Water damage expert doesn’t know when he’ll sleep next [The Gazette, Colorado Springs, Colo.]

June 07--By 10 a.m. Thursday, Blaine Perry, operating partner of American Water Damage, had already been working 13 straight hours on flooded basements and other water damage at homes.

He said he doesn't know when he'll sleep next.

Perry and his company had been to seven houses by mid-morning Thursday and expected to visit another 50.

"A lot of people are in need of some help," he said near a home off Montebello Drive. Perry noted that lots of damage came from rain that filled window wells and then went into basements.

"We have people on waiting lists."

The water that flooded into homes contained pesticides, pet waste and other chemicals, making the cleaning and drying process very extensive for some homes.

At the Montebello home, one of his employees used a water extractor to pull water from the basement carpet. The carpet pad and some drywall will have to be removed and replaced, he said.

Insurance experts say not all flooded homes will be covered by insurance. While a typical homeowner policy covers wind and hail damage, it does not cover flooding.

At another home on Brushwalker Lane, not only was the carpet soaked, but the home's roof and doorway were also damaged. Water dripped inside the front entrance to the home of Carrie Steinke and her husband.

The couple was planning to go to sleep early, but Steinke decided she should just check her basement. She discovered quickly that her floor was completely flooded.

"It was just coming down in sheets," she said.

Steinke has lived in the Springs since 1996 and said she has never seen hail like that for such a long period of time.

Not only will her basement carpet need to be dried, but she also is going to need to have her roof replaced. And her garden was very damaged by the storm as well.

Her apple tree, finally trying to produce fruit, was damaged as well as her catalpa tree, tomato plant, zucchini, pepper and cucumber plants, and flowerbeds.

Stephen Church, adjuster for USAA, visited one home on North Chelton Road on Thursday with severe roof damage.

"It's totaled," Church said. "We're going to get you a new roof, Colonel Hart."

J.D. Hart said Wednesday night's hail lasted about two hours. He said he even saw lumber floating down Chelton Road.

Water starting leaking into his sunroom, and hail ruined skylights, painting on his house, his fence, and other parts around his home.

Hart filed his claim with USAA at 4 a.m. Thursday when he couldn't sleep. He is one of about 500 claims received by USAA in Colorado Springs and southern Denver as of about 2 p.m. Thursday.

USAA has adjusters in the area and will send more if needed, according to officials at USAA.

"They [calls] are coming in as we speak," Church said.

___

(c)2012 The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Visit The Gazette (Colorado Springs, Colo.) at www.gazette.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services