At around 10:00 AM this morning. My wife came running out to my shop, proclaiming "Big Trouble". She had gone to the kitchen sink to wash her breakfast bowl, and,..........no water. She knew it wasn't a water "outage", as I had just used the hose out on the patio, so she had wisely proceeded to the main house shut-off valve, and while closing it, heard the ominous roar of full-flow through it! She listened by the access to the crawl-space, while I turned on the shut-off. Water pouring out under the house! 109 degrees today, no idea how hot under the house, I will attempt to crawl, literally, tomorrow morning, the 80-foot length of the house to the other end, where the break seems to be. Was under there shortly after we moved in 5 years ago, the originally-installed line from outside had come apart. I fixed that deal by digging down outside the house to the line, cutting it, and re-routing a new line through the outside wall, cut open the inside drywall, abandoned the old liner and reconnected new. Plumber? No idea what the charges would have been, or how he could endeavor to fix the line under the house, unable to even sit up under there. This time? OK, that's one of the pitfalls of making the 3/4-century mark! That feat at least impressed my nephews to call today. Frank
Well @Frank Sanoica , are you floating today, or have you subdued the wayward waters? By your reckoning how much money did you save by tackling the problem yourself? When I have to take care of things such as you are, it always makes me feel better when I can see at least some saving on my purse strings.
"I will attempt to crawl, literally, tomorrow morning, the 80-foot length of the house to the other end, where the break seems to be. " I crawled. Got about halfway, hollered to wife turn on water. She did, for only a short time, not long enough, I saw nothing. I could barely breathe under there, each movement stirred clouds of dust. Seeking a closer ingress, I yanked the water heater out of it's closet, so: Next, bored a 4" hole to get acquainted with the nether-world below: Then sawed after drilling holes, a space out between joists: I wriggled down through that hole, the leak was up above the plastic which retains the insulation. It had sagged down about a foot with the weight of the water puddling above it., and just could not picture myself lying on my back trying to fix the break. Vacillating, I had measured distances from the outer walls to the water cascade, and transposed those to a location in the entryway, between the washer/dryer and pantry. I proposed opening the floor. Over-ruled. Getting back out was something else. The hole is 14 inches wide, just long enough to get my shoulders through. Cripes! Do I look bad!
No @Frank Sanoica , you do not look bad, You look like man your age should. The fact that you can do the kind of job you are working on, plus all other repairs you have told us about, tells me that you're still in good condition. Plus, I'm glad to be able to finally put a good likeness to the person that I've been talking to for the last two years. When I first contacted you, to invite you to join this forum, I was banking that you would be a good fit. And, I think you've contributed quite a bit to this forum. Don't forget to tell how you resolved your soggy challenge.
@Ina I. Wonder Thank you for the kind words. My wife related to me that one of the better-known plumbing companies here offers no service charge estimates. That means they have to come out to survey the job to make an estimate. I called them. Dispatcher confirmed the no charge deal, said his man was finishing a job, would call us when he could be out. He called about 2 hours later. Estimate was made even before he crawled under the house; I showed him what my nosing around had determined, the hole I opened in the floor to avoid crawling 80 feet under there from the opposite end of the house. He seemed to appreciate that, went back to his truck, changed clothes, putting on coveralls, and a knit cap (!) 113 degrees today, I said he will need a good light. He pointed to the cap: stupid me! Had a light attached to it. He wriggled down through the hole as I did, I turned on the water, and presently he squirmed back out. Had to go buy a part he did not have with him. Returned in 30 minutes. The actual repair work took a total of about 30 minutes. The quote was initially $365 to $425. Finished, he asked for $300! Asked him if the difficulty of such a job paid more, he said no, he works strictly for time, but agreed it ought to. When he crawled out of there, you would not believe how he looked! Wet, covered with soil and insulation, huffing and puffing, just as I had been. Sneezed twice. I knew how bad he felt. He was about 40, with a shiny wedding band. Here's the failed fitting, which had come apart as shown. The pipe is 3/4 inch outside diameter. He tried to refuse the Twenty I handed him separately. I insisted. Told him I knew full well what the job was like. Frank
Nope it's Frank. Ya gotta remember many of us choose names to discribe ourselves, and Frank is very frank in his discussions. That's also why I chose my name. My name really is Ina Irene ... , and of course I'm always wondering about one thing or another, so my SOC name describes me to a T. Now I'm wondering where that phrase comes from. You know, "to a T". ANYONE KNOW?????
Yes, well now that @Bill Boggs has his own avatar back , and not @Frank Sanoica 's avatar, it is much easier to tell which one is talking with us. It was confusing to me, too, especially in the thread where they were talking back and forth t each other, and both had the same avatar.
Pshaw! What difference make it to whom I am speaking? Convergence is for all to hear; divergence is the beginning of disappearance. Frank
@Kitty Carmel It stems from Convergence and Divergence theory, a branch of Math shoved at us while I went to DeVry Technical Institute. For example, if a continuing series of fractions added together ultimately reaches a final value, it ends. If not, it continues forever. 1 + 1/2 + 1/3 + 1/4 + 1/5 + 1/6, + .......... will it converge or diverge? The theory attempts to answer that. Why study this? Needed the Degree! Frank