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Mar. 8th, 2006
Lessons From Tradesmen
Mar. 8th, 2006 09:50 pmWhile helping build the deck this weekend, I learned a whole bunch about building decks (natch). Starting from zero in the carpentry department, everything was a revelation. Crowing lumber, making posts even, operating nail guns. It was a blast and I didn't once drive a nail into my flesh!
I also attempted some home plumbing. Our kitchen faucet has been slowly dying. The flow rate has been going down and down and finally the faucet was all but unusable. Strangely, the spray hose worked fine so I knew that the pipes hadn't frozen. Using my deductive reasoning, I concluded that the fault must be downstream of where the hose met the faucet.
I hauled out my tools and took the faucet apart, discovering nothing. I managed to put it all back and the flow rate was more-or-less the same.
Monday I called a plumber. He showed up and I described the problem to him. He proceeded to unscrew the tip of the faucet and take out the end, which was completely choked with calcium. "Here's the problem", he said. "Fuck", thought I. He replaced it and I decided that I was a yogurt head. One $50 service charge later (during which we had him take a look at some other things in the house just to make me feel a little better about paying a guy to replace a $1 part) and we had flowing water again.
The good news is this triggered an outbreak of cleanliness and industry amongst the roomies.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
spookiemonkie cleaned the top half of the house and the Brain cleaned the bottom half. He also fixed the dishwasher, which was also choking on calcium deposits. That I didn't have to do it (or pay a repairman in for a job we could do for free) was quite pleasant.
I was also handed money and pizza, which is always appreciated.
I also attempted some home plumbing. Our kitchen faucet has been slowly dying. The flow rate has been going down and down and finally the faucet was all but unusable. Strangely, the spray hose worked fine so I knew that the pipes hadn't frozen. Using my deductive reasoning, I concluded that the fault must be downstream of where the hose met the faucet.
I hauled out my tools and took the faucet apart, discovering nothing. I managed to put it all back and the flow rate was more-or-less the same.
Monday I called a plumber. He showed up and I described the problem to him. He proceeded to unscrew the tip of the faucet and take out the end, which was completely choked with calcium. "Here's the problem", he said. "Fuck", thought I. He replaced it and I decided that I was a yogurt head. One $50 service charge later (during which we had him take a look at some other things in the house just to make me feel a little better about paying a guy to replace a $1 part) and we had flowing water again.
The good news is this triggered an outbreak of cleanliness and industry amongst the roomies.
spookiemonkie cleaned the top half of the house and the Brain cleaned the bottom half. He also fixed the dishwasher, which was also choking on calcium deposits. That I didn't have to do it (or pay a repairman in for a job we could do for free) was quite pleasant.I was also handed money and pizza, which is always appreciated.
