"Sky" wrote in message
...
Hello folks,

I don't typically ready this newsgroup, but due to a recent fiasco, I've
subscribed for the time-being. My clothes washing machine malfunction
and caused an interior flood in my home, I'd like to learn as much as I
can. Luckily, homeowner's insurance will cover the damage except for
the deductible/excess.

The washing machine kept filling, and filling, and overfilling, and
overfilling . . . . y'all get the picture! Luckily, spouse and I were
home when this happened, but there was still a lot of accumulated water
damage all the same, which could have been much worse had we not been
home. Turns out the faulty part was the water intake valve where the
hoses attach to the washing machine.

Anywho, there's substantial repair work to be done -- the estimate is
now nearly US$20K due to replacement for drywall, subfloor, carpet,
vinyl flooring, paint, removal of wallpaper, etc. Perhaps it's time for
some pitas (food), oh wait - I meant PITA (not food) G. All vinyl
flooring has already been removed, and the w/w carpeting will be
completely replaced except for a couple bedrooms upstairs. The washing
machine is on the first floor.

I'm not sure that I have any specific question(s), but what the heck
should I look for considering this scenario I've described? What should
I know/learn? I've never gone through anything like this before, thank
goodness! Luckily, I have "replacement value" for insurance (knock on
wood!). TIA.

Sky, who dislikes choosing things for 'decorating'!

P.S. The silver-lining in this cloud is I get to get rid of the
gahd-awful wallpapers in the kitchen & bathroom!!!!!

The only thing to be learned is to protect yourself from disaster. If
you're building, make a sloped floor in the laundry room to a floor drain.
Put the hot water heater in there, too. Put them with catch pans.

When I moved my washing machine, I took 24 ga. paintlock steel and made a
square tub for it with six inch high walls. Put a PVC drain pipe on it, as
it was built on a pedestal, and that drain punched through the wall to the
outside. I had a flood one time while I was away in San Diego for two
weeks. When I came home, the water was still running. And it all went
outside.

When you put it all back together, put a tub of some kind under it. A good
sheetmetal person can build you one for reasonable. Darnright cheap when
compared to $20k.

And if you're building, plan for disaster.

Steve. PS: It always happens at 3 AM