cto
Administrator
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2011
- Messages
- 5,567
- Like
- 27,960
Monday morning, I get call from friends Nick and Brenda who live near the water. Cops had visited them and said power was about to be turned off and they had to evacuate. So they ask whether they could move in with me for the duration. I said of course. They arrive at noon and we watch TV storm coverage until 4 pm when I lose power. Generator … which worked flawlessly after Irene last year… does not start. So I call generator company – which makes no promises as to when they will show up because they “have lots of calls.” Then we sit around all evening… drinking wine by candlelight in front of fireplace … as we watch trees crash all around us ….. and shingles fly off my roof. It was seriously scary.
On Tuesday, neighbors Tom and Mary (whose generator was working) invite us for lunch. While there, neighbor Hank shows up and says he knows generators. So he walks to my house and starts my generator in manual mode. Hurrah, we have power. Two hours later, generator guy shows up. He says generator should NEVER be started in manual mode … so he restarts it in automatic mode. Thirty minutes after he leaves, it dies. So I restart it in manual mode.
It works until midnight when it again dies. So I go outside in restart it in automatic mode. It works until 11 a.m today. … when it shuts down with an huge EXPLOSION. Neighbors come running from all directions. But there is no smell of gas, so I pronounce things as okay. And I call generator company again. About four hours later, Manny shows up from generator company. After poking around, he decides problem is a gauge that incorrectly shows low oil pressure … and thus precipitates shutdowns. So he replaces gauge and restarts it in auto mode. It has now been working for seven hours… so who knows -- maybe we have fixed it.
MEANWHILE… the important stuff. … I have pretty bad storm damage. I lost at least seven threes --- one of which hit roof/side of house doing what my contractor says is very serious damage. Also lost hundreds of shingles… including many in large clusters which left bare wood exposed on roof. Several other parts of roof are damaged and sort of flapping. Gas grill is smashed and gas line severed. Valuable antique weather vane (great blue heron) is badly damaged and may not live to fly another day. We put tarp over the biggest shingle losses… and called the insurance company.
About 75 percent of Fairfield is still without power (it was 97 per cent on Tuesday). At least five houses near the beach (some very expensive) literally floated out to sea during the storm…. And Halloween has been postponed until next Wednesday. Many major streets do not have power… and many stores and restaurants are still closed. For those who know this area, Southport (where I live) remains totally without power. Downed power lines, trees and branches, are everywhere. It is a serious mess. It could be another week before town is entirely back.
But as I said a few days ago, I am warm and dry and safe … so I can’t complain. So many people have suffered so much more in this storm. By comparison, I have had petty annoyances. I had looked forward to attending the 11/1 SU basketball game, but obviously did not travel to Syracuse in the middle of this mess. I hope Cheriehoop enjoys my tickets.
Thank you for all your expressions of concern…..both here and on Facebook. It is very much appreciated.
On Tuesday, neighbors Tom and Mary (whose generator was working) invite us for lunch. While there, neighbor Hank shows up and says he knows generators. So he walks to my house and starts my generator in manual mode. Hurrah, we have power. Two hours later, generator guy shows up. He says generator should NEVER be started in manual mode … so he restarts it in automatic mode. Thirty minutes after he leaves, it dies. So I restart it in manual mode.
It works until midnight when it again dies. So I go outside in restart it in automatic mode. It works until 11 a.m today. … when it shuts down with an huge EXPLOSION. Neighbors come running from all directions. But there is no smell of gas, so I pronounce things as okay. And I call generator company again. About four hours later, Manny shows up from generator company. After poking around, he decides problem is a gauge that incorrectly shows low oil pressure … and thus precipitates shutdowns. So he replaces gauge and restarts it in auto mode. It has now been working for seven hours… so who knows -- maybe we have fixed it.
MEANWHILE… the important stuff. … I have pretty bad storm damage. I lost at least seven threes --- one of which hit roof/side of house doing what my contractor says is very serious damage. Also lost hundreds of shingles… including many in large clusters which left bare wood exposed on roof. Several other parts of roof are damaged and sort of flapping. Gas grill is smashed and gas line severed. Valuable antique weather vane (great blue heron) is badly damaged and may not live to fly another day. We put tarp over the biggest shingle losses… and called the insurance company.
About 75 percent of Fairfield is still without power (it was 97 per cent on Tuesday). At least five houses near the beach (some very expensive) literally floated out to sea during the storm…. And Halloween has been postponed until next Wednesday. Many major streets do not have power… and many stores and restaurants are still closed. For those who know this area, Southport (where I live) remains totally without power. Downed power lines, trees and branches, are everywhere. It is a serious mess. It could be another week before town is entirely back.
But as I said a few days ago, I am warm and dry and safe … so I can’t complain. So many people have suffered so much more in this storm. By comparison, I have had petty annoyances. I had looked forward to attending the 11/1 SU basketball game, but obviously did not travel to Syracuse in the middle of this mess. I hope Cheriehoop enjoys my tickets.
Thank you for all your expressions of concern…..both here and on Facebook. It is very much appreciated.
