Hurricanes, Evacuations and Water Leaks

I’ve received so many kind messages from loved ones asking if we’re okay and what our current situation is. It is so great to know you are loved by so many and I’m truly touched.

By now you’ve probably have heard about Hurricane Matthew and the devastation it has caused in the Caribbean, especially in Haiti, and how many millions of people in the Southeast of the country is in its path. It seems like just yesterday we prepared for Hurricane Hermine.

Hurricane Matthew

This hurricane is our first real initiation as Florida residents. I’d like to think we’re prepared, but I’m sure we can always do better. We don’t have a generator, sand bags or many non-perishables. We have garage door braces to prevent our garage door from flying and becoming a projectile, and we’re bringing in all outdoor furniture from the patio.

The good thing is that we’re not in imminent danger of flooding from storm surges. We’re positive that we’ll lose power…it’s just a question of how long will we be out of power. This is a huge storm whose exact path is still largely unknown. We’re hoping it veers further east rather than west, as just 30 miles can make the difference between 60mph winds and 140mph winds and catastrophic damage.

We’re expecting the worst of this storm to hit us Friday into Saturday before it continues on its path towards Savannah and the Carolinas.

I’m praying that we, our loved ones, and yours are safe during this scary storm. They’re saying that we could be seeing damage that hasn’t been seen in 100 years. It’s during dire times like these that you’re humbled into realizing that squabbles and bickering are meaningless.

Evacuations

We are lucky that–as of yet–we are in one of the few zones that do not have mandatory evacuations. Zones around us in Jacksonville have already received mandatory evacuations. B’s parents were evacuated from Cocoa Beach and they’re staying with us to ride this out. We’re all really concerned about their home as it’s one block away from the ocean. The only thing we can do is pray and hope for the best.

We thought about packing up and leaving, but now I see why people stay behind. The idea of possible flooding scares me into staying put and dealing with the damage. Not to mention the fact that you are many times not allowed back in during disasters, coupled with opportunistic people who stay behind to loot, and the feeling to home is compounded. My gut tells me that we will be okay to ride this out, and it’s never let me down. I hope this isn’t the first.

Water Leaks

Ever since we moved into our new home, we’ve had a leak above our kitchen window that acts erratically. For example, sometimes a monsoon won’t cause leakage, but a light drizzle will. Other times, it’s the complete opposite. Few things are more frustrating for a homeowner than a leak, especially one where you think you’ve caulked the point of entry to only be proved wrong time and time again.

Leak detection companies were not able to come and diagnose and repair this leak before the hurricane, so we were left to our own devices (and choice words) in trying to stop the water from coming in. The window sash is complete mush and needs to be replaced, but we could do without the stress of a leak (and hopefully not worse!) during Hurricane Matthew.

After numerous attempts of caulking, only to disappointingly see the rain wash it away immediately, our neighbor let us borrow a can of Flex Seal. It’s only been 30 minutes or so, but it’s been the first 30 minutes in several days where water isn’t dripping in, so we’ll take small victories where we can. Update: of COURSE, just like every other time we think we’ve solved the problem, the leak ensues. Right now I’ve joined a funnel and a PVC pipe to lead the water directly into a bowl versus it splattering all over the kitchen.

I’m going to wrap this up by wishing everyone affected good luck in weathering this storm. If your gut tells you to leave, by all means go. Play it safe and stay safe.