV was swept into a culvert with a person in the driver's seat. His body was recovered this morning. The freeways were fine, but the exits were under water, so no one could get off the road.
Many school districts closed and HISD postponed the TAKS test until today because so many kids could not get to school. The mayor and the city government urged people to stay home if possible, but many tried to get to work or school and regretted it.
Our family owns an insurance agency and the claims are coming in faster than they can process them. Many customers have a large deductible for comp (wet brakes, flooded engines, etc.) and for their homeowners coverage (as much as 2% of the home's value) and this will create a real hardship for many people.
I hope the City of Houston will continue to find a solution to the flooding problem soon. It's a great place to live except for this one huge issue.
Paula M
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