...
Last spring, I heard a noise in my house, on all floors, that sounded a little like water running. A check of the indoor plumbing showed all faucets were operating well, no leaks. Checked the outside faucet, near the front of the house, with the same result - no drip, no running leak. Satisfied everything was okay, I let the noise slip my mind. Other matters moved to the front of my attention, and I didn't think anymore about the noise until I went to the basement a couple of days later to do a load of laundry. I noticed water on the floor. A lot of water. Then I noticed a hissing sound, much like a gas pipe leak, only I don't have gas lines in my house.
...
I followed the trail of water across the room to near the furnace/boiler. Water was dripping heavily from one of the horizontal copper pipes leading to the boiler, or so I thought. I was working in the dark on that side of the house, so I backtracked to my downstairs tool box, fumbled around for the flashlight and retraced my steps back to the furnace/boiler. That's when I discovered there was a huge crack in the flow regulator (first picture) on one of the pipes leading into/out of the boiler, from which water was spraying all over everything in that corner.
Okay...so this repair was going to involve replacing the flow regulator, which meant shutting off the main from the street, opening a faucet on each floor to drain out the water already in the pipes; then gathering my various wrenches and pliers, some gloves, nylon pipe tape and that stuff you wrap around the threads inside a valve stem; gloves, the flashlight affectionately called Skull-crusher, maybe some solder and a propane torch, my reading glasses and a 10-gallon bucket on which to set my tools (and my butt when I got tired).
...
The ex-Beloved had always handled the plumbing and electrical repairs in the house, but he had moved out a couple of months before the fountain in the basement, so I was on my own.
...
Suddenly, I heard Mary Martin and Ethel Merman in my head, singing “Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better” (from Annie Get Your Gun). I hiked up my imaginary tool-belt, cocked my imaginary cowboy hat at the same angle John Wayne used to do his in all those Western movies, and told my imaginary Number One to “Make it so!” (We all have our little gimmicks to get ourselves psyched-up for those DIY jobs that intimidate us; this is mine, okay?)
...
I needed to remove the cracked regulator so I could take it to the big-box hardware store to show the plumbing expert (HA!) there exactly what I wanted. (Learned to do that during a previous plumbing repair experience. Don’t ask.)
...
I thought I was making remarkable progress loosening that coupler and was congratulating myself, with Mary and Ethel providing musical encouragement on the sidelines.
...
That’s when things started going downhill.
...
I noticed that the coupler wasn’t coming loose, just turning, and that the top part of it was bending. Surely, that wasn’t right. Mary and Ethel stopped singing. (See the second picture.)
Did you know copper pipe would twist like that in the jaws of a monkey-wrench? Yeah, well I didn’t, see? I also forgot to use two wrenches, turning in opposite directions, so I wouldn’t create additional problems. ..
...
Five trips back to the big-box hardware, three different lengths of copper pipes, more brass fittings than I’ll ever need in my remaining lifetime, a small hand-held propane torch, nine hours and seven scraped knuckles later, I finished repairing the pipe (last picture).
Only one problem: I used galvanized iron pipes attached to copper, which I read somewhere is a no-no. But the plumbing expert (ha!) at the big-box hardware assured me the pipes won’t corrode for years to come, and I’ll “probably be worm-food long before it happens.” His words. Lovely man.
(c) 2009 Martha McLemore
12 comments:
Hey, if there aren't at least three extra bends to accommodate the pipe lengths on hand, it's better than the plumbing in my parent's basement.
Wow, I'm totally impressed! I'm not going to show this to hubbie who does all that kinda stuff around here (in fact he did all the plumbing and electrical in our renovation). I would not have the courage to try.
Good morning, Zhoen:
After putting that rotini-twist in the pipe that wasn't broken, it's a wonder there weren't more accidental bends than I had!
One of these days, I'll learn to solder copper pipe togther and will replace the galvanized iron. But, as long as it is functioning, perhaps I'd better let sleeping dogs lie!
:)
Hello, Marja-Leena:
I would be mortified to have someone who knew what they were doing see what I did, so I'm glad you will keep it to yourself!
As with other projects that took more out of me than was necessary (due to my ignorance), this, too, was a great learning experience.
:)
I wished you lived next door to me. I would've given up quickly on that project and called an over-priced plumber. Having someone like you nearby might motivate me to keep at it and actually learn something.
Hello, KD:
I didn't have the money for a plumber, who no doubt would have finished the whole job in under an hour.
I don't know that we would, together, be able to finish your projects, but I think we would have a good time trying, and would learn a great many things about ourselves in the process.
:)
I would have had to spend a couple of days selling pencils on the corner until I was able to afford the plumber. Plumbing and wiring both leave me helpless (at least up to now). You have my deepest admiration.
Hello, Susan:
Those would have been some mighty pricey pencils to pay for our local plumbers!
Necessity, in my case, was the mother of doggedness. Once started, I had no choice but to continue on, even though I had no idea what I was doing. I could repeat this repair, if I have to, but this is the limit of my plumbing adventures.
:)
I'm in awe of you... I would never dare take on plumbing! Did you smack that store clerk in the head with your monkey wrench? No jury of your peers would ever convict you.
Deedee:
You are kind, but don't be in awe. I didn't do anything extraordinary - nor did I do such a great job of it, either. It's just a patch job until either I learn how to solder copper pipes together, or - like Susan suggests - I sell enough pencils!
:)
Excellent, there is nothing wrong with your repair job. I'll tell you something else, soldering copper pipe is way easier than some would have you think. As for women welding, my mother was a welder in the shipyards at Hunters Point during WWII, so you go girl.
AKA:
Thank you for the compliment. I hope it lasts a good while.
I thought about taking a welding class, but my life changed on me and I put that aside for when I retire. I'm more interested in the sculpture aspect of welding, but who knows? Maybe that could be the start of a whole new career.
:)
Post a Comment