Something About An Ark

Did you hear that Massachusetts got some rain a week ago? Like, a wicked lot. More than 10 inches in 72 hours. Anyway, I’m sure you’ve seen the pictures, especially if you’ve been taking them in your own basement and possibly also your yard.

Living on a very steep hill, we got off easy—the water level in our basement never got higher than three inches. Whoever built our house nearly 100 years ago had the foresight to cut a hole in the cellar floor with a drainage pipe that runs underground, down the hillside, and through a retaining wall that opens out to the street. In fact, I remember getting into my car in the pouring rain and noticing how much water was gushing out of that pipe. I briefly wondered where that pipe was draining from, since I had never seen any water come out of it before, then promptly directed my attention elsewhere. Like to my automatic umbrella that kept spontaneously opening inside the car.

Later that evening, when the fire department arrived to pump out our next-door neighbor’s basement (apparently there’s some sort of safety hazard with regard to rising water and the ancient furnaces and water heaters the old houses in these parts have), that’s when it all came together. That’s when we had the pleasure of discovering the raging river right under our feet. Unfortunately, that aforementioned drainage hole is located in the highest area of the basement, elevation-wise, in the corner furthest from the actual leak, and so the whole basement had to fill up before any actual drainage occurred. That is, until Husband and our neighbor busted in some temporary walls and ripped out an old shower stall to access a closer drain. Then the water level started going down despite the fact that water continued shooting in like a fire hose through a hole in the foundation all night long.

One week and 20 industrial-sized garbage bags later, the basement is mostly dry and the damage wasn’t that bad. It’s not a finished basement and most of the important stuff was up off the floor. The things that got wet and ruined were mostly boxes full of crap intended for the trash or a yard sale anyway, old insulation and wallboard we were never going to use, and a couple of rodents that appeared to have met their maker long before things got all biblical.

The basement needed some serious help, anyway. Some demolition, some organization, some decontamination now that both cats have passed on. Maybe now I can get to know my basement a little better instead of avoiding it at all costs. Maybe we can organize a real workshop for Husband. Perhaps cordon off an area that the kids can use as a clubhouse. Maybe there will even be something it in for me? Something besides laundry. What it would be, I don’t know.

Wait a minute. What do we have here?

A little closet-sized room. With three sides exposed to the cold, cold ground. And a door.

Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

Comments

[Tamidon]

ooh..a cold cellar

[andrea]

I'm so jealous! Well, not the rain, leak, and rodents, but a cold cellar - swoon.

[Husband]

Are you thinking of locking me in there? Because I don't like that idea.

[Julia]

Cold cellar? That looks like a wine cellar to me :)

[Holly]

Do you need more space to store squash?

[Susan aka DoughMessTic]

Your basement walls look eerily like mine. I hope the GrouchGriller comes up with a husband that will complete the Cold Cellar reno for you!
(You can come to VA and visit while he works?)

[Clammer630]

Your root celler

[Kate@LivingTheFrugalLife]

I done thought what you're thinking, sister. It's a good thought. Go for it! I'm so glad we did.

[Kate]

Are you thinking that it sort of looks like someone tried to tunnel their way out after being locked in the little room? 'Cause that's what I'M thinking... :)

[Fish Sauce Hater]

A punishment chamber for the children. I like your thinking.

[Margo]

All of that sounds like a great idea, especially the cold cellar. However, do remember the awful flood when you're fixing up the basement - don't put in any carpeting or other fabric (sofas, for example) that you wouldn't be comfortable throwing out after the next flood. Did the water get near the cold cellar? If so, you'll want to make sure that any glass is relatively secure - picking up the broken remnants of your new wine cellar would not be fun. Oh, and don't get rid of the drain! It sounds crazy, but some people have extremely short memories of natural disasters like this when they're rebuilding.

[Tammy]

Margo: Thanks for the tips. We don't plan on finishing the basement with rugs or anything good. Just a rough space for building things and messy art projects. And, yes, the drains will stay. The rain we're getting in the next few days will be a good test of Husband's patch job.

Fish Sauce Hater: Thus far, the children haven't done anything bad enough to warrant solitary in that room. It's nice to have it in my back pocket, though. The spiders in there are HUGE.

Kate: It does kind of look like that, doesn't it? I wonder what secrets that chamber holds?

Kate (Frugal Life): Okay, then. I got me some shelves!

Clammer630: You betcha.

Susan: Hey, thanks! I will be calling in all superpowers for the job.

Holly: Good point! The designated squash area will only be a small fraction of the total space.

Julia: Great idea. Except I rarely have more than four bottles of wine in the house at any one time, and none of them worthy of aging!

Husband: Only time will tell.

andrea: I'm a little worried about a root cellar encouraging more rodents to seek lodging. Not sure what to do about that.

Tamidon: Right you are! Woo hoo!