On February 27, Elmbrook Preschool teachers walked into the building to discover flooding in several locations. Teachers quickly gathered many buckets and bins to collect the water still pouring in. They immediately alerted Vicki Banville, Church Administrator, of the situation.
Due to the freezing rain on February 23, the roof drains were blocked by ice and slush causing water to pool on the flat roof. The backup caused water to find an alternative path. Water came through the insulation and the ceiling tiles of the main-level men’s and women’s restrooms. There was so much water that it proceeded to the lower level storage room, formally the old library. The water went through the ceiling tiles and soaked into the storage area’s carpet. Thankfully, no items were damaged in that room.
The Community Room also experienced damage. Water came in by a skylight, ran down the wall, and soaked the acoustic ceiling. The weight of the water caused a portion of the ceiling to fall. Gallons of water poured from the ceiling onto the already-soaked floor below. This led to some of the water reaching the carpet in the foyer.
UUCW member David Gross came in to help with the damage and provide guidance on how to proceed. David went on the roof to clear the drains and a path for the water to travel. This did stop the leaks. David also helped clean up the water and ceiling damage. Vicki Banville put a call out to members for help cleaning up the water. Karen Zimmerman, Jeannie Baker, and Barb Schmidt came in to assist. The clean-up went fast once the help arrived.
A huge thank you to everyone that helped clean up the water and damage! See more pictures on Facebook.
Our insurance company was contacted and an adjuster will be inspecting the damage next week to determine the amounts provided for repairs. Once the assessment is completed, we will collect quotes on any repairs or replacements needed. If you have any questions, please contact Vicki Banville, Church Administrator.
