60 Posts 60 Days: Day 52

Sixty Bucks

Okay, so it isn't normal to have to pour water into your basement floor drain daily or even more frequently. Plumber confirmation of this fact today. Two plumbers in fact.

When we were considering buying this house we were a bit put off by the age of the furnace. Our realtor offered us option of purchasing a home warranty (may have blogged about this before) and we took her up on it. There's a yearly fee and a service call fee but if something breaks they will send someone to fix it and if it can't be fixed they will replace it. It's a nice little insurance policy.

So when the bathtub wouldn't drain again and the thought of climbing around in the tub with my huge belly getting in the way while plunging it and hoping for at least two weeks of good water flow didn't sound very appealing combined with the fact that we were constantly adding water to our floor drain so it didn't smell like ass downstairs, we decided to make the call and get some plumbing taken care of. Of course the home warranty company didn't have any local service technicians, so Mike lined up someone local (two week wait) and then tried a company a bit farther away. That company sent two plumbers out within two hours of his call!!!! Two hours and sixty bucks later (well, we paid the full amount but should be reimbursed all by sixty) our bathtub drains like a dream and our basement smells fresh as can be. I'll need to apologize to the cats because apparently it wasn't their stinky asses after all.

Plus I got some great tips from one of the plumbers:

• WD-40 removes soap scum better than most cleaners, plus, since it is oil-based, it repels further deposits. Use it on bathtub fixtures and glass doors.
• Pouring a cup of bleach into each drain once a week and flushing with hot water in the morning prevents the buildup of soap and other scum deposits, thus keeping drains running freely for years and years.
• A new sewer line typically costs $10,000. If you are going to buy a house, some plumbing companies offer a service of sending a camera down the entire line to check for problems for a minimal cost of about $200.
• If you own an older home with plaster and lathe walls, use a grinder with a flat grinder blade to cut through the walls where you need access (as in upgrading plumbing or electrical). A reciprocating saw causes too much vibration which results in unnecessary damage to the wall.

Now I'm off to take a shower and not stand in two inches of water while I'm doing it!

And Happy Birthday Gee!