"What's More Fun Than a Broken Toilet?" Topic

The water pipe inside the wall breaking off when you turn off the supply valve.

It took a few minutes to shut the main off and drain all the water from the pipes, but still had about 10 gallons hit the floor. Fortunately, there is a sealed crawlspace with a dehumidifier beneath the bathroom, so no permanent damage. I have a healthy supply of pipe repair parts laying around from previous work, so I put in a spare cut off valve to isolate the problem. I cut an access panel in the wall from the closet, so everything should be covered when finished. Now to start cutting and gluing pvc. Tomorrow.

Sorry for your troubles. Look on the bright side. It's more fun than painting miniatures right? Or not. Hope it turns into an easier than expected fix.

Hey look at it this way, you have the parts and know how to fix it yourself so you don't have to wait a week for a plumber to get back from his family holiday and finally get to you in December.

If all problems were that easy to fix.

Root canal?

It's good to be handy…

Let me give you a little bright side: that piece inside the wall was going to fail, far better it fail when you're right there, and prepared to work on the whole mess anyway. If it broke six months from now when you're at work and don't find it for eight hours, or when you're out of town for a few days, the situation could be much worse.

Plumbing is not forever. Properly installed copper pipes are good for twenty five years, then you start getting periodic trouble. It's silly to expect the pipes to last forever. The best you can hope for it for things to break in easy-to-fix ways at convenient times. And if you can cut and sweat pipe yourself you can save thousands of dollars, so yay!

I had a leak in the hot water supply line in the slab foundation. I got four estimates, all in the $5,000 USD to $10,000 USD range. A couple people even suggested redoing all the hot water pipes or all the plumbing in its entirety. I did my research, got my wife's buy in, and did the fix for $300. USD It was very challenging, but obviously worth it.

Good idea on the cut off valve!

Best of luck!

The problem with this house is the plumbing is all cheap pvc. The only copper is what I put in. We have had 3 major and a couple minor leaks. That is one of the reasons the house is on the market. I'm tired of fixing things.

At least PVC is cheaper and easier to fix, right?

And easier to break. I must say, the new generation of Shark Bite press together fittings makes plumbing repairs a lot faster and easier. Just line the pipe up and push. No primer to stain everything it touches or contact cement all over your hands. Even the price of them has come down to almost the same as pvc fittings.

Went through a similar thing involving my kitchen sink line a few years back. Replacing a pipe that had been there since the 1920's,for one thing-cutting a hole in the bedroom wall to get at it. Luckily,at that time,the landlord had a brother who did that sort of home repair,and he got him for us. More recently,our bathtub/shower water line and drain had to be fixed,and was done successfully.

I used Sharkbite. I thought it expensive, but awesome. I definitely recommend it.

Pondered sharkbites but I'm pretty good at sweating pipes so it would be a cost not sure I'd want to eat.
But it is handy to know how to do your own plumbing, I give my father-in-law who when we first moved into our house had to do all the emergency plumbing repairs. If you can't but want to learn practice is the best teacher when it isn't a emergency.

Recently had a tank gasket leak in my throne. Landlord replaced the gasket and put in a new fill tube inside the tank,to improve water use efficiency.

Now we have a whole new throne as of a couple of months ago.

And it looks like we may have to unclog the bathroom sink again.

And the roof needs some work now.

Also shoveling packed snow/ice from a sidewalk.and salting what couldn't be shoveled . Did that yesterday.

And when the central AC goes plotz. 3K to replace.

A loose outside crimp to our phone line,which silenced it until it was tightened up by Cincinnati Bell crewman. Working great now,apparent cause;high winds jarred the line loose from the crimp.

Here's another one,a sheared off front door hinge. L/L fixed w/ a new wood block,drilled a couple of holes,inserted the screws,and while the exterior frame still needs fixing,the door works tons better now.

Phone plotzed again;3rd time in a month. Starting to wonder now.

Screen door front of the building was removed;wooden front door of same repainted. L/L saving the screen door frame for possible replacement. It's an arched top type screen door frame. Think we might have to contact Paige Davis and the gang.

Had to unclog the bathroom sink. First, I used a drain stick,or something like it and poked it into the pipe to the u-joint. Then used a small plunger,held my finger in front of the small drain hole to prevent air from escaping,pumped the main drain,and it worked.

Now our kitchen sink faucet;not delivering as much water as we've been used to. May be a flow problem.

Above still going on. Plan to talk to L/L about it.

Checked the valves under the sink. Problem likely in other part of line.

Turns out it was the nozzle filter. Clogged. L/L replaced it. Water running great now.

And,so far,the central heating is working OK.

But the can clogged up again and the auger had to be used. All back to normal now.

Now it's the house electricity. All 4 apartment units power is OK,but the hall lights,basement lights and presumably the power to the laundry machines is out. The other day there was a 15-20 mins. w/o any power.

Our energy people are supposed to come by this week to fix the problem.

Got 'er done yesterday morning. Boo-yakka!

Now I found a roof shingle on the ground,likely blown off during a high wind event the other week. Will inform l/l.

Also signed a new lease for the place yesterday.

And did a bit of snow removal/salting the outside steps and sidewalk out front earlier this morning.

Heat's on the fritz again. Beginning to wonder…..

Well, it looks like that problem is solved,house is getting a new furnace.

And she's working good.

Also,a roof shingle found on the ground near our apartment building,was NOT from our building. Glad,sort of. Kinda feel for the one where the shingle DID come from.

Management is repainting the unit across the hall from me and the wife,getting it ready as well as another one downstairs.

Got ourselves a new downstairs neighbor. Works at a sports bar just around the corner. Also,a hall ceiling light burned out.

And our landline phone was out for a few days;outside connection got loose following high winds.