Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Day Two Water Crisis

I can smell glue and taste glue. It has been refreshed today. Last night was just plain awful. HeWho plumbs did all the necessary steps to prevent leakage from pipes ….. four times. 

You might recall how happy I was to find the leak so quickly and not have a flood of water rush through my house and into the store. Yes, I was quite proud of myself. Then all hell broke loose. He repaired the initial leak and then the pipe that broke before a couple of years ago burst again.

The water shoots out as if it is from a fire hydrant, soaking everything in it's path. I had sorted out my laundry that morning. Four loads were on the floor waiting to be stuffed into the machine and washed. The cat litter box and food dish reside in the laundry room. The tools and all the various containers of screws and such are there as well. Everything became a receptacle for water and over flowed, as the river made it's way into the kitchen and was headed to my sitting room.

Both of us grabbed brooms and started sweeping the water out the back door. I know from my previous flood that mopping was not the way to go. Sweeping is better, sweeping is faster. Then you mop and blow fans. Big fans. I mopped while he re-glued those pipes. Settled in with a bowl of soup while we let it dry.

So sure that it had more than enough time to create a good seal, HeWho flipped that switch and turned the pump on. I was listening to the water rush into the pipes that lead to the bathroom, getting ready to let everyone know we had water ….. and it flew apart again, flooding the kitchen again.

That is a whole lotta water! HeWho was right there to flip that switch the minute it broke! You can just imagine what happens when it breaks and no one is there! We had an instant replay with the broom duet.

He re-glued again. We waited a full 30 minutes before we let water fill the pipes again. It worked, but it was leaking with a good steady drip. I washed my hands in some nice hoy soapy water and restored my sanity. Then I mopped. Then HeWho manned the mop.

It was bedtime by then and we turned the water off before we went to bed. Today was designated the great re-plumb day. HeWho had help today. Off they went to gather materials needed for the project. I turned that water back on. I showered and then started washing clothes in a mad rush. I washed the dishes last night, but I still had chores involving water this morning.

I filled jugs and the kitchen sink to empty the pipes when we turned the water off again. I left the men to fit pipes and do what they do. I folded laundry and made a couple of Apple Upside Down cakes in my iron skillets. Had a small fire in the oven (put it out myself) and shushed Cujo a thousand times.

Then the water came back on. AND THE PIPE FAILED AGAIN. Flooding the kitchen, etc. Am I in my very own Groundhog Day movie?

It is almost 4:30 now and the second pipefitting, gluing event has taken place. They are testing the pipes with a pipe wrench. I think they are afraid to try it again! 

Now we wait ….. 

5 comments:

Joanne Noragon said...

Kathy, I can't even imagine....
Well, yes I could. How effing awful.

River said...

I have NEVER heard of pipes being glued. My Dad was a plumber and he never glued anything. Is HeWho using marine grade glue? It should be waterproof and hold. How old are the pipes? Is he putting the sealant tape around the threads before refitting the connections? Do the pipes need rethreading? I really think perhaps the pipes and connections need replacing. By a plumber.

Val said...

Hick uses that purple glue on the PVC pipes, and it works for him. We've had more trouble with brass (?) fittings. Something about the threads being messed up when he bought them.

You have much more patience than I. Most likely, I would abandon that leaky ship until the problem was for-sure fixed.

RunNRose said...

I am wondering if there is going to be a “DayThree”. I sure hope not! Thinking about you and hoping you are having a good day.

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