Walker and I ran downstairs screaming to Mike, who had fallen asleep in his chair watching golf. I told him something had broken and I could hear water rushing in the walls.
Me: "How do we turn the water off to the house???"
Mike: "I don't know...what? Why? What happened?"
Me: "HOW DO WE TURN THE WATER OFF TO THE HOUSE???"
Mike: "What did you do?"
Then as water begins to gush from the light fixtures and the ceiling, around the hall door, he finally understood why I was asking.
And neither of us had any idea how to stop it. It was an awful feeling. I was hysterical for about 4 minutes - couldn't find my cell phone, didn't know what to do, imagining the floor just completely collapsing and my house floating away.
Then I regrouped, called my mom and asked her what to do, couldn't think of my dad's phone number, even though it's in my phone, sweet, smart Walker ran next door all on his own and told the neighbors we needed help. No one knew how to turn off the water, so I called 911. The fire department came 8 minutes later and walked right in the house, opened the closet door under the stairs, and turned the knob on the floor.
So basically it rained inside our house for about 15 minutes. On our wood floors. Through the ceiling. We're in the midst of cleaning everything up now. My house is filled with dehumidifiers, dryers, drying mats...and on and on. Lucy doesn't know what to think about what's going on. With the noise and the constant people coming in and out of the house.
Lesson #1: Know where to find the main source of water to your house and how to turn it off. Lesson #2: Hire a plumber
Do you know how to turn the water off at your house? After telling this story to friends and co-workers, several people have said, "I don't know either." Go home tonight and figure it out if you don't. You'll be glad you did if something like this happens to you!
This is awful!! I am so glad it only lasted 15 minutes and not longer!!! I hope everything dries out and quick!!
ReplyDeleteYes, I do know where to turn it off but I hope I never have to use it. I am SO SO sorry this happened to you!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm praying everything gets dried out quickly! Seven months after we moved into our new home, the guest bath toilet flooded because the builder had set the water level too high. Water had gone under the walls before we knew it. Long story short, we had a flood restoration specialist come out, and builder had to buy us new carpet. Time is key and you got the fans in there quickly so I think you'll be ok. I know how harrowing an experience this can be, so I'll be thinking of you!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to email this to my husband so he'll show me how. He travels too often for me to not know.
ReplyDeleteI cannot imagine how awful you must have felt even though it's a complete accident. Hope everything gets fixed soon.
You must have been so frightened!
ReplyDeleteJust think positive, you won't need to give Lucy a bath for a while.
I hope your house insurance will cover it, what a horrible thing to happen!
oh that's so scary! Hubby knows, but I just questioned him so I would know too ;) I'm glad it wasn't longer than 15 minutes! I hope it all dries out and the fix up process goes so quickly for you!
ReplyDeleteBless your heart! Hope everything gets back to normal quickly. Oh and if you changed the color of the walls it could be my house!
ReplyDeleteLet us know if you need anything!
Wendy, SOOOO sorry this happened to your home. Changing out the fixtures seems so simple, but thanks to your story I'll never try it myself.
ReplyDeleteO.M.LAND!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI bet that was the looooongest 15 min. of your life.All in slow motion..
I'm so happy it's resolved.
Your pooch is CUTE!
Honey...the same thing EXACTLY happened to us about 15 years ago. The children were crying...two sets of neighbors came running over and nobody knew how to cut the water to the house off. Finally, the collective genius decided that there was a valve at the end of the road but that took some special sort of wrench. What a nightmare. Had to completely redo the wallpaper in the bathroom and the ceiling in the kitchen where the water leaked through. I'm SO sorry!!
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