Ok-I'll try and make it short. Sunday am Im in the upstairs bathroom-lights flickered and went out.It's raining so I dont think much of it-however 30-45 secs after that I hear a loud crackling/electrical sound with a BOOM after it. I ran downstairs-my living room is covered in thick acrid smoke at my bookshelf where all my Dish receiver and stereo equpment is.My son is freaking out-I unplugged the surge protector where everything is plugged in and immediately unplugged it. I told my son let's open some windows and get a cross breeze in here to get rid of smoke.After he does this I flip the ceiling fan on-it started spinning as fast a propeller!! the light on the ceiling fan was as bright as the sun-MUCH brighter than normal. I immediately cut it off-went and flipped switch in dining room and a bulb blew out with a pop-sparks flying everywhere! I went out back and flipped the main disconnect switch. After about 15 minutes of freaking out-I called Progress Energy. After 1.5 hrs they sent 2 trucks out and spent some time diagnosing it outside-actually across the street! Finally they come back and say that my neighbor across the street under his driveway has a failed line causing unlimited power to flow into my house! Tech said it's really not that uncommon-we will run a cable from your neighbors house to your box so you'll have power-until we can get a crew out to repair lines. He said-take inventory of all damage and call this number Monday for an adjuster. Well, I lost my stove,refrigarator,dishwasher,dryer,1 computer,my stereo,my printer and NONE of my outlets now work upstairs. Im thinking-man-its a pain in the &*& but at least everyone is ok and Progress energy will take care of everything.Well,got a call from the adjuster yesterday from PE and guess what-claim is completely denied! Seems that since 1989 there is a law that if an underground power line fails Progress energy is not responsible. I told the adjuster-if I wasnt home my house would have burned down! What if everyone was asleep and got killed?? He said "well in that case we would issue an apology-but we still would not be held responsible" OMG!! I am furious!! Just want everyone to be aware of that law-and let me tell you-I have two surge protectors (not cheap ones either!!) that have melted and did not stop damage from happening.As a matter of fact the one connected to my computer system actually has a hole burnt through the rear of it-and it burnt my hardwood floors!! Man this has shook me up-we could have all been killed and no one would know why my house burnt down!! Be aware-and be careful. Merry freakin Christmas to me!
Yeah I have contacted my homeowners Ins and they said they will take care of it-with a $1000 deduct! Which I really cant afford-or feel like I should have to pay! Nationwide did say they will try and go after Progress Energy so I dont have to pay for a lawyer-which is good. Still-just very frustrating position to be in when you know it's nothing you caused or could have prevented!
PRM-Would the homeowner's rates go up due to such a large claim? That would continue to burden him for PE's failure. Seems totally unfair to me that PE gets off the hook.
Call 5 on your side and the troubleshooter! Get some media attention on it right here at Christmas! The Progress Energy that stole Christmas! I can see it now on the 5 o'clock news! opcorn:
4-thats so funny you said that.ALOT of people have said that. One that that really pixxed me off yesterday was when I mentioned something about getting a lawyer. The adjuster said-I have at least 12 copies of lawsuits Progress Energy has fought and won for the very same complaint. If you'd like to I'll fax them to you. Seemed very arrogant and nonchalant.That just kind of made me more mad.
I called the ABC11 trouble shooter years ago about something I purchased for my daughter for her birthday that the company stated was lost somewhere in a shipping center. ABC11 came to our house and got the gift I had ordered delivered and in better condition than I could have ever dreamed of. I'd call them if I were you. Sherry
I wouldn't hesitate to make that call at all! asap! I'm sorry this has happened to you. Shoot... I'll call for ya! You want me to call?
I called them once to complain about time warner cable and it got me results quick. Sorry you are going through all of this. Thank goodness homeowner's will cover it so you can at least get new appliances.
I'd call the troubleshooter if I were you. Even if nothing can be done to help you, at least it would make everyone else aware of what could possibly happen.
I like that, go ahead and do it!!! They messed over me about 6 years ago and I got nothing..... They pulled the meter when I wasn't home and replaced it at the same time, fried everything......
You probably won't have to call the troubleshooter or Monica, given that WRAL usually has a story about threads on here within a few days of posting...or maybe that's just school system stories.:jester: Seriously though, I would take the time to at least see if one of them could help if your insurance company can't get them to pay the deductible you mentioned earlier. You should not have to pay the $1000. Good luck!
Sorry to hear that happen to you! Something similar happened to us while we still lived in Clayton,220 Volts were sent through the whole house and fried a lot of our things such as TV,DVD,etc. Since Clayton supplies the power there,I had to take it up with them,it took a while but they eventually compensated us,that was quite a few years ago. These days I'd also call the troubleshooter!
Thanks for all the posts everyone. Man I love this place! Here's a question though. My sis in law is a licensed electrician-and she says I really need to have a electrician check all my in house wiring-she said the insulation on wires could be damaged/melted etc.In 3-5 years I could have a house fire and not even put 2+2 together (not remembering this little incident). I told that to my helpful adjuster from PE ( full sarcasm engaged) and he said-the most power going in to your house is 220 volts-the wiring in your house is made to handle up to 600 volts.It can't happen! Excuse me-WHAT?? How in the He!! did it happen now? It was powerful enough to cause sparks from 1 lamp-and burn holes thru my surge protector!! Wish there was a way to choose electric companies-I'd def be making a switch!
Wow-just wow Latest update-my wife just got of the phone with Nationwide-nothing can be covered. They only cover the house-not stuff in it. So-due to NOTHING I did-I have to basically live in a house with unsafe wiring-and replace ALL the major appliances,not to mention computer,stereo,etc etc? How can this be fair? I am at wits end-thinking seriously of burning down the damn house
Ah, thanks for clearing that up. I have past experience with auto :?, but not the homeowners. ncroxx...sorry the insurance company is not more helpful. It may be time to move up the chain at Progress Energy to see if anyone higher up can help you with this. Sorry you are going through this!
Actually if it were one of the newer Joule rated surge protectors you would honestly either have a chance at the surge protector maker or PE depending on how highly it was rated.
