HARVEY - Help, Tips, Thanks, Questions

[Hagar]

I should've started this earlier.  I know many of our fellow posters have been displaced by flooded homes, and others have taken in friends and relatives.  Only makes sense that we should share any helpful information.  So if you have any info that'll help others, questions, or want to thank someone, this is a good spot.  I'll start if off.

Thanks to the folks from the Vidor Mormon Church who came to my sisters house (and many other houses) & helped remove the Sheetrock & damaged material.  If you live in Vidor, and need help, they're probably still at it, give them a call.

Question:  I've heard that some homes (Bevil Oaks) have to be checked for mold in the air before sheet rock is replaced.  Is that a State, County, City, or Fed requirement?  Hope someone can clarify.

Tip:  For you first time flooded, when our home flooded in 2005, we brushed down, with stiff brush, 2x4's. Used bleach, let it dry, and brushed again.  Then sprayed with water/vinegar.  After that dried good, we sprayed with water/hydrogen peroxide.  Appears it worked.  Overkill?  Not enough?  Not positive, but it worked for us.

Side note:  Had flood insurance.  Adjustor based on what was current price, but after Rita, price was a lot higher.  Say he gave us $8 a sheet.  By the time we got check & went to buy, it was maybe $12, so be ready.

 

[baddog]

4 hours ago, REBgp said:

I should've started this earlier.  I know many of our fellow posters have been displaced by flooded homes, and others have taken in friends and relatives.  Only makes sense that we should share any helpful information.  So if you have any info that'll help others, questions, or want to thank someone, this is a good spot.  I'll start if off.

Thanks to the folks from the Vidor Mormon Church who came to my sisters house (and many other houses) & helped remove the Sheetrock & damaged material.  If you live in Vidor, and need help, they're probably still at it, give them a call.

Question:  I've heard that some homes (Bevil Oaks) have to be checked for mold in the air before sheet rock is replaced.  Is that a State, County, City, or Fed requirement?  Hope someone can clarify.

Tip:  For you first time flooded, when our home flooded in 2005, we brushed down, with stiff brush, 2x4's. Used bleach, let it dry, and brushed again.  Then sprayed with water/vinegar.  After that dried good, we sprayed with water/hydrogen peroxide.  Appears it worked.  Overkill?  Not enough?  Not positive, but it worked for us.

Side note:  Had flood insurance.  Adjustor based on what was current price, but after Rita, price was a lot higher.  Say he gave us $8 a sheet.  By the time we got check & went to buy, it was maybe $12, so be ready.

 

Biggest tip I can give is to trust your weather people. I know they can miss sometimes, but they nailed Harvey on the head. I didn't believe they could predict a stall, 50+ inches of rain, reverse direction, and head up coast. Harvey did exactly that. Question......why is the European model more accurate. They don't even deal with hurricanes.

Thanks to all the volunteers. The guy who picked up me and my wife was an everyday Joe using his own boat. He had a young man with him who was connected with the Sheriff's Dept. Not sure but I think they have to have someone with them connected to rescue. 

Side note: I used to hang sheetrock when it was $4 per sheet. Hung it for a nickel a square foot. Comes out to $1.60 per sheet. Yes, I am a jack of all trades, master of none.

 

[PhatMack19]

Good thread.  If anyone has any demo or construction related questions, I will try to give you an answer the best I can.  

 

As for Bevil Oaks I'm not sure who is requiring a mold test.  On my houses, I have been running dehumidifiers for 4 or 5 days  then spraying mold killer.  The moisture levels have all been well below 15% after about a week.  Also running your AC and the mild weather last week has helped keep mold down a good bit.  

 

baddog, if you are looking for work I can pay you a whole dime a sq ft and keep you busy for a few years!

[baddog]

51 minutes ago, PhatMack19 said:

Good thread.  If anyone has any demo or construction related questions, I will try to give you an answer the best I can.  

 

As for Bevil Oaks I'm not sure who is requiring a mold test.  On my houses, I have been running dehumidifiers for 4 or 5 days  then spraying mold killer.  The moisture levels have all been well below 15% after about a week.  Also running your AC and the mild weather last week has helped keep mold down a good bit.  

 

baddog, if you are looking for work I can pay you a whole dime a sq ft and keep you busy for a few years!

Too old to hang rock competitively. That's for the young men with great backs. Closets are where you lose money....everything is a cut. Didn't do it long. Learned a lot. On to the next trade.

Here is a tip. For those tearing out sheetrock, which is everyone who got water in their house, Dremel makes a vibrating tool with a sheetrock attachment that is a hook. You stab it into the rock and drag it along the wall. It cuts rock like hot butter. It isnt' a deep cut so you shouldn't have to worry about cutting electrical wires, but always be aware of your wiring and plumbing. I have some good stories along these lines. Experience is the best teacher. Here is a pick of the sheetrock hook. Cuts carpet too.

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[Hagar]

2 hours ago, PhatMack19 said:

Good thread.  If anyone has any demo or construction related questions, I will try to give you an answer the best I can.  

 

As for Bevil Oaks I'm not sure who is requiring a mold test.  On my houses, I have been running dehumidifiers for 4 or 5 days  then spraying mold killer.  The moisture levels have all been well below 15% after about a week.  Also running your AC and the mild weather last week has helped keep mold down a good bit.  

 

baddog, if you are looking for work I can pay you a whole dime a sq ft and keep you busy for a few years!

Maybe it was moisture level, buy I thot he said mold.  I'm surprised they don't require it.  

[PhatMack19]

Income tax deductions if you received damage  

 

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If your house flooded you may have a casualty loss deduction to take advantage of on your 2017 income tax return I've attached a link for you to read on it. Basically, if you have a loss after insurance reimbursement you may be able to deduct it on your income tax return make sure to talk to your CPA or tax preparer about this.

I apologize if this has been previously mentioned. However, I didn't want any of you to miss out on this deduction.

Other tax relief: 

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[bullets13]

On ‎9‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 6:24 PM, PhatMack19 said:

Good thread.  If anyone has any demo or construction related questions, I will try to give you an answer the best I can.  

 

As for Bevil Oaks I'm not sure who is requiring a mold test.  On my houses, I have been running dehumidifiers for 4 or 5 days  then spraying mold killer.  The moisture levels have all been well below 15% after about a week.  Also running your AC and the mild weather last week has helped keep mold down a good bit.  

 

baddog, if you are looking for work I can pay you a whole dime a sq ft and keep you busy for a few years!

i talked to a neighbor who's been running 3 small dehumidifiers in his (small) house for 3 weeks, and he said last night that his moisture is still around 50%.  surely he's doing something wrong, right?

[PhatMack19]

On 10/5/2017 at 1:16 PM, bullets13 said:

i talked to a neighbor who's been running 3 small dehumidifiers in his (small) house for 3 weeks, and he said last night that his moisture is still around 50%.  surely he's doing something wrong, right?

Yes definitely.  Commercial dehu’s will do a lot better, but he will also need fans to move the air around.  

 

Is he able to turn on the AC?