I have been promising an entry of our plumbing/bathroom redo adventures for a while. I think the time has finally come so get ready for the water works. I will try to keep this light, but the plumbing and I had quite a battle.
The first plumbing issue that we found when we moved in was in the basement. Someone had shoved a log into the end of a drain pipe to keep it from leaking. I am sure that they were trying to go for the cheapest solution and they didn't have the 5 dollars that is cost us for the proper end cap. Maybe they didn't understand the effects that water has on wood which explains the leaking that began every time we washed dishes. The next plumbing issue as I said before was the toilet breaking but we again went to our lovely home improvement store and got the parts to fix the toilet. I was impressed with how well the toilet worked after we were finished.
Now we come to the part of our story where we run out of options. One fine day I went to the mall to look for something for the children. When I parked I noticed a plumber and his vehicle. I felt very strongly that I needed to stop him and get his card and ask why our drainage was so slow. All the way into the mall I was plagued with this feeling but I pushed it aside because I was too embarassed to just walk up to him. I went about my shopping and we were soon on our way back home.
When we arrived home I washed the dishes while the kids played outside. At one point I could see them so I went outside only to find them covered with mud. (It was a warm dry day.) I asked where they got the mud and Andrea said from the waterfall. What Waterfall?! I ran outside to find water pouring down our wall around where the kitchen sink was located. At this point I really wished that I had that plumber's number. I called Mario at work and shut off the water. He came home shortly and we went downstairs to see what was wrong. At first it was hard to find the leak. Someone had hidden (wrapped) the pipe with a tarp, a trashbag, pantyhose, a bra, and some underwear! After prying those items off of the pipe we discovered that there were large rusty holes in the pipe. (I was in shock that the inspector could have missed that.)
We knew we had no choice but to bring a plumber to help. Both plumbers said that all of the pipes had to be replaced. Most of the pipes were being held together by the layer of silver spray-paint someone applied (in an effort to make the pipes look steel instead of cast iron. The inspector was right that the plumbing had been updated, he just didn't clarify that it was with spraypaint, pantyhose, bras, two copper pipes and a radiator hose. Since we were going all out with the plumbing we knew we had to replace the toilet, tub and sink in the bathroom.
That may seem a bit excessive, but there was reason behind our madness of tearing those accessories out. The toilet was ancient, but more importantly, it wasn't sealed properly. Someone had used spray foam from the basement to seal it instead of replacing the old wax seal properly. Also, the bathtub wasn't properly supported in the basement so we would avoid stepping on the back end. There was actually no shower at the time either. The sink was impossible to maintain.
The work began a little later than we hoped, and as usual, we found many more problems along the way. First, the floor in the bathroom was covered in carpet. This kept all moisture on the subfloor which we discovered to be severely rotten (especially directly around the toilet.) The subfloor had to be replaced. Second, the walls and ceiling all had to come down because of water damage.
We had a completely gutted bathroom and bank account by the time we were done with the repairs. We were without water for 4 weeks and without a toilet for 6 weeks. It was a trial for all of us, and unfortunately, my health took a hit, I think as did everyones.
I survived this event by the grace of a loving Heavenly Father who carried me when I literally could not get out of bed for fatigue. He sent help when we were completely spent. He gave comfort in the times we felt most afraid it wouldn't work out. And even though our savings were gone and our home value depreciated right after we moved in, I had faith that God would provide for our needs. I am grateful to have running water. I am grateful to have a shower and a working toilet. This is how I survived this old house.
The first plumbing issue that we found when we moved in was in the basement. Someone had shoved a log into the end of a drain pipe to keep it from leaking. I am sure that they were trying to go for the cheapest solution and they didn't have the 5 dollars that is cost us for the proper end cap. Maybe they didn't understand the effects that water has on wood which explains the leaking that began every time we washed dishes. The next plumbing issue as I said before was the toilet breaking but we again went to our lovely home improvement store and got the parts to fix the toilet. I was impressed with how well the toilet worked after we were finished.
Now we come to the part of our story where we run out of options. One fine day I went to the mall to look for something for the children. When I parked I noticed a plumber and his vehicle. I felt very strongly that I needed to stop him and get his card and ask why our drainage was so slow. All the way into the mall I was plagued with this feeling but I pushed it aside because I was too embarassed to just walk up to him. I went about my shopping and we were soon on our way back home.
When we arrived home I washed the dishes while the kids played outside. At one point I could see them so I went outside only to find them covered with mud. (It was a warm dry day.) I asked where they got the mud and Andrea said from the waterfall. What Waterfall?! I ran outside to find water pouring down our wall around where the kitchen sink was located. At this point I really wished that I had that plumber's number. I called Mario at work and shut off the water. He came home shortly and we went downstairs to see what was wrong. At first it was hard to find the leak. Someone had hidden (wrapped) the pipe with a tarp, a trashbag, pantyhose, a bra, and some underwear! After prying those items off of the pipe we discovered that there were large rusty holes in the pipe. (I was in shock that the inspector could have missed that.)
We knew we had no choice but to bring a plumber to help. Both plumbers said that all of the pipes had to be replaced. Most of the pipes were being held together by the layer of silver spray-paint someone applied (in an effort to make the pipes look steel instead of cast iron. The inspector was right that the plumbing had been updated, he just didn't clarify that it was with spraypaint, pantyhose, bras, two copper pipes and a radiator hose. Since we were going all out with the plumbing we knew we had to replace the toilet, tub and sink in the bathroom.
That may seem a bit excessive, but there was reason behind our madness of tearing those accessories out. The toilet was ancient, but more importantly, it wasn't sealed properly. Someone had used spray foam from the basement to seal it instead of replacing the old wax seal properly. Also, the bathtub wasn't properly supported in the basement so we would avoid stepping on the back end. There was actually no shower at the time either. The sink was impossible to maintain.
The work began a little later than we hoped, and as usual, we found many more problems along the way. First, the floor in the bathroom was covered in carpet. This kept all moisture on the subfloor which we discovered to be severely rotten (especially directly around the toilet.) The subfloor had to be replaced. Second, the walls and ceiling all had to come down because of water damage.
We had a completely gutted bathroom and bank account by the time we were done with the repairs. We were without water for 4 weeks and without a toilet for 6 weeks. It was a trial for all of us, and unfortunately, my health took a hit, I think as did everyones.
I survived this event by the grace of a loving Heavenly Father who carried me when I literally could not get out of bed for fatigue. He sent help when we were completely spent. He gave comfort in the times we felt most afraid it wouldn't work out. And even though our savings were gone and our home value depreciated right after we moved in, I had faith that God would provide for our needs. I am grateful to have running water. I am grateful to have a shower and a working toilet. This is how I survived this old house.
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