April 5, 2016 – Over the past year, the Home Front column has criticized Mayor Rahm Emanuel for committing offenses that have had a negative effect on the future of Chicago and its residents.

The $588 million real estate tax hike, the speed camera fines, promoting downtown development but not jobs on the South and West Sides. General indecision, fighting with Chicago Public School teachers, and fiddling with the pensions of police and firefighters as the City of Chicago goes bankrupt.

Could noting these transgressions have caused this writer to suffer The Wrath of Rahm? When the City of Chicago repaired a broken water main on my block in early January, the water was shut off for four hours. When the water was turned back on, mud and dirty water surged through my pipes. According to my veteran plumber, a copper hot water pipe in my upstairs bathroom cracked under the pressure and eventually caused thousands of dollars in damage and untold hardship on the residents of my house. (Left) A plumber repairs a broken water pipe.

“A broken water pipe sounds like a minor home repair problem, but you’ll never know how bad it can be until it happens to you,” said our insurance agent, Karl Riehn (right), president of Chicago-based Karl H. Riehn Insurance. “Water can cause just as much damage – maybe more – than a fire if it gets out of hand.”

Water damage can often be far more extensive than a homeowner realizes. Water seeps through walls, insulation, floors, and drywall ceilings – and if not contained, will eventually warp wood floors.

If water isn’t removed quickly, mildew, mold, and rot can begin below floors and under walls. Moisture can be absorbed into carpeting, drapes, furniture, and even into electrical fixtures and wiring.

Most homeowners religiously pay their homeowners insurance and pray they never have to collect for a loss. However, when disaster strikes, remember – take action.

Noticing a water mark on the family room ceiling, this writer thought it was caused by an ice dam on my roof and a chimney. As the water drips continued, three wastebaskets and a bucket were placed to catch the flow.

Our handyman checked the gutters for an ice dam and none was found. However, my roofer found heavy ice build-up around the base of the chimney – and a few gaps around the chimney flashing, which he caulked but the leak continued.

Finally, the handyman opened the family room ceiling, found the leak, and traced it back to the shower wall between the bath and master bedroom. After that wall was opened, Boehm Plumbing quickly repaired the broken copper pipe.

Water ruins two rooms in two days

However, two days had passed and the water damage already had soaked the family room ceiling and in the bedroom, a wall, carpeting, padding, and subflooring.

We immediately called Riehn Insurance and reported the first loss in ten years of home ownership at this address.

My veteran Realtor, Sara Benson, called Servpro of Ravenswood and immediately arranged to have the water damage evaluated.

Then, Riehn put us in touch with The Hanover Insurance Group’s senior property adjuster, Michael Goff, to settle the damage claim.

Led by company owner Tom Williams, Servpro’s professional team swiftly moved into action. The furniture from the family room and master bedroom was quickly moved out of the way and covered with plastic. A large 3x10-foot section of drywall from the family room ceiling, a 4x6 section of wall board, and a 9x4 section of the upstairs bedroom wall were removed, along with insulation and baseboards. (Left) The moisture content of a carpet is detected by this device.

The open areas were sprayed with organic disinfectant to prevent mold. Plastic film and tubes were connected to the family room ceiling to start the drying process. Servpro then brought in 19 pieces of equipment – including heaters, dehumidifiers, and air scrubbers – and dried out the water damage over the next six days.

During this period, there was so much machinery noise and demolition dust that it was impossible to sleep in the house, so Hanover Insurance agreed to send us to a hotel.

The family returned to the home construction war zone just as the drywall, insulation, and painting contractors started repairs. With the master bedroom under construction, and other bedrooms filled with furniture, we slept on couches for four days.

However, we were forced to return to the hotel because we had allergies and couldn’t breathe. Servpro was kind enough to bring back two air scrubbers to improve the air quality.

Because this writer volunteered to serve as general contractor, it was my job to return to the house daily to oversee how the work was proceeding. Altogether, we spent a total of 19 days and nights living and dining in the hotel.

The Hanover Insurance adjuster said it was one of the most comprehensive records of an insurance loss he had ever seen.

In addition to drying out the walls, ceiling, and floors – and installing new insulation, drywall, trim, and paint – here are a few of the major items covered by the insurance claim…