How does Enterprise connect with the towns around it?
Enterprise sits about 33 km from the centre of Meridian, a little west of due south. Stonewall is the nearest town on the list, about 7 km away, and Rose Hill lies about 14 km due west. Pachuta is about 15 km further on.
Because the southern towns are close together, the crews that serve them may be based in different places from the city. The phone line sends whichever crew is free, and it will say what can be reached and when the crew can start.
What storm damage is most likely on an Enterprise house?
Wind that lifts a ridge, a soffit or a row of shingles is the storm damage most likely to reach a house in the town. Rain then runs down the rafters and into the ceiling, and the stain may appear a day or two after the storm has passed.
A limb that falls on the roof can open the decking and leave a gap that the shingles hide. The crew covers it, removes the wet insulation below and dries the framing before the roofer makes the repair.
Once the limb is off and the opening is covered, the crew checks the framing below the opening for splits or soft wood. A split rafter is noted and the carpenter is told before the ceiling is closed, because a closed ceiling hides the question for years.
What should be checked after a storm in Enterprise?
Look at the ceilings near the roof line and the walls facing the storm. A stain that spreads after each rain, or a damp patch at the foot of a wall, is a sign that water is moving through the structure. Check from inside and do not go onto the roof.
Check the gutters and downspouts, and the ground beside the foundation. Water that is directed against the house can enter a crawl space and keep the joists damp for several days.
Keep a short list of the items in each room with the time you made it. The list is most useful if it is made before anything is moved, and it is easy to add to on the second and third day as more shows up.
How is a wet crawl space or floor handled here?
A wet crawl space is checked with readings on the joists, the subfloor and the ground. Standing water is pumped out and the wet insulation is removed. The framing is then dried from below, and the vents are checked.
Humid air slows the drying, so the equipment may run for several days. The space is closed up only when the readings show it is dry.
