BiT the Plumber (non-polical, really)

[BackInTex]

Towards the end of the summer, the yard on the side of my house started showing mud tire tracks when the yard guys ran their big mower over it. It was always wet. I figured I was over watering, and it is a slight low spot.

My French drain that feeds into the street started having a continuos flow. Not much, mind you, but it was alway wet. But the flow increased slightly.

I was sure it was the neigbors things (either sprinkler system or water softner). I had look at our meters and both would be still.

Then Friday I decided to check the meter again. Mine showed 'flow'. I shut off my sprinker system and made sure everything in the house was off, and yet it still showed flow. So I knew it was me.

So yesterday I began digging. Yuck, is all I can say. What a pit. Anyhow, about 2 feet down I see signs of fresh clean water churning in the brown chocolate muck. I keep digging and find where the water goes into my house. There was the leak. One of the orginal joints had pulled loose.

So I go to Home Depot and buy about $25 of supplies (of which $15 was a PVC pipe cutter). This morning after all had showered and brushed their teeth, and left for church, I cut the water off, and bailed out the hole that had filled up overnight. I guess about 50 gallons. Dug a bunch more to fully expose the main water feed.

About an hour later I have is all fixed, but I have to wait 2 hours to pressure test. That will happen in about 30 minutes. Hopefully everything was put together right.

Once I know it is not leaking, I plan on leaving the hole exposed the rest of the week to let the soil drain and dry out somewhat before backfilling the hole. I will backfill with fresh dirt (I guess I'll go get about 10 bags from Home Depot) as I don't want to refill with the wet clay soil I dug out. I don't think it will fill in well enough around the pipe to protect it.

A week or two from now I'll have to find some place to dump the pile of clay/dirt I have in my backyard.

All in all I figured I save about $600 not calling a plumber to come find and fix the leak. Maybe more as I did not damage my sprinker system or lines to the water softner, or cut the cable line, which all were exposed as I dug of the yard. I was careful when digging. I don't think a regular plumber would have been.

I'm tired and very dirty right now. Hopefully I can show in about 40 minutes.

[BackInTex]

Oh, and I have a huge blister in the middle of my right palm. Yesterday I thought I didn't want to get my work gloves wet and muddy. I was wrong. Today they got wet and muddy. I cleaned them off afterwards. They'll be O.K.

[mrkelley23]

Yet another selfish American refusing to spread the wealth around...

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

A plumbing job that only requires one trip to Home Depot is quite an accomplishment.

[Rexer25]

So, you couldn't call Joe?

[BackInTex]

So, you couldn't call Joe?

On a weekend? You've GOT to be kidding!

[Bored Plumber]

So, you couldn't call Joe?

Don't even think about it. It's my weekend on call.

Union rules, y'know.

[kayrharris]

I'm impressed. Just waiting to see if the repair holds. We
definitely need a follow up so we can commend you for a job well done.

[BackInTex]

So far so good. The water has been on for 8 hours. Next up, back to Home Depot to get about 20 bags of fill dirt to fill the hole in. that will require some nighttime yard work. Sounds like a good thing to do election night.

[mellytu74]

Wow. Nice job, BiT.