The situation with our water lines here at the rescue...let's just say it has been a challenge.
During the recent cold snap, our water supply in the basement froze, and when it thawed, the pipes burst. This was an old system with metal pipe and rusted joints, so repair didn't make a lot of sense. Total replacement was the only reasonable option.
Since any kind of reliable help is almost impossible to find in Central Appalachia, I took this project on myself. I've never plumbed a house, especially alone. But necessity is the mother of invention, so on the spot, I invented a set of skills I've never had before and got to work.
First I had to purchase materials.
Then, with the help of @catherine813, I got all of the pipe run but I was missing two adapters that would convert from CPVC to PVC. I thought at the time I took the video that we'd have water the next day. I wasn't counting on there being no adapters of the type I needed in the entire region of Southwest Virginia.
By Saturday evening, I'd tracked down all the pieces and parts I needed to construct an adapter, since a ready-made one wasn't available. I closed the entire system Saturday night and let it sit until morning to give the joint compounds plenty of time to set.
First thing this morning, I went down to the meter and turned the water back on. Nuthin. I couldn't hear anything traveling through the pipes. Inside, no water flow. I left all the valves open in case the line had frozen at the meter and I waited.
A few hours later I heard a flood in the basement. The water had indeed frozen at the meter and once it thawed, the sudden rush separated a non-glued joint in the main supply line. I realized at that point that I had forgotten to put hose clamps on it. I ran down to the road and turned the water off at the meter again. But then I couldn't find the hose clamps that I know darn well are here somewhere, so I headed off in search of some to buy and hit paydirt at Advance Auto, since all hardware stores and half the town here is closed on Sundays. Clamps installed, I turned the water on one more time and waited.
My connections held. All of them.
Sadly, my initial assessment of the damage fell short by about four inches. When I first discovered the flooded basement, so much water was pouring from the main lines that the 1/2" hot water supply line going upstairs to the kitchen sink wasn't getting enough water to tell me it had a major leak, too. So tomorrow I have to make yet another trip to town, hope I can find a short piece of 1/4" CPVC and two couplings, and if I'm lucky, water service will be restored here as soon as I patch that line.
This whole ordeal has been frustrating and taxing. We're still about two hundred dollars short of being able to cover Milo's first vet bill for his injury (see post about that here ) and his first follow-up visit is coming up tomorrow. Now the cost of plumbing supplies, on top of all the regular bills and expenses we owe for the month. So if anyone is feeling generous, or maybe is just impressed by this girl's resourcefulness with a major plumbing project, please consider donating to help us cover costs. No amount is too small, and all amounts are appreciated. Thank you!
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You impress the heck outta me, doing that plumbing. I hope more donations come in so you can breathe a bit easier!
Thank you, Soul Sista. :-) Your support and encouragement and words have carried me lately. Tangible help, compassion, and understanding--worth more than gold.
I have to admit--proper funding would help, too. I'm going to start a GoFundMe for the rescue today, since I got limited response to Fundition from the FIAT crowd. If we could just raise a few thousand dollars, it would help tremendously.
A bloodhound named Tigger holds the record for the longest ears, each measuring more than 13 inches.
So impressive! Now you have a brand new skill! Think about how much money you saved and experience you gained by doing this yourself. Feel good!
OH MY GOODNESS. You did it. Amazing work, Rhonda. I couldn't have done it. Not if my life depended on it! But I also couldn't run an animal rescue. Once again, I bow down to you for your amazing strength, heart, tenacity and resourcefulness! Oh... and I love the penguin dance. And the goat!! Thank you for the mention. :^) I love our inside goat joke.