The Bane...part 2

First of all I must confess that I had nothing to do with this phase, being the actual repair, though I wish I could claim so. Instead, I went back to work, but even if I had been present, the best I could have accomplished would have been as a gopher (“go-for”); Plumbing is not my thing. Instead, after 3 trips to the hardware store, the WonderParents fixed this, so that we now have them to thank for our once again running water.

Conquerage

Day 2 began with the parental units cutting into the sidewalk. The diamond saw didn’t quite reach the full thickness of the slab, so our kind neighbor lent a hand. Being a concrete contractor, he had the tools to help finish that part of the job. Hurrah for compassionate good neighbors!!! We are again so lucky.

As they set about the task of replacing the leaky pipe, they discovered just how brittle the 50+ year pipe was. This resulted in having to replace the pipe all the way from the meter to the ivy (~+6'). Working down the rabbit hole was just too confining so the already crumbling wall came down. No worries there as it already needed to be replaced anyways.

Horror

Once the pipe was exposed, the source of this leak was obvious. Perforated is one word. Swiss cheese are a few more as are “DID WE DRINK WATER FROM THAT??!?!?” Well, we are so glad at least our little girls drank only bottled water. Just look at that pipe interior (below). Sometimes it’s just better to not know. But this is how I had imagined all municipal (and domestic) plumbing pipes to look like inside. Not that I know for sure, but those I suppose are deep calcium deposits. But there are so many holes that I’m sure some rust got in there.

But then again, the water never tasted nor looked tainted by iron or rust. So in all likelihood, the constant high pressure would have forced any loose particles out rather than in the line. Never did a glass of water have little specks in the bottom, and laundry whites still looked relatively white, so I guess we are safe, BUT STILL…

Another Item for the ToDo List

We will be replacing all our pipes before we drink from this tap again. I suppose we should just get it tested, but because the whole of the galvanized pipe we located was heavily rusted, we are resolved to just replace it anyways before it bursts, too. So over time we shall begin to lay a new line and re-plumb the house (and include the new and relocated fixtures we intend as well). And then we can just abandon this line. I intend to do this myself, and take my sweet time doing it, too. Plumbing lacks that sense of self-satisfaction of, lets say, painting. This shall be my induction into the not-so fine art of domestic plumbing. What joy!

But for now, we can bathe and wash and water. Now we just need to fix up that concrete frontage, until the next time...