Home repairs from hell
I've just spent the last two days dealing with the worst mofo backed up kitchen sink you can imagine. Last night, SO and I stopped up the garbage disposal and attacked the main sink with a plunger. We brought up some interesting gunk (I've lived here eight years and my hair isn't black, so that was pretty gross) but despite all our efforts, the almost complete stoppage remained.
Today I attacked the sink with three separate sessions of Drano. I don't like using chemical drain openers because they're so environmentally harsh, but the situation was getting pretty desperate. I also plunged again before and after each application, which you should NOT do because if chemical residue is in the pipe, it can splash back up and cause injury. (This didn't happen to me, but you still shouldn't do it.) Finally, I gave up and consulted the Google.
Most of the advice I saw was standard drain opener-plunger-snake-call the plumber, and I was just about ready to give in and pay for a professional. I tried one more site, though, and am I ever glad I did: I found an article noting that in modern homes, the dishwasher drain is usually linked to the sink drain, so plunging a sink without blocking the dishwasher drain usually doesn't result in enough pressure to move a clog because the water simply backs up into the dishwasher.
I opened the dishwasher, and sure enough: NASTY WATER!
Nas. Tay.
The article went on to say that if you have a sink and garbage disposal whose drains are attached to a dishwasher drain, you should do the following:
1. Block the sink drain
2. Run the rinse cycle in the dishwasher (I just opened the drain, since it was already full of nasty water)
3. When the dishwasher is draining, run the garbage disposal
I did that, and the clog was gone in seconds. I'm out $15 for Drano (but I can get up to $8.75 back by sending in a claim against their money-back guarantee since it didn't work). Nevertheless I decided that fixing the problem myself without having to pay for a plumber just might be the best feeling in the world.
For some truly horrible images of home repairs and other DIY's gone awry, take a look at this site: There, I fixed it.
Do you have any good home repair tips to share?
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5 retorts:
congrats on fixing it yourself, isn't it empowering?
two weeks ago everything I had put down he garbage disposal was in my bathtub, and when I went to clean it out the water just sat there, it would take 12 hours for 2 inches of water to drain, yuck. Draino and plunging didn't work, not even the industrial really dangerous drain opener. Google revealed to me that plumber might cost $300 to snake my drains, so I bought one myself, spent three hours trying, failed, gave up and went to watch TV and sulk.
Then I decided to try the snake one more time...and I did it!! no problems since!
I only wish I had saved my receipts to get my money back guarantee on my draino...but I tossed it.
No good tips this morning, but I'm sorry I laughed so hard at the imnage of your dishwasher discovery! I used to spend my vacation time fixing freeze-damaged sprinkler plumbing, cleaning gutters, and filling countless bags with fallen tree debris. I miss my house, but I LOVE having someone else take care of the maintenance in my rental, now!
MtnMama has it right. Arrange things so someone else does the work. I say make lots of money and pay someone to do this kind of stuff.
Really, my wife told me before we married that she was a lousy housekeeper and that it wasn't going to change. Fine with me, we can just pay someone to come in and clean once in a while.
I don't feel like I have any right to assume that because she is my wife and a woman that she will do all the cooking and cleaning. At least not any more than she expects me, her man, to know all about plumbing, electrical, and cars. Neither us arrived on this earth with "how to" manuals embedded in our psyche.
We both cook a bit and clean a bit and without complaint. Never enough to stress out on. If we start to feel the stress, it's time to call in the experts.
BW - YES, it's totally empowering! Good job sorting out your drains. I am not sure how I'd react to seeing the contents of my garbage disposal in my bathtub. I'd like to think that the first thing I'd do is laugh.
MtnMama - Glad you got a chuckle out of that. Yup, there are definite benefits to renting - I bet you love not having to spend so much time headfirst in home repair.
Gord - Paying someone else to do the stuff is all well and good, but honestly, I like being able to fix things by myself. I also actually like doing domestic stuff like cooking and cleaning. It makes me feel good, it really does. I realize that not everyone is wired the same way, and I'm glad that you and the Mrs. found a way that works for you.
Ahhhh... the joys of home ownership. I can't wait.
Poor ol' renter me has to call the landlord to fix stuff every time something goes wrong.
Can't wait to be an owner... :-)
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