As if it were just yesterday and not 1999, Lora Cusumano clearly remembers hooking up a hose to her washing machine when a spigot broke off and water gushed endlessly from the pipes.

"It was like an 'I Love Lucy' episode of me running around like a crazy woman in the basement," said Cusumano, of Glen Cove. "I knew there was a cutoff, but where was the cutoff was the problem. In basements, if it's partially finished you can't always see where the thing is. It could be under the ceiling tile or it could be behind a piece of paneling or something."

She found the water main shut-off valve in the basement bathroom, ending the "mega mess" in the first home she ever owned. The cleanup, including anti-mold products, dehumidifiers and fans, cost her about $3,000, said Cusumano, the 2024 president

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