It's official...I really hate plumbing!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
It's official...I really hate plumbing!
3
Sun, 04-12-2009 - 3:06am

I have had a leak under my kitchen sink for a long time. It used to be very small and slow but then got quite bad. I put off doing anything about it for as long as I could but then water started leaking from the base of the faucet so I knew it was time to do something.


There is absolutely nothing positive about plumbing. First, you have to turn the water off...which means that within minutes, you have to go to the bathroom. Doesn't matter if you went right before...there's always something there that suddenly has to get out RIGHT NOW. Then you have to get the pipes apart and, of course, while you're doing that, all the water in the pipes somehow leaks down about an inch to the side of where you've put the bucket. Theoretically, you can loosen some little nut under the faucet, replace a rubber washer or something, then tighten it back up to stop the leak at the base of the faucet without totally demolishing the faucet in the process, but that has not been my experience. So that meant a trip to the hardware store and the outlay of some serious money. Then, of course, you discover that the holes in the back of the sink are too large for the new faucet and that the plate (with smaller holes) that you had made for the previous faucet does not have the holes in the right place. You debate for a little while about using cat food can lids with smaller holes drilled in the middle to cover the bigger holes. But, feeling compelled to do your best work, you make another trip to the hardware store to buy a hole-cutter that will go through the metal plate. Another spendy item. The hole gets drilled and the plate repainted as it has become quite scratched and rusty, and is then "glued" to the sink with silicone caulk so that you are now ready to install the new faucet. It actually goes in pretty easily, the only problem being that, once it's sealed to the sink, you realize that you forgot to drill an extra hole for the sprayer that came along with it. Too bad. The sprayer is now hanging underneath the sink and if I ever want to spray anything, I will just have to do it down there!


I might mention as a side note that there are not many positions that the human body can get itself into that are less comfortable than trying to squeeze itself halfway into the cupboard under the kitchen sink. And once you'e in there, there is no room to maneuver so you keep banging your hands on the pipes and drop the wrench on your head at least once.


Now, of course, you're ready to tackle the leaky valve. This goes very smoothly and you're feeling quite productive and content until you realize that the connecting hoses that came with the new sink are too short. Since it is now after midnight, you wait until the next day to get a longer one. That night you tackle it once more, only to discover that you had not realized that these connecting hoses came with different sized heads...and that the one you got was a couple of sizes too large for the pipe it was supposed to connect to. So, another trip the next day to the hardware store and that night, the sink is finally put back together...and doesn't leak!


On top of that, the IRS says I made a mistake on my 2007 taxes (which I did) and that I owe them another $7500 (which I don't). But I will owe them something and getting all the information together was a real pain. I just hope it was what they wanted and that this will soon be over.


I will stop here because this is way too long. And I want to go into the kitchen and turn to water on...just to see it not leak. :)


Kat

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-1999
Sun, 04-12-2009 - 10:52am

I know this wasn't a funny post...but your writing was so descriptive that I can just see you trying to fold your long body under the sink...giggles....I agree there is nothing positive about doing your own plumbing....Keeping fingers crossed that it doesn't leak!!!


That happened to us with taxes a couple years ago....right before we went to Seattle...so had to get that resolved....Not fun....Good Luck!


Hugs, Ruth





 


iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Sun, 04-12-2009 - 12:24pm

Hi Kat


Well I can certainly see why you hate plumbing!! LOL. I do admire you though for doing it yourself and having the patience to get it all done the right way.

                          &n
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-16-1999
Mon, 04-13-2009 - 1:13am

I admire you for doing your own plumbing.