glacier Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 While you're discussing bad form and evil mods, here's an email from a friend of mine regarding their Labor Day (and ongoing) adventure. ... So here are some things M and C learned as homeowners this fine Labor Day weekend: 1) If you hear a funny watery hissing sound in your house, don't just ignore it and go to bed. Your water heater may have something important to tell you. 2) If somebody's banging on the front door after midnight, don't ignore it and go back to sleep. Your tenants night have something important to tell you. 3) If your downstairs tenants have water gushing through the ceiling, down the walls, through the light fixtures, and into all their belongings, go directly to the water main at the street and turn it off. Don't spend two hours trying to drain your failed hot water heater thinking you've turned off the water. The internal valve may be corroded stuck in the on position. 4) Don't undo a pipe fitting in the house if the water main at the street hasn't been turned off. 5) If you ignore step 4 and water is spraying everywhere under high pressure, don't scream in panic to your spouse in the yard next door while he tries to steal the neighbor's hose. He might come running, trip on a brick in the garden, and sprain his ankle so badly that all he can do is lie there on the kitchen floor howling in agony while water sprays everywhere. 6) Buy one of those special tools for shutting off the city water main. Before you need it, not the day after. 7) Don't keep your kitty litter box anywhere near your hot water heater. Cat shit floats, wherever the water goes. Then it disintegrates. So we've been busy with an unplanned remodel the last few days; tearing up flooring, replacing appliances, etc. Please don't say that's why it's called Labor Day. It's been truly a nightmare. keep smilin through the rain... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracked Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 uuuughhhh that sucks... my folks water heater flooded their garage a month or two back... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 6) Buy one of those special tools for shutting off the city water main. Before you need it, not the day after. Special tool? All you have to do is turn a little valve thingy. No tool needed. At my house anyway. Funny (in a sure-glad-it-didn't-happen-to-me way) story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_harpell Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 There is a special tool for shutting it off before it comes into your house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Not at my house. I did it once. No tool necessary. Just lift up that metal plate by the sidewalk in front of the house and turn the handle to close the valve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleblebleb Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Well, if only all of us were so lucky to live at your house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg_W Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Some houses have shutoffs just inside the house, along with the meter shutoff, but it's the option of the builder or plumber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Well, if only all of us were so lucky to live at your house Yes, I thank my lucky stars on a daily basis. It's bliss really... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Yup, inside the meter box, flush to the ground and usually in front of your house. Often the valve is hidden in dirt that has humped inside the meter box. Top of the valve is usually a straight bar, and while there is a special tool to turn it, you can usually get away with a basin wrench (another plumbing tool) or a couple wrenches: one to grip the bar, and the other to grip and turn the first wrench. Channel locks, vise grips, crescent wrenches, I've used 'em all. Water water everywhere sucks so bad, I feel for your friends. Another tip: if you're going to put in a shut off valve at the house (a good idea), use a ball valve instead of a gate valve. Gate valve ususally has a wheel shaped knob on top, and moves a gate up and down in the valve body. It's more prone to age related leakage, corrosion, and outright failure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 It's more prone to age related leakage, corrosion, and outright failure. Like the prostate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 Or perhaps that overconsumption of Olestra as brought up in some thread or other... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Flash_Amazing Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 You can make your own Gu at home with Olestra and Nutrasweet! Mmmmmmm, tasty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 16, 2004 Share Posted September 16, 2004 The secret formula of Amazing Co. Diet Gu finally revealed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
selkirk Posted September 17, 2004 Share Posted September 17, 2004 Something Similar happened to our neighbours one winter. We didn't realized anything was wrong (as they were on vacation) till we saw ice weeping out of the bathroom wall one day. baadd news Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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