Herkimer Cty Now In Storm Warning

[dgriffin]

From National Weather Service

.WATCHES/WARNINGS... A TROPICAL STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... HERKIMER COUNTY.

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS... LITCHFIELD... BERKSHIRE... HAMILTON... FULTON... MONTGOMERY... SARATOGA... WARREN... WASHINGTON... SCHOHARIE... SCHENECTADY... ALBANY... ... RENSSELAER... GREENE... COLUMBIA... ULSTER... DUTCHESS... BENNINGTON AND WINDHAM COUNTIES.

A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF EASTERN NEW YORK AND WESTERN NEW ENGLAND. PLEASE LISTEN CLOSELY FOR ANY FLOOD WARNINGS THAT MIGHT BE IN EFFECT FOR YOUR AREA.

.STORM INFORMATION... AT 5 PM EDT... THE CENTER OF HURRICANE IRENE WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 36.2N... LONGITUDE 76.0W. THIS WAS ABOUT 420 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF TORRINGTON CT... OR ABOUT 450 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF PITTSFIELD MA... OR ABOUT 400 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF POUGHKEEPSIE NY. STORM MOTION WAS NNE OR 15 DEGREES AT 13 MPH. STORM INTENSITY WAS 80 MPH.

.SITUATION OVERVIEW... RAIN WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS EVENING... AND WILL BECOME HEAVY OVERNIGHT INTO SUNDAY. TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL ARRIVE DURING THE MORNING HOURS SUNDAY. WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL CONTINUE MUCH OF SUNDAY WITH GUSTS TO 70 MPH POSSIBLE... ALONG WITH WIND DRIVEN HEAVY RAINS.

THE STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN WILL LEAD TO DOWNED TREES AND POWER LINES... WITH SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS POWER OUTAGES POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION... MODERATE TO MAJOR FLOODING OF MAIN STEM RIVERS... AND MANY SMALLER STREAMS IS POSSIBLE. THERE WILL ALSO LIKELY BE URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING AS WELL AS EXTENSIVE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS AND OPEN FIELDS.

.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

NOW IS THE TIME TO RUSH TO COMPLETION PREPARATIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. EVACUATE IF DIRECTED TO DO SO BY LOCAL OFFICIALS... OR IF YOUR HOME IS VULNERABLE TO HIGH WINDS OR FLOODING.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO ACTIVELY LISTEN FOR FORTHCOMING INFORMATION FROM YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY.

www.weather.com/weather/alerts/localalerts/12477:4?phenomena=TR&significance=W&areaid=NYZ064&office=KALY&etn=1009

[firstamendment]

Yes we are. The latest models show more of Eastern Herkimer County probably getting it good. Not sure what we'll see here in the Village.

[stoney]

"NOW IS THE TIME TO RUSH TO COMPLETION PREPARATIONS FOR THE PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. EVACUATE IF DIRECTED TO DO SO BY LOCAL OFFICIALS... OR IF YOUR HOME IS VULNERABLE TO HIGH WINDS OR FLOODING."

In other words, STOCK UP ON BEER!!!! ;D

Ilion, Frankfort, even parts of Schuyler here got hit pretty hard. There is elevation behind us which probably is the reason we stayed dry.

[firstamendment]

Plenty of rain here in the Village, but other than the usual water in one corner of my basement, it was not that bad at home. One corner of the house, once the ground gets oversaturated it starts backing up between the stones of my foundation, of course on the same side as my circuit breaker box!

[dgriffin]

Sept 11, 2011 10:59:48 GMT -5 firstamendment said:

Plenty of rain here in the Village, but other than the usual water in one corner of my basement, it was not that bad at home. One corner of the house, once the ground gets oversaturated it starts backing up between the stones of my foundation, of course on the same side as my circuit breaker box!

Whoa! And it would be expensive to move the box, although maybe worth it, because if the need to through a breaker or two came up during such time, I'd hate to be standing in a puddle of water while doing it.
You'd have to lengthen (replace) the service from the power company's connection (probably up near your roof) down to the box.

[firstamendment]

Some of the water seeps in between the stones behind where the box is mounted. But the box is mouned to plywood attached to two 2x4's nailed to the floor joists so water isn't actually getting to the box. It is just the close proximety that makes it ironic in a way.

At some point I want to build molds so I can pour some concrete against the stone walls to try and finish the inside of the foundation, at least along that corner of the house. I should also dig down along the oustide of that side and pour some concrete along that side as well. Of course, these are things I've been wanting to do for several years now that still haven't gotten done.

My life is just one big "to-do" list!

[dgriffin]

Possibly drain pipe buried at the foot of the foundation to carry away the water before it reaches the wall would help. That's the standard way to keep a basement dry. That plus working gutters and leaders (downspouts) and the soil having a slight slope away from the house. I also have a stone basement, laid up dry, about 140 years old and grouted inside and out. The foundation itself has a sloped shape, that is it's cross section is twice as wide at the bottom (on the outside, beneath the soil) as at the top.

Here's a drawing I made of it for another purpose.

www.windsweptpress.com/images/stone fdn.jpg[/img]

[Clipper]

Footer drains or "french drains" around the corner of the house that gets wet will cure the problem. My mom and dad had one spot around the base of the chimney footers for the two fire places that would leak water into the basement game room around the hearth. That was complicated by poor grading that allowed water to run up against the wall outside and seep down.

I rented a backhoe, dug down along two sides of the house, in the general area of the leaking, installed perforated pipe footer drain on the two sides, back filled with about a foot of crushed stone and then the dirt. I also regraded their side yard, made a small slough, put a french drain in the bottom of it, running along with the new footer drains to a 10x10x8 deep dry well in the back yard. Filled it with river rock, fine crushed stone, put landscape fabric on top and two feet of soil. If you have the topography to allow for that sort of drainage, that is the solution. I think that including the backhoe rental it entire project cost me less than $1000.

Simply pouring concrete will not necessarily solve the problem FA. If that is the route you choose, be sure and use a membrane and the asphalt product that they seal foundations with, or parge the outside of it with "block bond" which is a product that is composed of portland cement, and epoxy, and fibreglass fibers. Wish I was there, I would come over and operate the backhoe for you. I used to rent a backhoe from Evans Equipment in Remsen when I needed one up there. I don't know if anyone else rents a full size backhoe or not.

[firstamendment]

No gutters and you probably won't be seeing me 20+ feet up installing them either!! I've been up there painting the house but hanging gutter is completely different.

I thought about digging down along the foundation on that side and lay in one of those drainage tubes with the holes, cover it with dirt, then some crushed stone with maybe 1/2-1 foot of concrete sloped away from the foundation. During a heavy winter followed by a fast thaw, I will see some water seep in and during a decent rain.

I've seen hydraulic cement and tried some on the inside but it did not seem to bond well to the stone. I've also seen some of those epoxy fortified cements out there and will look into that also. I just have to be careful where I dig because the gas line comes in over there also since the gas meter is right there. A backhoe is out of the question since the house next door is no more than 8 feet away from mine, so there's no room.

I thank you guys for the tips. I've wanted to make some smooth walls in the basement and some time I might actually get to it. I just want to make sure I do it right so water isn't seeping in behind the concrete and end up crumbling it. I like working with concrete, I just don't want to be wearing it or find myself under it, if ya know what I mean.