Between Insurance And Contractors, Iowa Homeowners Stalled On Derecho Recovery

With her hot water pipes frozen, a puddle staining her ceiling and water leaking onto her 16-month-old son’s toys, Laurie Vozenilek has been living in a six-month nightmare.

‘It’s overwhelming,’ said Vozenilek, who is 34 and lives in Cedar County’s Lowden with her boyfriend and children.

The thermostat in her home was set Monday to 76 degrees, but it was only 68 inside because of the hole in the roof.

She’s is hardly the only one still waiting for major repairs after the Aug. 10 derecho.

Confusing insurance policies, the coronavirus and other factors have left many Iowans without answers six months after the storm leveled devastating damage across Eastern Iowa.