P!ss and Moan Time

[Mr442]

  !@#$%&*!!!! water leaks!!!!!!!!!!
Got a call last week from the kind folks at the Dana water dept.  I had used 15,000 gallons of water, with nobody at home!   The meter was turning as they stood there, so they shut the water off.  I went down last Friday to find and fix the leak, and finally got it finished on Sunday.  Someone previous to me had T'd into the main line between the meter and the house to install an outdoor hydrant.  Sure enough, one of the fittings had sprung a leak under the ground. 

I tried digging it out by hand, but finally gave up and called in a back hoe to dig a decent hole I could get down into and work.  After a few trips to the store for parts and pieces, I eventually I had it repaired.  I had to do some "adjusting" to get things to fit right and not leak.  It took some time, but it should be good for many years to come, or at least until I get it sold.

We spent a couple more days there doing some things that needed done.  Got rid of the dog door in the porch wall, and closed up the hole.  Replaced a piece of vinyl fascia on the garage that had blown off last summer, while I had some help.  Did some more sorting and hauled off another load of trash (aka, stuff we had kept too damn long)

All in all we had a fairly productive few days, but I sure hated that leak.

[followsthewolf]

Man, you sure got my sympathy. Been down that flippin' road with two different houses -- leaks in the service line to the houses.

Costly and a true bitch to fix.

Glad you're done with it.

Get a couple of brews and relax. 

[The Troll]

!@#$%&*!!!! water leaks!!!!!!!!!!
Got a call last week from the kind folks at the Dana water dept.  I had used 15,000 gallons of water, with nobody at home!   The meter was turning as they stood there, so they shut the water off.  I went down last Friday to find and fix the leak, and finally got it finished on Sunday.  Someone previous to me had T'd into the main line between the meter and the house to install an outdoor hydrant.  Sure enough, one of the fittings had sprung a leak under the ground. 

I tried digging it out by hand, but finally gave up and called in a back hoe to dig a decent hole I could get down into and work.  After a few trips to the store for parts and pieces, I eventually I had it repaired.  I had to do some "adjusting" to get things to fit right and not leak.  It took some time, but it should be good for many years to come, or at least until I get it sold.

We spent a couple more days there doing some things that needed done.  Got rid of the dog door in the porch wall, and closed up the hole.  Replaced a piece of vinyl fascia on the garage that had blown off last summer, while I had some help.  Did some more sorting and hauled off another load of trash (aka, stuff we had kept too damn long)

All in all we had a fairly productive few days, but I sure hated that leak.

  I know about those in the ground shut off valves, have fixed a few.  I tell people don't ever put in a below ground valve unless the in no other way to do it.  If you do, dig a large hole and fill it with good sand.  Because if you live there long enough you will have to dig it up.    Nothing is forever but bad luck.   

[Mr442]

Damn this heat and humidity!  Spread some mulch this morning before it got too unbearable, then jumped on the mower and cut the grass.  In the shower again by noon-thirty, had some lunch, then fell asleep in the chair.  My ass was/is dragging.

[me]

From what I keep hearing the rest of the week is going to be worse. 

[Palehorse]

At least you have grass. I have hay that is extra crunchy too! 

[Mr442]

Grass is a relative term for all things green that I mow.  I did have a dandy fine crop of buck horns growing.

[The Troll]

Grass is a relative term for all things green that I mow.  I did have a dandy fine crop of buck horns growing.

  Buck Horns, oh how I love Buck Horns.  As a kid my dad's main green crop was buck horns and I have to mow the lawn with a hand push reel type mower.

  First I would mow the lawn and then go back and hand whip the damn things down.  Guess what, there are no dandelions or buck horns in my lawn and we have a self propelled 7hp rotary mower.     2, 4 D and True Green will kill them. 

[me]

  Buck Horns, oh how I love Buck Horns.  As a kid my dad's main green crop was buck horns and I have to mow the lawn with a hand push reel type mower.

  First I would mow the lawn and then go back and hand whip the damn things down.  Guess what, there are no dandelions or buck horns in my lawn and we have a self propelled 7hp rotary mower.     2, 4 D and True Green will kill them. 

Might want to think twice about using that kind of stuff if you have a well.   

[The Troll]

Might want to think twice about using that kind of stuff if you have a well.   

  After being in the water condition business and have had schooling on the water table and how water percolates down though the various rock strata.  Nothing that you put on your lawn will get in you well, unless your well has not been properly sealed in.   

  If your well has not been installed right, you are more indangered from your septic tank and animal waste and ecoli bacteria.  As far as weed killer getting into you well, you have to worry about the farmers miles away and what herbicides they are putting on their fields.  Their chemicals are really polluting our waters, our wells and streams and lakes.

  I think it's to late to stop it, but I wouldn't be surprised that some day all of the people with wells and towns and cities will have to have OR (reverse osmosis) systems on their wells. 

[Henry Hawk]

  After being in the water condition business

Hey what is the best water softner I can get?.....Are those salt free devices that are being advertised any good?

[The Troll]

Hey what is the best water softner I can get?.....Are those salt free devices that are being advertised any good?

  Most of all of the brand name water softeners are good.  All of the softening resin inside of them is the same chemical mix.  The last time I check they were only 4 companies that made the special plastic resin beads.  The resin and salt is what softens the water, the rest of it is a valve and a couple of plastic tanks.

  But the main thing I think is important is getting the best price.  SHOP around.  Culligan is good but is way way over priced, somebody has to pay for all of that advertising, the owner, the service manager, the secretary, the salesman who makes a good commission for selling it and the service man who installs it.

  Look for a local plumbing company that has been around for a good time and is well recommended.  I don't care what water softener you buy they all will have some problems with the timer motor or the valve, the resin bead are usually a life time thing.  Then the most important is having a good company with good service someone who know how to work on the softener they sell and  the parts in stock to fix them.

  Also I wouldn't by one that is all electronic.  I just can't see, is salt, water, water vapor and electronics that you put under one cover on one water softener.  The only thing these electronic wizards will tell the owner is, Your Out of Salt or Call for Service.  the only thing on my units had was one electric motor.  The head was made by Auto-Toll.

  I sold over 150 softeners at my full time job Ford Motor and had no unhappy customers.  You know what would have happen if is sold bad units to my fellow workers. 

  The electric units that use magnets, electricity are all a fraud, some states have banned selling them.  If they worked these units would use to soften the water on big boilers.  They claim to keep the hardness in suspension and will not stick to your  pipes or water heater.  I don't know about that.  But I do know they don't remove the hardness (limestone) Iron from you water.  The frauds will not soften  your water.

  Soft water will cut the soap in your washer over 50%.  Give you a great shave, great for washing your hair and shower.  Make  your clothes last longer and your plumbing, your dish washer, your water heater last longer.  The only thing you can't do is water your plants or lawn with it.  it's to expensive and will kill the plants slowly.  But, I wouldn't get rid of mine just because of the wonderful shower and shave I get.

  So Henery, shop and if you have any question post me and I tell you what I think.  I haven't sold any water softeners for the last 4 years, except some manual I put together for the RV trailers up at my campground.  You don't need a manual for you trailer do you?    I have always believed that when you bought one of my softeners you bought me and my service.  Good Luck.  I will say if you don't have a softener, your wife will love it and so will you. 

[Mr442]

What is up with the evil alliance between UPS and USPS?  Earlier this year I ordered an item on line, paid for it, and waited for delivery.  After a while I check on-line tracking and see a statement that I had refused delivery, so the item was returned to the vendor.  UPS had handed the item off to USPS (the post office) for final delivery.  The damn package never made it out of one of the Indy post offices, they just sent it back!

This morning I go on-line to check on another order and see that UPS has handed it off to USPS, and USPS claims they were unable to deliver, so they left a notice for me.  Let me tell you, there was no such attempt made, nor was there any notice left.  I go to the local post office to see what the hell is going on, but they were unable to tell me anything, because all rural mail delivery for Jamestown now comes through Brownsburg.  The girl did give the Brownsburg phone number, so I called them and explained what had happened so far.  The lady there did call the carrier and confirm the package was in his vehicle, and would be delivered today. 

Now I sit and wait.

[me]

What is up with the evil alliance between UPS and USPS?  Earlier this year I ordered an item on line, paid for it, and waited for delivery.  After a while I check on-line tracking and see a statement that I had refused delivery, so the item was returned to the vendor.  UPS had handed the item off to USPS (the post office) for final delivery.  The damn package never made it out of one of the Indy post offices, they just sent it back!

This morning I go on-line to check on another order and see that UPS has handed it off to USPS, and USPS claims they were unable to deliver, so they left a notice for me.  Let me tell you, there was no such attempt made, nor was there any notice left.  I go to the local post office to see what the hell is going on, but they were unable to tell me anything, because all rural mail delivery for Jamestown now comes through Brownsburg.  The girl did give the Brownsburg phone number, so I called them and explained what had happened so far.  The lady there did call the carrier and confirm the package was in his vehicle, and would be delivered today. 

Now I sit and wait.

Hum, wonder if Fed Ex is doing that too 'cause I ordered something for mom online and it shipped Fed Ex and mom said USPS delivered it. 

[damfast]

That happened with three items i ordered!  Two items from ebay, and one from an electronics store.  Said delivery via fedex.  the tracker showed it went to the post office for delivery....got em just fine, but took about 5 days.