Thoughts & Prayers Go Out to Richard & His Family

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Wed. Feb. 24, 2010 6:36 am

rockwood wrote: Did smoke detectors ever sound?
Yes but I was up when this happened. Everyone was already scrambling to get out before then. I'm going to have to say you should probably have them in every room at least if they are enclosed type rooms like a bedroom. As I said before this moved unbelievably fast once it was discovered, but that's partly due to the construction. I can understand now why a lot of people die in fires. If the smoke detectors were being relyed on I would have to say you're looking at maybe a minute or two to get the hell out of upstairs. Only choice after that would have been the window if you were in a bedroom.


 
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Post by coalkirk » Wed. Feb. 24, 2010 8:57 am

Richard S. wrote:I'm going to have to say you should probably have them in every room at least if they are enclosed type rooms like a bedroom. As I said before this moved unbelievably fast once it was discovered, but that's partly due to the construction. I can understand now why a lot of people die in fires. If the smoke detectors were being relyed on I would have to say you're looking at maybe a minute or two to get the hell out of upstairs. Only choice after that would have been the window if you were in a bedroom.
Current code for new homes requires one on every level that senses smoke and CO AND one in every bedroom that senses smoke. These are required to be electric with battery backup and wired together so that they all sound together. When you rebuild that's going to be the standard. Also, if the basement level is divided into a finished and utility areas, I'd put one in both areas. Fire spreads incredibly fast especially in an older home with dry wood and balloon framing. The heat generated builds so quickly it's unbelieveable. Most fire deaths are from smoke and heat, not flames. I've got 14 interconnected detectors in my home. It's a pain when you need to change the batteries but it only has to save you once.

 
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Post by freetown fred » Wed. Feb. 24, 2010 9:18 am

I'm not even going to speak on the cost of getting an old(200 yr) large(around 3000 sq) house done--we've had smoke detectors since they came out--we test them once a month--we got CO2 detectors when they came out & do the same---all battery operated----As important---when the kids were here we had escape routes down pat---I even had roll up ladders on the bedrooms upstairs--they were under the eves & didn't get froze up--every 3 mos. or so I would pull a drill,if they didn't do it quick enough--that's why I have a tip on my boot---we did it again until they got it right-----you do what you need to do,even if you hurt some feelings along the way--I've always been pretty tough love,as was my father & his father--we all seem to have lived through it---Again,that drill thing is real important :!: :!: And,yes,I know you were talking about new structures & I think that is good,being people today seem to be lacking in common sense or or to busy :(

 
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Post by ScubaSteve » Wed. Feb. 24, 2010 6:38 pm

I am so glad you are all ok!!!! So sorry to hear about your loss.... I know this was said earlier in the post, but why do bad things always happen to good people?? It is GREAT news that everyone got out!!

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Sun. Mar. 21, 2010 11:18 pm

Just an update, we've moved into a "Mcmansion" and we'll be here for at least 6 months and possibly up to a year. I'll have to hand it to my Father, it used to be joke about the way he was with insurance but it isn't a joke anymore. The insurance is covering the cost of the burned house and the replacement cost for the contents. I believe basic insurance only covers replacement after they apply depreciation but this policy is going to cover replacement for new item. The rental for the "Mcmansion" and even excessive utility bills are covered. As far as that goes we're are quite lucky.

Everything we are going to remove from the house is just about done, I'll be posting some of my results from saving pictures at later date. Photos are remarkably resilient to water and smoke damage. :D The only thing that is really left to do is go through the attic and that task I'm taking on myself because I'm probably the most knowledgeable about what is there other than Mother. Emotionally I think she's drained and that is really not a good place for her to go picking through. There's a lot of family stuff their that can't be replaced, hopefully some it will be salvaged. The house will demolished by the end of the month.

As for the money that was donated by the members here I again want to thank everyone, the bulk of it will go towards getting new bikes for my niece and nephews as they were under the back patio and got completely burned up. I was looking at parts of my Brothers bike and it was melted... I think it was aluminum. Other than myself they probably lost the most including their rooms being completely gutted. I'll post some pictures of the new bikes when we get them.

One thing that has me really pissed is my Grandmother gave a Flexible Flyer sled this last fall that was hers. The thing was huge, easily fit 3 adults on it and it was in excellent condition. Not sure when she bought it but I know my Dad used it when he was kid. That damn sled was sitting in her basement unused for the last 30 years..... unfortunately it was under the patio too.

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Post by freetown fred » Mon. Mar. 22, 2010 7:19 am

Thanx for the update Richard.Your father was a wise man.I know that w/ our policy,we have the same wording,along w/ coverage for many antiques,guns etc.Something people should really check out in thier own policies.It's unfortunate that a fiasco like this had to happen,but the info you shared is real impt.Be well. Fred PS--good idea w/ the neices & nephews bikes :)

 
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Post by SMITTY » Mon. Mar. 22, 2010 10:28 am

That's great news .. that will speed recovery from this along pretty quickly.

I would have expected the insurance co. to balk at every little thing, then send in investigators to try & find any fault in the heating system, or wherever, just to deny the claim. This is what I would expect if this had happened here. If my barn burned down, they'd blame the oil tank & furnace ....then if it was the house, they'd blame the coal stove & boiler in one ratty flue. That's all I have heard from people who had to make any insurance claim -- nothing but BS & paying out as little as possible.

Sounds like you had the one solid company left out there! Good deal. 8-)


 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Mon. Mar. 22, 2010 2:40 pm

SMITTY wrote: I would have expected the insurance co. to balk at every little thing, then send in investigators to try & find any fault in the heating system, or wherever, just to deny the claim. This is what I would expect if this had happened here. If my barn burned down, they'd blame the oil tank & furnace ....then if it was the house, they'd blame the coal stove & boiler in one ratty flue.
The Fire Marshall said it was an electrical fire, guess that's the bottom line. He determined that because of this hole, and I'd imagine other factors. My understanding because of the hole itself and the severity of the damage below and above the floor in this area is how he came to that conclusion. The wires in the wall were there for about 30+ years but according to him it's not unheard of. My brother was talking to a contractor that demos a lot of homes and he said they find black and burned wires in the walls of lot of homes. Scary...

 
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Post by gaw » Mon. Mar. 22, 2010 6:23 pm

I have Erie which I believe is what you said your father has. I know when I got my policy the agent said it was for replacement cost of the contents, not the value of the old used stuff. At the time I took my policy out they had three insurance packages, sort of a good, better, best deal. Because I have an old house he recommended the better policy because the good was not that great and the best would have an inspector crawling around with a fine tooth comb, only recommended for new homes.

I have nothing bad to say about Erie and if that is what you have I’m glad to hear they are treating you right.

The sleigh story sucks but that’s exactly as fate would have it, some times you just can’t win.

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Mon. Mar. 22, 2010 7:25 pm

It was Erie, so far they have been fantastic. I mentioned before the inventory they did which was a third party company that counted everything in the house they could , that was insane... Going through my Dad's desk drawer.... One package of bic pens 12 count... next item.... one box of paper clips 200 count.... next item.... they did that in every room in the house except the few where it was impossible. For those we have to write up the contents ourselves. In any event the lady that was in charge of that said Erie was the best company she worked for.

Even worse about the sled it was in the shed up until the snowstorm a week or two before. The arrow on the left is the runner from Gram's sled. The arrow on the right was another flexible flyer my Dad had, that one had a seatback on it you can still see. I'll blame the kids for using them. :P

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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Wed. Mar. 31, 2010 6:44 am

Just another update to this saga, the house was demolished yesterday. Wonderful weather for it if you're the demolition crew. Dreary, rainy, cold... perfect weather to match the occasion.

I never watched a house get torn down before, quite an operation. What was surprising to me was them driving the excavator right up onto the floor after they ripped some of the rooms off. I mean they were literally on the floor with 7 foot of air below them with all that weight of the machine and debris being held up by the floor. They did collapse it a couple of times but didn't fall that far. I have pictures but they are on my brothers camera. I'll post some when I get them.

On a happy note I took both front doors, the pillars holding up the front porch and the banister from upstairs. The doors will be used if my parents decide to build new house, I'm thinking they might work nice as double front door. :) I'm not positive but I think they might be Mahogany. The pillars and banister may be incorporated too.

 
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Post by CoalHeat » Wed. Mar. 31, 2010 8:22 am

What becomes of the property now? An empty lot? You mentioned rebuilding there might not happen due to the proximity to the river.

 
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Post by Richard S. » Wed. Mar. 31, 2010 9:08 am

Well there is still a smaller house, 1000 sq ft.


Undecided yet what we're going to do with it, it's pretty skinny lot and you probably wouldn't be able to build such a large home again. The little house was originally a garage and the house was my Grandparents. They bought it early 40's or late 30's. Before we moved in they converted the garage to a house and lived there. Nice little house but only good for a single person or couple. The upstairs is 1/4 bath and the rest is a bedroom . Electric heat , there was underground water pipes going from the main house my Father and I put in back in the 80's but we never hooked them up.

One of the reasons we are not rebuilding is because of the river, in 72 the water was inches from the first floor. Every time the river comes up it's a huge PITA.

 
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Post by Richard S. » Sun. May. 02, 2010 5:51 pm

Two bikes down one to go for the bigger one who's 12. These are from the backyard of the rental, Madeline on the right and Thomas on the left. We were debating about getting them at all because there really isn't a lot of flat ground for them to ride at their new house but Madeline did pretty good on a smaller slope at the rental house here so she should be good, it has gears so she has that lower gear. Tom just needs to get a little bit bigger, I'm going to see if I can get a bigger rear sprocket for him. Thanks again.

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Post by freetown fred » Sun. May. 02, 2010 6:18 pm

Outstanding Richard,I have this feeling that the grandkids lean twds thier Grandmoms genes ;) You know,as far as Tom goes,my Dad had a thing he used to hook me up to--in later years I found out it was referred to as "The Rack" :doh:Got me up to 6'4"--apparently,I'm settlin,down to 6'2"'must be everyboby else is gettin old :lol: They look real happy w/ them new bikes--good call :clap:


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