What a Mess ....

[Bluerauder]

Got a phonecall at work from the wife at about 5:30 PM. In 36 years, she has called me at work maybe 10 times ... maybe even less.

She starts by saying "I've got bad news". I start thinking that something has happened to one of the kids.

Then she says "When I walked in the house after work, I heard water running. It is coming from the 2nd floor into the powder room through the ceiling fan. It is also coming out of the light in the basement at the bottom of the stairs (above my trophy case)."

Obviously I am relieved that there has been no accident with the kids. I talked her through the main shut off valve and opening the spigots to drain the lines. It'll take me at least 45 minutes to get home. She has most of it cleaned up by the time I walk in the door. Looks like a pipe has burst in the main bathroom or a joint has failed or something. They will likely have to gain access through the ceiling or the wall. Damn.

The plumber has been called and will be here in about 30 minutes. This is gonna be a pricey fix I just know it. So for now, no bathroom, no water, no shower .....

Have already alerted work that I may not be there tomorrow. Again.

Guess this could have been worse. The pipe could have let go last Wednesday when we were in Harrisburg. Looks like it may have happened shortly before she got home. Water did not have too much time to spread. We were lucky I guess .... and NO ONE IS IN THE HOSPITAL or worse.

Just venting a little. This will get fixed and we'll be back to almost new sooner or later.

[MM2004]

Damn Charlie.

This may not help, but things can always be worse.

Good luck on the repairs and keep us posted.

;)

Mike.

[jimlam56]

You got lucky, there was someone at home. The price of being a homeowner.
Good luck with the fix!

[guspech750]

Wow. So sorry to here this bad news Charlie. Like you said though. Atleast it didn't happen last week.
I hope you get it fixed soon.


---
- Sent from my iPhone
Eaton Swap = Wreeeeeeeeeedom!!

[WhatsUpDOHC]

What a drag!

My biggest fear when I go on vacation - That I'll come home to a swimming pool in my basement.

You dodged a bullet but that doesn't help much.

Hang in there,

Mark

[DOOM]

Could have been much worse! :beer:

[Bluerauder]

You got lucky, there was someone at home. The price of being a homeowner.
Good luck with the fix!

The luck gets a little better .... seems that when I left for work in the morning, I left the "lid" up on the powder room toilet. I generally never do that .... the fan is right above the commode, so probably 1/2 of the water went down the drain so to speak. The rest splashed all over the floor and soaked the rugs and stuff. The downstairs carpet didn't fare as well after the light globe filled with water.

[Ms. Denmark]

Sorry to hear this Charlie!

[MyBlackBeasts]

Got a phonecall at work from the wife at about 5:30 PM. In 36 years, she has called me at work maybe 10 times ... maybe even less.

She starts by saying "I've got bad news". I start thinking that something has happened to one of the kids.

Then she says "When I walked in the house after work, I heard water running. It is coming from the 2nd floor into the powder room through the ceiling fan. It is also coming out of the light in the basement at the bottom of the stairs (above my trophy case)."

Obviously I am relieved that there has been no accident with the kids. I talked her through the main shut off valve and opening the spigots to drain the lines. It'll take me at least 45 minutes to get home. She has most of it cleaned up by the time I walk in the door. Looks like a pipe has burst in the main bathroom or a joint has failed or something. They will likely have to gain access through the ceiling or the wall. Damn.

The plumber has been called and will be here in about 30 minutes. This is gonna be a pricey fix I just know it. So for now, no bathroom, no water, no shower .....

Have already alerted work that I may not be there tomorrow. Again.

Guess this could have been worse. The pipe could have let go last Wednesday when we were in Harrisburg. Looks like it may have happened shortly before she got home. Water did not have too much time to spread. We were lucky I guess .... and NO ONE IS IN THE HOSPITAL or worse.

Just venting a little. This will get fixed and we'll be back to almost new sooner or later.

If repairs will exceed $1000 turn in as home owners claim. If less than 1000 take care of yourself, not worth having on record.

[MyBlackBeasts]

What a drag!

My biggest fear when I go on vacation - That I'll come home to a swimming pool in my basement.

You dodged a bullet but that doesn't help much.

Hang in there,

Mark

That is why when you leave you turn off the main valve. Less than 2 seconds to do yet most people don't. Then they come home to $thousands of damage & huge hassles & headaches! :shake:

[Shaijack]

Sorry to hear of your troubles, Charlie. Hope for a speedy repair. I hate it when I have to shower and use the bathroom outside.

[tbone]

Funny you should have this problem. I get an email last night from a customer who I did a very elaborate master bath renovation for. She tells me her garage ceiling is soaked through (the bathroom I did is over her garage) and the ceiling collapsed. I call and call and email and all I get is an email response that it's ok to come over today and fix it. I race over there this morning only to find a SMALL section of ceiling is messed up from a toilet overflow in another bathroom, which I didn't touch! And she KNEW it was not from my work! I'm relieved and PISSED at the same time. I didn't sleep a wink last night! Some people are so f***ing stupid!

Good luck with your repair. Too bad you are so far away, or I would have it fixed for you already.:beer:

[Papillon]

So sorry to hear this Charlie. I hope it's a quick (and not too pricey) fix. :( :( :(

[WhatsUpDOHC]

That is why when you leave you turn off the main valve. Less than 2 seconds to do yet most people don't. Then they come home to $thousands of damage & huge hassles & headaches! :shake:

Believe it or not, I do this - My wife thinks I'm nuts.

[05crownsport]

Shoot Charlie...sorry to hear about your troubles. If we were neighbors, I could help you fix it. I know enough to be dangerous!

[Mr. Man]

I know how this story ends Charlie and it is going to cost you. Not so much for the plumbing repair but for the "Gee Hon as long as the wall is torn out why don't we do that renovation we've wanted to do";)

[PonyUP]

Sorry to hear Charlie, hope it's a simple cheap fix

[Bluerauder]

Repair is complete. $420.43 total. Not too bad. Leak was at a 1/2" elbow in the cold water line above the sink in the powder room on the main floor. Now we have two "small" 12" by 16" holes in the ceiling drywall. The first was a "look see" guess at where the leak was coming from. From that hole, the plumber located the problem. He was done in about 1.5 hours. Not too bad and actually under my initial estimate of the cost considering it was a night call. So, all in all, things turned out pretty well in my opinion.

Based on the water we saw during the check, I am guessing that Bern showed up no more than 20 minutes after the problem occurred. Pretty lucky all around.

[MyBlackBeasts]

Believe it or not, I do this - My wife thinks I'm nuts.

In 2 years I had over $300,000 in water damage claims that could have been prevented if the people had spent 6 seconds (2 seconds each) turning the main off before they left. You are a VERY smart individual! She thinks you are crazy only because she has no experience seeing the damage water does when a pipe joint seperates in a wall and water flows full pressure for the 2 weeks a person is on vacation. If no one is home, there is no need for water, turn the valve off and save yourself huge headaches!!! If the leak happens when you are home, you can shut the valve off and damage is small vs. it happening when no one is there!!! :shake:

[Odinson]

The luck gets a little better .... seems that when I left for work in the morning, I left the "lid" up on the powder room toilet. I generally never do that .... the fan is right above the commode, so probably 1/2 of the water went down the drain so to speak. The rest splashed all over the floor and soaked the rugs and stuff. The downstairs carpet didn't fare as well after the light globe filled with water.

Sorry about your house, but there is a lesson to be learned here.

Real men leave the seat up! :beer:

[Haggis]

I know enough to be dangerous!

A truer statement has never been spoken.

[CBT]

I feel your pain, happened at my last house. I ended up replacing some sheetrock in the downstairs ceiling, though. Didn't want to take chances with mold.

[71cyclone]

Cousin Charlie I had a similar problem years back ,my master bath toilet bowl shattered ? [Demons ] got home in time to cut the water off had to pay for damages 2 floors down. [ Condo has since been sold ] Well anyway I glad you were not
"WIPED OUT" [ dodo- dododo- dodo ]

[LIGHTNIN1]

I hate it when that happens. Water is always a concern with me when I am gone from the house more than a couple days. At that point I try to remember to turn it off along with the water heater. Good luck with the repairs.

[Bigdogjim]

Yeah Charlie it falls under the joy of owning a house:)

Glad it was too big a hit($$$) Water damage is always a pain in the azz.

[Marauderman]

Had the plumbing come loose under my slab(concrete) foundation--no craw space--below the concrete--and washed out the dirt the concrete was sitting on--back in '03---home insurance did not pay as they said ther was no water damage in the house--they were right --it was under it causing my foundation to settle sideways--in the end--they said--GET THIS--NEXT TIME BRING IN THE GARDEN HOSE--FLOOD YOUR ROOM --GIVE US A CALL--

Hope all works out for you Charlie--

[HammerDown]

You got lucky, there was someone at home. The price of being a homeowner.
Good luck with the fix!


same thing happened to us some years back. Were able to turn off main water valve before too much water leaked all over.

Best of luck with repairs, Charlie and Bern

[Blackened300a]

Sorry to hear that Charlie, I had my old apartment flooded out 3 times. Once was due to a burst pipe, the other two were from backed up drains due to rainfall. Nothing like seeing all your personal belongings floating in a foot of water and there no valve or anything you can do.
Glad it all worked out for you in the end.

[HammerDown]

Believe it or not, I do this - My wife thinks I'm nuts.


Tell her NO, NOT NUTS! We've been turning off the water for years now, when we go away, even if it's just for overnight, a long weekend, or a longer vaca. Ever since we had the leak and caught it because we WERE home, we now turn off water whenever we are away..................

[CBT]

Sorry to hear that Charlie, I had my old apartment flooded out 3 times. Once was due to a burst pipe, the other two were from backed up drains due to rainfall. Nothing like seeing all your personal belongings floating in a foot of water and there no valve or anything you can do.
Glad it all worked out for you in the end.


Dude, that would SUCK. :eek:

[rayjay]

Glad to hear it worked out Charlie.

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Charlie -

I'm glad that everything worked out and you didn't have a major remodeling project on your hands.

I hope that you don't take offense but this image/video has been in my head since hearing of your news:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8-PlnJ3kkk

Mark

[WhatsUpDOHC]

Sorry, wrong stooge - My favorite is at 2:12:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xzIFw_IKoI

Mark

[justbob]

Just now reading this Charlie. As a licensed Plumber, and all the things I've seen happen, I must admit turning off the water has never even crossed my mind. But then again, we usually have people look in on the cats and bring in the mail when we leave. Sorry to hear of the mess, but glad to hear it was a small repair.

This was posted live, in real time.