{{titleBar.title}}

{{titleBar.tagline}}

 

 

The Perils of PlumbingThe Perils of PlumbingDavid JonesJones, D.
2016-04-21T05:00:00ZHousing
​​​​Almost everything comes with a user’s manual. It may be printed, online, or both. Frequently the manual is offered in several languages. But two of your prized investments don’t come with any instructions at all.

Children and homes. This post discusses the latter.

Oh, sure. There are countless how-to books for the home. Every homeowner has a DIY book or computer bookmark. But those aren’t much good if something has gone terribly wrong. When water is shooting skyward in your kitchen or flowing like Niagara Falls over your recliner, the last thing you consider is finding that how-to-stop-a-really-big-leak article.

If you have never had a plumbing problem with your home, you will. No matter how handy you are at home repair, the day will come when you need to call in a pro. The problem is that most homeowners won’t admit they are in over their heads (pun intended) until the cost has taken your bank account down the drain (also intended).

A friend of mine decided to replace the washers on his kitchen faucets. His wife was shopping, and the kids were playing in the backyard. It seemed like the perfect time. He turned off the water outside the house and disassembled the faucets. While he was in the garage looking for a tool, the kids turned the water back on.

My friend heard the problem even before he saw it. Two powerful streams of water gushed skyward like Old Faithful, hitting the kitchen ceiling and spreading everywhere. Resisting the urge to search for the now-nowhere-to-be found children, he got the water turned off just as his wife returned with the groceries.

Fixing the mess took much more than a plumber. Before repairs were done, my friend had a totally remodeled kitchen.

I have had my own visits to plumbing hell. One time a drain plug for a hot water heater in my attic gave way. The result was a waterfall from the ceiling into the den.

I could tell about the sewage flowing out of my vacationing neighbor’s house and down the sidewalk, or I could write about the $8,000 tunnel plumbers had to dig under my slab to replace an old pipe.

When your time comes to tell someone about your plumbing disaster, just remember this piece of advice I got from a professional: “Mr. Jones, if you are going to work on your own plumbing, I suggest you do it on a weekday. I charge extra for weekends.”​
2016-04-21T05:00:00Zhttps://www.recenter.tamu.edu/info/blog/?Item=30

 Search Blog Posts