Water, water every where, nor any drop to drink

[CDNSushi]

I don't suppose Samuel Taylor Coleridge was idly waiting for the water company to come to his house when he wrote his Rime though. Don't suppose they had running water back then...

Well, here I sit -- waiting for someone to come fix the broken water main outside my house. I doubt yesterday's typhoon had anything to do with it but with all of Japan's earthquakes, something's bound to get shaken loose sooner or later.

I was just leaving my house, heading off to work when I noticed the water coming up out of the ground through cracks in the concrete. At first I thought my wife had left the garden hose running, but as I came closer I realized I had no such luck. When I removed a nearby concrete storm drain cover, it hit me that it was about to become a very long day... Hope the repair crew bring their pick axes.

So here I sit, writing stream of consciousness drivel on the Off Topics forum as I wait for someone to bandage up my hemorrhaging house! Guess that's life huh? At least my boss was understanding when I called him with an indeterminate arrival time for work today. At this point I think I may as well change out of my shirt and tie into something more comfortable.

Well, since I'm sitting here bored, does anyone else have any interesting tales of home repair? Maybe a clogged toilet that exploded or something a bit more cool than this?

[ChattanCat]

This one won't be fixed by the landlord. We have a pressure problem, we are in house that has two apartments. When one flushes the toilet the other losses pressure. Just have to wait for the pressure to come back before finishing a shower...

[Bugbear]

Plumbing story... Oh where to start!

Galvanized steel water pipes are the root of most plumbing evil out here. Then most of the steel is connected to copper tubing with brass fittings which causes even more problems. Once the steel crumbles, all the pipes have to be replaced. When I bought the place, I replaced everything with CPVC and copper. It took about a month, and until then I had a garden hose hanging through the bathroom window for a water supply. Thankfully, it was during the summer.

I could go on and on and on, but I'll shut up now.

[Rex_Tremende]

My BF returned home from a trip up here to see me. He called to let me know he arrived safely, and while we were chatting, he put a load of laundry in to wash. At that precise moment, his hot water tank decided to fail and gush water into his kitchen. I advised him to locate the shut-off valve on the intake, but none could be found. Well, then, shut it off on the house where it comes in, but there was no valve. Meanwhile water still gushed across his kitchen, and disappeared into the cracks. Try the crawl space, I suggested. Nope. Not there either. He called a friend in for help. Some 45 minutes later, they found one, buried in the front yard under a layer of sand and acorns.

Regards,
Rex.

[vipermcgee]

I am told that when I was a child, about 2 or 3 maybe, we had some toilet trouble in our home. My dad went to purchase whatever it was that was broken. While he was gone I decided I would help. I found the only tool left in the area, his hammer, and.....

I bet everyone can figure out where that was going

Robert

[WeaselMender]

I am told that when I was a child, about 2 or 3 maybe, we had some toilet trouble in our home. My dad went to purchase whatever it was that was broken. While he was gone I decided I would help. I found the only tool left in the area, his hammer, and.....

I bet everyone can figure out where that was going

Robert

Can you sit down yet? I KNOW I couldn't, my father shaved with a stright razor !

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

When I was about five years old I watched with fascination as my slightly older cousin flushed his father's/my uncle's signet ring down the toilet. One beating later, along with ten yards of pipe ripped out of the lawn, the ring was recovered.

Several decades later, while still living in Ireland I was witness to the aftermath of a toilet falling through the floor and crashing into the room below at Clondafoy Castle. The cause of the disaster was dry rot, and the weight of the commode finally causing the floor to give way beneath it. Fortunately no one was hurt (although I secretly think death or a sever injury would have been hilarious) as we were all outside sipping Pimms at the time. It wasn't until the next morning that the damage was discovered.

[WeaselMender]

When I was about five years old I watched with fascination as my slightly older cousin flushed his father's/my uncle's signet ring down the toilet. One beating later, along with ten yards of pipe ripped out of the lawn, the ring was recovered.

Several decades later, while still living in Ireland I was witness to the aftermath of a toilet falling through the floor and crashing into the room below at Clondafoy Castle. The cause of the disaster was dry rot, and the weight of the commode finally causing the floor to give way beneath it. Fortunately no one was hurt (although I secretly think death or a sever injury would have been hilarious) as we were all outside sipping Pimms at the time. It wasn't until the next morning that the damage was discovered.

MoR,
My mother had a cat that I hated (it returned the sentiment) at about the same age as you were during the "ring incident" I attempted to hasten its demise by flushing it down the dunny. It was a dismal failure, first the cat punished me with all four feet and its teeth them my mother lit my pan*ts afire. My love for that cat WAS NOT increased by the results

Weasel :ootd:

[piperdbh]

My grandmother once knew a girl who dropped her class ring down the pot and reached in to retrieve it. She (the girl) got her arm stuck, and, as it was in her college dorm, her friends had to call the maintenance man to help. He removed the throne from its moorings and carried it outside, with the girl's arm still inside, and proceded to break it off of her. I imagine that sort of spectacle drew quite a crowd. It would have at my college.

[CDNSushi]

Wow! Great stuff guys! Anyway, the construction crew just left. I tried to clean up as best I could so the wife doesn't have a heart attack when she gets home from work. The garden is her pride and joy and they had to tear up the lawn. They got to the leak fairly quickly and didn't bash up as much concrete as I thought they might. Good to have that fixed now!