Hardware stores clean up in sales

With cleanup efforts come some cautions.
& lt;a href=mailto:slshaulis@vindy.com & gt;By SHERRI L. SHAULIS & lt;/a & gt;
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
Everything from sump pumps and generators to good old-fashioned mops, buckets and gloves are flying off the shelves at local hardware stores as residents hit hard by floodwaters start trying to clean up the mess.
Managers and employees of The Home Depot on state Route 46, Niles, have extended their hours several nights this week in an effort to help customers get what they need.
"We had too many customers in the store; we couldn't even think about closing our doors," said Barney Barnett, assistant manager, referring to Monday and Tuesday nights, when employees stayed until almost midnight.
Other Home Depot stores in Northeast Ohio have kept the local shelves stocked with items, Barnett said. In the coming days and weeks, he expects sales of such items as fans, wet/dry vacuums, carpet cleaners and brooms to increase.
Barnett said that aisles stocked with sump pumps, generators, fans and dehumidifiers have stayed busy all week. It was an impressive enough sight that some employees took pictures.
"It's been a mass crowd down those aisles," he said. "Sometimes there are 25 customers in an area that's only about 10 feet long."
Safety warnings
But as the machines head out the door with people, employees are offering warnings on proper use, Barnett said.
Most sump pumps, he said, are designed to be used in 18 inches of water. Some customers have water levels as high as 3 or 4 feet, Barnett said.
"Most of them come with a 6-foot cord, and people are using extension cords with them," he said. "If those cords are sitting under 4 feet of water, now you're risking a chance of getting electrocuted."
Mike Kolovich, manager of Champion True Value Hardware on Mahoning Avenue N.W., said users need to prevent the connection between the appliance cord and the extension cord from dropping into the water.
Another concern with sump pumps, he said, is that smaller models may not be able to handle the flow of high waters in some basements.
"They are not made for continuous use," he said. "They will shut down if they get overheated. Some people may think the pump stopped on them, but it just can't handle that use."
Ventilation is crucial
Dave Truchan, sales manager for Lowe's on Glimcher Boulevard, Hermitage, said people also need to beware when using gas-powered generators to provide electricity in flooded homes.
"Anyone using them needs to make sure they are in an area that's very well-ventilated to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning," he said.
Though the store is not extending its hours, employees are adjusting their schedules to make sure enough staff is on hand to help people with safety questions and purchases.
"We did have a call list for people who needed generators, but we got enough from stores in central Ohio and our distributors to fill those orders and then some," Truchan said.
& lt;a href=mailto:slshaulis@vindy.com & gt;slshaulis@vindy.com & lt;/a & gt;