Patience.
That's the advice authorities are giving people worried about water damage to their homes and about the general cleanup needed because of the recent rain and flooding.
Although the rain has stopped, it will take time for rivers to recede, roads to be cleaned up, and for things to get back to normal.
Insurance agencies have received many calls from clients wondering if their policies cover flood damage. More than 70 customers called T.A. Sullivan Agency, which has offices in Methuen and Lawrence, in the past two days asking about flood coverage.
For those whose basements flooded and had carpets, furnaces, water heaters and appliances ruined, they may be out of luck — unless they have flood insurance.
"But most people don't have flood insurance," said Tom Sullivan, owner of T.A. Sullivan Agency, unless the home's mortgage holder requires it or the home is in a flood-prone area.
"People are unaware that water seeping into a basement isn't covered under most policies," Sullivan said.
Larry Cowan, proprietor of Cowan Insurance Agency in Haverhill, said damage caused by wind to a roof and rain leaking through is covered by many homeowners' policies. He has received 45 claims, averaging between $1,000 and $2,000.
Flood policies tend to be "really particular," Cowan said. Generally, to obtain an insurance payment for a flood-related claim, the policyholder must prove there was a flood that affected his or her entire area and that the water didn't seep through the floors.
Many insurance companies offer an endorsement that will cover damage resulting from sump pump failure, food spoilage in the event of a power failure, and other rare events, said Diane Andrews, owner of the Jim Andrews Insurance Agency in Groveland.
She said such an endorsement can be added to a homeowner's policy usually for less than $40 per year. Thirty-eight claims have been filed with her agency in the wake of the rainstorm.
Sullivan said homeowners should contact state emergency services about severe damage. He said at times some agencies are able to grant low-interest loans to people who can't afford needed repairs.
Lt. John Weir of the North Andover Fire Department said they've received many phone calls from residents over the past four days to pump out flooded basements.
"We have a limited amount of resources," said Weir. "With the scale of flooding and amount of water, we're doing whatever we can."
He said the department owns several pumps and residents are placed on a waiting list and are served on a first-come, first-served basis. The department has brought in extra workers to help out over the last few days because of the demand for services, Weir said.
In Andover, fire Chief Michael Mansfield said the department has received about 100 calls since Saturday about flooding. He said the department has helped residents turn their utilities off, but has been unable to help with pumping out basements. The department doesn't have the proper equipment or staff.
"We don't have enough resources," Mansfield said. "There are too many residents and too much water."
The Methuen Fire Department has been responding to calls to make sure flooding isn't a problem with the utilities and cuts them if there is one. But they defer all pumping out requests to the Water Department, Deputy Chief William Barry said.
A dispatcher at the Lawrence Fire Department said there has been 27 calls related to flooding, and like Methuen, they only go to check safety hazards. They do not pump water, that is the homeowner's responsibility, the dispatcher said.
Haverhill fire Chief Richard Borden said firefighters have pumped out well over 100 basements. They were busy during the rainfall and right up until yesterday afternoon, when the pace started to slow down. In some cases, they shut off electricity or gas if they posed a hazard, the chief said.
"They did a great job of keeping up with the work," Borden said.
ÔÇæÔÇæÔÇæ
Join the discussion. To comment on stories and see what others are saying, log on to eagletribune.com.
