My NYC condo flooded during the winter storm I wish I had these 3 items on hand
They don’t make them like they used to.Moving into brand-new construction is always a bit of a gamble, but I never expected to deal with two floods in the first year of living in my Brooklyn condo.That is, until this week’s Polar Vortex swept through, exposing some serious structural flaws.
Lesson learned.When temperatures drop, water can freeze and expand inside pipes, creating enough pressure to burst.
When our sink stopped working, the building management sent a plumber who said the exterior of the building appeared unfinished without proper installation.Shocker.
He advised us to leave the faucets on and wait, but the pipes burst the very next day, flooding the entire lower level of the apartment.Now, our downstairs is gutted, furniture is drenched and the bathroom is unusable.
That’s when I realized I should have thought twice about ‘churn-and-burn’ construction… and kept an emergency kit on hand.Landlords and developers might leave you out to dry, so it’s up to you to be prepared when extreme weather strikes.
Below, I’ve rounded up a couple of simple items that I’m glad I had during the crisis, plus some smart monitors that could help prevent future weather-related home disasters.With NYC temperatures expected to stay below freezing for the next few weeks, now is the time to prepare your home for emergencies.
Below, find three essentials to add to that list.Between juggling calls with restoration specialists and insurance agents, I’ve been taking moisture readings like there’s no tomorrow.
Mold can germinate within 48 hours of water exposure, making it very important to act fast in the event of a flood or a leak.Luckily, our neighbors had this handy moisture meter — a leftover from the last time the building flooded— which detects relative moisture levels in walls and floors after leaks or flooding using electromagnetic field (EMF) technology.
It’s simple to use, easy to read and if you have to deal with your insurance adjust...