Plumbing Problems

One of the best parts of the weekend is the opportunity to take care of household chores. There is nothing that I like to do better than to clean up the garage, remove clutter and do the 1,987,862 other things on the list.

This weekend I received the gift of a backed up shower/tub. It is one of those things that I get to deal with once or twice a year. Dependent upon which shower backs up I can identify the source of the problem as being either tree roots or an accumulation of hair courtesy of the long haired ladies who reside here.

My initial solution to this sort of thing is try and clear the drain myself. I have a snake that I sometimes use or every now and then I may try a chemical solution. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

This time around I decided that I wanted to try a different approach. So I went out and purchased a hydraulic drain flusher that is similar to that shown in the picture here. It is a simple concept. Attach it to a water source and use hydraulic power to force the clog to clear.

Sounds good. Looks like it should work. Only in my case it didn't. We went from experiencing a slow draining shower/tub to a very.......very.....very.....slow draining shower/tub. It always warms the cockles of my heart to see that the solution has backfired and is going to cost more time and money.

So now I am waiting for my rooter guy and his massive snake to come clean it all out. Of course I looked into renting a snake and found out that it was ten dollars cheaper than having the rooter guy come here.

BTW, did I mention that he said that he'd be here two hours ago. It is ever so gratifying to see that my time is so valuable to him.

9 comments:

SnoopyTheGoon said...

I don't know whether to state the obvious, but rooter guys with a big snake are in high demand. Be patient.

Originally From Brooklyn said...

Ya. I would have just tried the plumber first. Saves so much hassle that way. And that way while you could just be chilling now instead of waiting now. Because guess what? everything goes faster when you call in the pros.

Leora said...

I've sat in my bathroom with an old toothbrush. I guess this only works if the crud is toothbrush-length, which mine usually is.

Happy waiting. I have a good relationship with our air conditioner-plumber-heating system guy; we pay him good money, and I feel like I'm supporting the yeshiva education of four lovely children (his).

orieyenta said...

I feel for you...especially because I am one of those long haired ladies that stops up our drains at our house.

We have a hair catcher that I am supposed to empty everytime I use the shower...it works well (when I actually empty it.)

Jack Steiner said...

but rooter guys with a big snake are in high demand.

I used to be one of those guys. I'd tell you more but that would ruin the post I am going to write.

I would have just tried the plumber first. Saves so much hassle that way.

Not always. Sometimes the plumber takes a while to come. And I enjoy doing the work. There is a sense of accomplishment that you don't get when you pay someone else to do work you can do yourself.

I've sat in my bathroom with an old toothbrush. I guess this only works if the crud is toothbrush-length, which mine usually is.

If only I had a three foot long toothbrush.

..it works well (when I actually empty it.)

How'd I know you were going to say that.

One Wink at a Time said...

There's a reason they call them "drains" Ha.

Jack Steiner said...

Wink,

You are so correct.

Shira Salamone said...

Reminds me of the cable repairperson who was due early one Friday afternoon--and finally rang the bell two hours into Shabbat.

Shira Salamone said...

Long story short: Since I didn't buzz the repair peron into our apartment building, it took another appointment and another week for our cable to be restored.

"It is ever so gratifying to see that my time is so valuable to him." Agreed. And it's equally delightful to have our Sabbath peace ruined by some, um, kind soul who shows up hours after the scheduled appointment.

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