# Help a longtime Doper whose home was destroyed by fire on Christmas **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 27, 2024, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246 "2024-12-27T23:54:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/141 "2025-02-13T17:51:55Z")
Final determination-old, faulty wiring. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/142 "2025-02-13T17:52:00Z")
The link works on my phone ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/143 "2025-02-13T18:05:21Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > old, faulty wiring. Which feels like “nothing anyone could have done to prevent without a hugely expensive and disruptive rewire.” That sucks. Sorry for that. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/144 "2025-02-13T18:11:10Z")
That sucks. But i guess any cause would have sucked. At least you don’t have to feel guilty that you ignored something obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/145 "2025-02-13T18:25:52Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Final determination-old, faulty wiring. That’s terrifying. As dire and awful as all this has been for you guys, at least you weren’t home when it happened. I’m sure you’ve thought about this and how much worse it could have been. I’m glad it wasn’t the case. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/146 "2025-02-13T18:34:24Z")
Well, so am I…but if we had been home I wouldn’t be posting in this thread in the first place, would I? 😁 ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2025, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/147 "2025-02-13T18:45:56Z")
I guess I was thinking you would have all been asleep, but I don’t know when the fire occurred, so clearly I’ve got the wrong end of that stick. I see your point. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Dogginit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogginit/32/16920_2.png) [@Dogginit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogginit)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/148 "2025-02-23T15:06:32Z")
More than happy to hear that things are turning around. Our best wishes to you and yours! ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/149 "2025-02-23T15:32:26Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Which feels like “nothing anyone could have done to prevent without a hugely expensive and disruptive rewire.” Yesterday we got an email from our insurance company offering a free Ting sensor with five years service. I knew nothing about it, but the **[NYTimes Wirecutter seems to approve of them](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/ting-electrical-fire-protection-device/)**. Wirecutter says several insurance companies are distributing them gratis. Amazon sells them for $99. I’ve no clue if they would have helped in Czarcasm’s situation. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/150 "2025-02-23T15:34:17Z")
Attempt at a direct link: > **[This Device Saved My House From an Electrical Fire. And You Might Be Able to...](https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/ting-electrical-fire-protection-device/)** > > Electrical problems can silently fester in your house before they turn into fires. Ting helps spot a problem before it’s too late. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/151 "2025-02-23T23:24:27Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > Yesterday we got an email from our insurance company offering a free Ting sensor with five years service. Thanks! I’m going to ask my insurance company about providing me one. Which company offered it to you, if you don’t mind my asking? ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/152 "2025-02-24T00:14:16Z")
State Farm offered me one. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/153 "2025-02-24T00:52:15Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > State Farm offered me one Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/154 "2025-02-24T00:52:23Z")
Insurance company was Nationwide. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/155 "2025-02-24T00:53:50Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > Insurance company was Nationwide Thanks! I’m currently (pun intended) with Farmers, but I’ll check on it. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2025, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/156 "2025-03-07T22:23:38Z")
My insurance company doesn’t, but i decided to spring for a ting anyway. It’s currently in “learning mode”. So far, my voltage has stayed between 118 and 125 (and every time I’ve looked, it’s been been 122 and 123.5) which seems okay. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2025, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/157 "2025-03-07T23:57:42Z")
How are you and your family doing, **Czarcasm**? ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/158 "2025-03-08T00:28:07Z")
I just caught up with this thread and saw that State Farm will give me a Ting and pay for monitoring. I just got my entire house upgraded and re-wired but it’s a free service so I may as well. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/159 "2025-03-08T01:17:26Z")
Through the use of that marvelous GoFundMe and what little insurance we had (got it back over 30 years ago when the house was worth $70 thousand), we were able to secure an apartment lease in North Portland, and are trying to slowly rebuild our lives. I just bought her a book, one that she really hated to part with-_To The King’s Taste_, a most excellent cookbook. We won’t get back all those other books, bags, shirts etc. we acquired at all those many conventions we went to over the years, the souvenirs I got her from that Kansas City Worldcon, all the glassware from both our families, notes from so many people that just aren’t around any more…and our three wonderful cats, who we will always miss the most. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246/160 "2025-03-08T06:28:27Z")
Well, Christmas is coming. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-a-longtime-doper-whose-home-was-destroyed-by-fire-on-christmas/1012246.md?page=9)