OT: Adventures in plumbing...

[awp101]

Just after Thanksgiving one of the valves in the main bath started dripping. Before I could get to fixing it, my wife wound up in the hospital for a few days (we're still chasing down exactly what's wrong), the holidays came around, etc. The big issue is these fixtures are over 40 years old, there's only one place I can find that carries them and they're in South Dallas (45 minute drive on a good day). Someone recently told me that if they had to choose between driving to Dallas or getting shot, they'd have a lot of questions about the shooter and weapon being used before deciding.

I took today off to wrap up a couple of projects around here so off to SoDal I went.

An hour and a half after leaving the house I was on the way back with the two valves. Well, on the way to a favorite dealer that's only slightly out of the way on the trip back. Nothing there I couldn't really live without in my price range so it was time to get busy showing the plumbing who's boss.

Went out to the meter and found the shutoff. Finally got it shut off, went back in and turned the water on to clear the line. The line was clear all right. It couldn't help to be with all that water coming out of it. Went back out to the meter and poked around. Aha! There's another shutoff valve! Got it closed off and went back in to verify the water was off. Nope.

Now I'm totally bumfuzzled. I was sure that was where I turned it off when I replaced these valves a couple of years back. Called The Old Man and asked what he remembered about it since he helped me change them last time (I'd never changed valves before and hate to tackle anything new involving the house without back up). "I thought it was next to the house?" DOH! I'd forgotten the shutoff was next to the house instead of at the street meter. I have no idea why it was set up that way but it was and it must have been done in '62-'63 when the house was built. The valves I'd shut off were for the sprinkler system.

Got the old valves out, the new ones in and it took me less time to do the swap than it did to figure out where the water cutoff was.

Number One Son has offered to come down during the summer, gut the bathroom to the studs and re-do the whole thing. I'm thinking I'll ask for the bath plumbing to be updated while he's in there...

[Blaine]

Plumbing is Female in nature. Once you understand that, everything else logiclly falls into place.

[pwl44m]

What kind of valves do U have that U couldn't just replace the washers ?

[2ndovc]

Sucks to be you
I hate plumbing more than any other trade. Couldn't pay me enough.
Fix one leak and you have three to replace it...

jb

[Wayne Miller]

The words "plumbing" and "adventure" should NEVER be used in the same sentence. They portend evil...

[awp101]

I hate plumbing more than any other trade. Couldn't pay me enough.
Fix one leak and you have three to replace it...

jb

When it comes to plumbing, I know my limitations. I'll change a sink fixture, I'll change these valves and when abso-stinkin-lutely forced to, I'll replace the wax ring for a toilet (which I had to do when tiling that bathroom). Anything more involved than that results in a call to a professional.

pwl, these are Central IIRC. No idea if there's just a washer that can be replaced. The first time one started leaking a couple of years back I hit Ace, Home Depot, etc. When I said they were the original fixtures and over 40 years old they all laughed and wished me luck. The first plumbing supply house I tried pretty much told me the same thing but said if anyone locally carried them, it would be Economy Supply. They called before we went over there and they had them.

This time I called a couple of plumbing supply houses closer to me (I had the brand and part number this time as well since I kept the packaging) with the same result: "If anyone carries them, it will be Economy Supply.". When we re-do this bathroom, I'm halfway tempted to source as much as I can from them since they've been able to help both times.

Sucks to be you

Just for that I'm dropping my offer for the Ishy scout to $100 shipped...

[pwl44m]

It is too late now but there should be a screw in the bottom of the stem. That holds a little round rubber washer. A faucet washer asst. should be 40c but is probably $4.00. Some of those old stems can be really pricey. If they R that old the seats could be cracked as indicated by the frequency to replace them. I have to ask Gun questions but can give Handy man advice.
Glad U got it fixed.

[Sixgun]

I feel your pain. Last week I eliminated my old oil burner completely and had to reroute a few lines. When you only do a job like plumbing once or twice a year, well, its hard to get good at it.

Why didn't you just eliminate the old fixtures and replace 'em with new ones. You know, cut it off from the feed lines and thrown the whole mess out. New good quality ones will outlast you and with todays "screw on" pressure fittings, its a breeze to install.-----------------Sixgun

[awp101]

Sixgun, that wall is tiled. At the time I wasn't willing to cut it open and I didn't know if the seats are screwed onto the pipe or sweated on. I still don't. I'm still not willing to cut it open and re-tile it since Number One Son has offered to take care of it this summer. I will try to be there when he does it so I can see for future reference. He's remodeled two bathrooms previously so he's already twice as qualified as I am.

pwl, when the bathroom gets re-done I'll make sure the new, easy to handle stuff gets put in.