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Brian Hampton
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 1173
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| Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:16 pm Post subject: Burst water pipe destroys my Home Theater |
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Hey,
Well.... there goes what was left of my will to live.
Some of my pipes froze when it was 30 below a few days ago... they just thawed revealing the damage. The basement flooded and all of the water was coming from behind the walls of my home theater.
I don't think I lost my equipment but I bet the room even though it was on the small side cost about $5,000 to build and I don't feel like doing it over again.
Oh well,... live and learn... Don't know what the next chapter will be.
-Brian
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Brian Hampton
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 1173
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Curt Palme
CRT Tech
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 24396
Location: Langley, BC
TV/Projector: All of them!
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| Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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No! That sucks! You must rebuild though. Insurance not cover stuff like this?
Even so, maybe a few other forum members around you can pull together and assist in putting up new drywall or whatever?
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Brian Hampton
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 1173
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| Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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Maybe I'm just over-reacting.
I'm actually pretty mellow about it.
I've very glad I put in a sub floor. The carpet is dry in the theater.
I bet I'll need to take down drywall... repair the pipes... replaced the insulation... put the drywall back up and it will be better than new.
I'm just not going to be doing it this evening.... most likely.
-Brian
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ecrabb
Forum Moderator
Joined: 13 Mar 2006
Posts: 15909
Location: Utah
TV/Projector: JVC RS40, Epson 5010
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| Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Brian Hampton wrote: | | I'm just not going to be doing it this evening.... most likely. |
Dude, that sucks. You're just pissed right now imagining all that's wrong. Like you said, though - fix it and it'll be as good as new. Cut a hole or two, find the leak, fix the plumbing, let things dry out a little (perfect opportunity to watch a few movies  ), fix the hole(s), and get back to... watching movies.
At least you didn't end up with water inside the G70 or something.
Whereabouts do you live that you had pipes freezing, Brian? I thought you were in CA for some reason?!!?
SC
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draganm
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 8990
Location: Colorado
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:04 am Post subject: |
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Brain just let the insurance company take care of it all, that's why you pay your premium to them for decades one end. It's a nice space and you can't just lock the door and pretend it never existed.
I'm really sorry to hear of your troubles though. My neighbor's house did the same thing but luckilly for him the basement was only half finished. Still about $2200. damage though. Hopefully all your gear is ok.
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J Kildare
Joined: 28 Sep 2006
Posts: 164
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:05 am Post subject: |
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That really sucks!!!!!
For anyone with hose bibs, you sure want to make sure there are no hoses connected in this weather. A couple of years ago, I washed the truck on a mild day in late Feb, got side tracked forgot the hose, turned it on a month later and had a flood in the theater as well. It wasn't too bad as I just had drywall up not taped. Now whenever I turn on a hose first time in the spring, i'm lookin out for it.
Hope it doesn't end up costing too much money or time.
Jim
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Zebu Fellenz
Joined: 21 Dec 2006
Posts: 2567
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:24 am Post subject: |
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That is too bad. Hope you get if fixed up soon, is all the gear OK?
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Mr. Green
Joined: 23 Feb 2007
Posts: 1394
Location: Calgary
TV/Projector: Marquee 9501LC / NEC 9PG+
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:33 am Post subject: |
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Ouch. I always worry about stuff like that.
Sorry about your luck.
Now quick, go buy a lotto ticket.
_________________
You can be young only once but, you can be immature forever.
Current Projector Marquee9501LC with PS3 (BLu-Ray) at 1080P LOVE IT! Screen is an Elunevision 120" 4:3 (2.4 gain - no hotspots). (also own a NEC 9PG+)
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ralpharch
Joined: 02 Nov 2007
Posts: 211
Location: Derwood
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:38 am Post subject: |
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Best wishes for recovery of your theater/basement.
I've had three burst pipes flood my basement. This was all external; and only one of the pipes was connected to my house (the last one, which Shell paid $1200 for repair with just one year left on their twelve year settlement for polybutelyne supply pipes). The others traveled through the supply ditch the pipes were placed in from my neighbors houses; one of them across the street. I received $1k for flood damage one time; and cleaned it up myself the other two times (not counting the Shell reimburse but that didn't come close to the expense of my copper pipe replacement). For whatever reason I didn't want to keep hitting up my insurance company.
So I would be reluctant to put a theater room in the basement. I have a large spare bedroom that I use since we are empty nesters.
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Brian Hampton
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 1173
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:47 am Post subject: |
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I used to be in California but I'm in New Hampshire now.
I've been moping and recovery is already underway.
I really don't think I lost any gear.... Seems the pipes behind 2 or maybe just 1 of the theater walls is where the damage was and it ran down the wall and then under the theater.
I haven't been back in there for a while but last time I looked the carpet was still dry ... the back was was kind of like mush or sort of like finishing compound.
The forced hot water system was repaired maybe 2 weeks ago because it was occasionally just not working. I guess last Friday it was really cold and maybe the system was off or something and it froze during the night.
When I say the basement flooded that was an exageration of sorts... I did get about a inch of water but not like an indoor swimming pool.
I had turned the system off for a while and was re-starting it and monitoring it when it happened so it was discovered quickly.
I may watch something tonight after I get things mopped up...
I'm hosting a church movie night here this Friday showing Crash... I think I'll cancel the monthly meetings after that and begin the repairs.
-Brian
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Curt Palme
CRT Tech
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 24396
Location: Langley, BC
TV/Projector: All of them!
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:54 am Post subject: |
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| Brian Hampton wrote: |
I've been moping and recovery is already underway.
-Brian |
Ya know, if you start mopping it will go even faster. 
(sorry, had to do it, and try and spread some humor in a damp messy situation.)
BTW, I can share your pain here.
A long long long time ago, I sold a Barco 800, electric screen and DVDO line doubler to a customer locally that insisted that I do the install. I told him that I was too busy to do the install, so I recommended a guy that did contract work, and was my main installer for about 7 years before he went out on his own.
So they met, the projector went up, and the installation went from $400 to $1500, because the customer kept adding stuff...'oh, add this electrical plug in the ceiling, oh, mount the screen here, oh, run all the wiring behind custom baseboard that the installer had to put in, install and connect my HT system, etc etc. Also, there were times where the customer wasn't home when he said he was, told the installer to quit cause he had friends coming over. All in all, instead of 1 or 2 trips to the house, it was 7.
I went and tweaked up the projector, and handed the customer a $2500 bill for the projector as agreed upon. He loved the image, and I expected to get paid. I knew where he lived, so I expected a check in the mail. It never came. I realized 90 days later that the bill was overdue, so I called him. He ripped my face off. I asked what the problem was, and he said that he had $750 worth of drywall damage as the installers hit a drain from upstairs, and over the two weeks after I left, the drywall was all soggy.
So while I did tell him that I had NOTHING to do with the install, I left bad because I had recommended the installer and his buddy, who had also worked for me.
So I called the installer, and asked him why he never said anything about the drain damage. Well, as the story goes, his helper had nicked a PVC drain pipe coming down from the upstairs bathroom. They ran out to the hardware store to get some kind of sealant, and the main installer asked the helper if he was damn sure that the sealant would work. The helper swore up and down that it would be fine. Yeah,...... right!
I ended up crediting the customer the $750, and I had the installer work off the $750 owed to me.
I know that probably doesn't make you feel any better, but chin up, you'll be watching your set in no time.
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km987654
Joined: 25 Jul 2007
Posts: 2874
Location: Australia
TV/Projector: Barco BG809s
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:16 am Post subject: |
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We all handle difficult times differently but give yourself some time before deciding on a final course of action.
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AnalogRocks
Forum Moderator
Joined: 08 Mar 2006
Posts: 26706
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
TV/Projector: Sony 1252Q, AMPRO 4000G
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 3:16 am Post subject: |
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Brian, keep an eye on the dry wall for mold. I had one of my garages flood. It cleaned it up, dried it out and 3 weeks latter the mold started to grow. MAN that stank! Like a really strong cat piss odour. It also grew in the crawl space under the stairs adjacent to the garrage.
I had to gut the crawl space and cut out the bottom 20" of drywall in the garrge to get rid of the mold. Also disinfected with a steam cleaner while wearing a head to toe suite with a resporator. THAT was damed hot!
Hope you get away with NOT having to do that.
_________________
Tech support for nothing
CRT.
HD done right!
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deronmoped
Joined: 03 Nov 2006
Posts: 1154
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 6:22 am Post subject: |
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I had the every same problem.
I woke up one morning and stepped into a puddle of water in my downstairs bedroom. I ran into my theater and it was raining in their. I shut the water off and found that one of those flex lines under the kitchen sink had burst. There was a river of water running out the theater, down the steps and out under the back door. Not good.
I spent the whole day using a shop vac sucking the water out of the carpet in the theater. I spent the next week running fans continuously airing out the whole downstairs. It ruined my screen, and some of the paint on the walls, everything else was OK. No mold smell, although there might be some behind the d-wall in the ceiling. It's probably worse pulling down the d-wall and disturbing any mold, as that can get you really sick.
Took a while to get everything back in order, but I really like my theater.
Deron.
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 10:06 am Post subject: |
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Brian, sorry to hear about it. God is pissed at you. Man, did you go looking at a digital projector or something to bring on this kind of Wrath?
_________________
Trust no one. Absolutely no one. Advice of the board.
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Gary M.
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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sorry to hear this, that sucks bad
as Analog says be careful here for mold, some get lucky and get non toxic molds, others do not
water damage just about guarantees mold, so be on the lookout, replace all porous building materials and you should be ok
-Gary
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Brian Hampton
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 1173
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 12:50 pm Post subject: |
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Hi,
Drywall and insulation is pretty cheap and my room is very small so I may want to replace it all. I had the carpet installed for me so I don't know how talking that out and putting it back would go... I don't know if the sub floor stuff would be affected... seems like it's plastic underneath.... I don't know... part of me wants to wait till spring then just take it all apart and put it back together.
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Brian Hampton
Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 1173
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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Hello again,
Well,... things are MUCH BETTER today. I confirmed that no equipment was damaged... that's a big one.
Everything still works.
The carpet never got wet... I guess the subfloor saved me. Inside the theater it looks like nothing happened at all.
For now I'm planning to re-route the heating system so that the pipes don't run above the HT. (Therefore this will never happen again.)
If I go digging to find what got water damaged... it will be in the spring time...I'm not going to tear into it for now. I did put up a plastic barrier around the walls of the theater which in retrospect was likely super vital. Having plastic all around the edges of the theater and habving that subfloor which is plastic underneath went a long way to saving the day.
Anyway... I'm feeling much better about things today.
-Brian
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ralpharch
Joined: 02 Nov 2007
Posts: 211
Location: Derwood
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| Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Brian Hampton wrote: | If I go digging to find what got water damaged... it will be in the spring time...I'm not going to tear into it for now. I did put up a plastic barrier around the walls of the theater which in retrospect was likely super vital. Having plastic all around the edges of the theater and habving that subfloor which is plastic underneath went a long way to saving the day.
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If you do wait until spring I would still recommend renting a commercial de-humindifier now and running it for a couple days to dry out whatever water remains. That will slow down the mold/hopefully prevent some of the damage that can arise from soaked wood etc. Even though humidity is low in the winter it will go down faster with a de-humidifer.
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