Called a Plumber

B

Blue Collar Guy

Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Joined
Mar 25, 2017
Messages
2,838
Location
New York City
Just as i was sitting with mom , I hear water falling on the floor. As i race to her bathroom I see the tank is over flowing. I hit the turnoff valve mop upo the spill. Some how the float (some plastic widget) will not shut off the water when the level rises. Do what I do best. "Honey call a plumber". Its Sunday July 4th weekend. I wonder how much they are going to punch me in the throat for? I told the bride if its under $500 we are lucky. The part is probably 20 bucks. hahaha. I called the builder, He said no problem Ill send someone on Wednesday or Thursday , he was on vacation in Pennsylvania. Home adviser to the rescue. Someone will be here sometime tonight. Classic negative cash flow situation.:LOL::(. Imagine if i wasnt there, talk about a mess and damage.
 
Blue Collar Guy said:
Just as i was sitting with mom , I hear water falling on the floor. As i race to her bathroom I see the tank is over flowing. I hit the turnoff valve mop upo the spill. Some how the float (some plastic widget) will not shut off the water when the level rises. Do what I do best. "Honey call a plumber". Its Sunday July 4th weekend. I wonder how much they are going to punch me in the throat for? I told the bride if its under $500 we are lucky. The part is probably 20 bucks.
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Yep, to replace the all the innards of a toilet might be $20 if you go to a high-priced place.

Youtube is your friend:

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=toilet+float+valve+replacement
 
This actually looks like a repair I can handle. The videos were great. I have a 100 % feeling I just need to replace the top portion. That being said, the bride has reminded me that If Mr Murphy, Of Murphy's Law is bored he will visit me in the middle of this 15 minute repair. She said she has no desire to hear me cry about how I broke something and now we are "in a pickle". I have made a command decision, one of the videos said they should be replaced every 5 years. Im going to see if after he slaps me around for the Sunday house call, will he cut me a break and replace the other 3 at a discount. We are here 5.5 years. I did replace the flap once in that bathroom, cost me less than 5 bucks. It was one of the universal ones that just snap on.
 
Blue Collar Guy said:
This actually looks like a repair I can handle. The videos were great. I have a 100 % feeling I just need to replace the top portion. That being said, the bride has reminded me that If Mr Murphy, Of Murphy's Law is bored he will visit me in the middle of this 15 minute repair. She said she has no desire to hear me cry about how I broke something and now we are "in a pickle". I have made a command decision, one of the videos said they should be replaced every 5 years. Im going to see if after he slaps me around for the Sunday house call, will he cut me a break and replace the other 3 at a discount. We are here 5.5 years. I did replace the flap once in that bathroom, cost me less than 5 bucks. It was one of the universal ones that just snap on.
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I literally just replaced a flapper five minutes ago. Since I am rubbish at DYI, this makes me feel like a Manly Man doing Manly Men Things. For a few brief shining moments, I will entertain the thought of replacing the shower stall and the plumbing. Am I not a Manly Man? Have I not a Wrench? And a pair of Channel Lock Pliers? I can see my wife looking up at me with adoring eyes as she timidly squeezes my bicep...

Then I see the fountains cascading down, the downstairs ceiling collapsing, the wood floors ruined, my wife looking up at me with eyes that are anything but adoring, and I content myself with replacing a five buck flapper.
 
Nightcap said:
I literally just replaced a flapper five minutes ago. Since I am rubbish at DYI, this makes me feel like a Manly Man doing Manly Men Things. For a few brief shining moments, I will entertain the thought of replacing the shower stall and the plumbing. Am I not a Manly Man? Have I not a Wrench? And a pair of Channel Lock Pliers? I can see my wife looking up at me with adoring eyes as she timidly squeezes my bicep...
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You left out the duct tape.:D
 

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NYC has always been a very "special" place for getting repairs done. Here's my favorite story.

1981, July 1st. I'm leaving Brooklyn after visiting my parents and I have to get back to California where I lived at the time. I start up the car (Volkswagen diesel Rabbit) only to find the transmission is utterly hosed. I have 2nd and 4th gears, but no reverse, 1st, 3rd, or 5th.

Over that day and the next I contact every VW dealer and every independent VW repair shop I could find, and get the exact same story from every one: "Bring it in after the holiday and we'll take a look at it."

But I have to get to California by the July 6th. I'm in the Air Force and there's no such thing as not being present for duty.

So I did the only thing possible. I drove from Brooklyn to LA in three days flat, using only 2nd and 4th. Every time I stopped, I had to be sure I was facing a slight down slope with nothing in front of me, because I had no reverse gear. Slept overnight in Missouri and Colorado, and got to LA late at night on the 5th, utterly exhausted. Remember this was in the days of the national 55 mph speed limit.

I made my assignment next day, and that evening I took it to a VW dealer in the Valley. Told him the problem, and the guy said "That sounds easy. Probably just the shift plate that needs adjustment." Two hour later I had the car back, working perfectly, no charge.

That episode is etched in my memory and to me it says everything about NYC and the rest of the country in terms of service attitude.
 
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Sounds like you have a couple of issues. The tank fill valve isn't working properly and the tank overflow pipe is clogged. The overflow pipe should stop the tank from flooding if(when) the fill valve malfunctions.
 
Nightcap said:
I literally just replaced a flapper five minutes ago. Since I am rubbish at DYI, this makes me feel like a Manly Man doing Manly Men Things. For a few brief shining moments, I will entertain the thought of replacing the shower stall and the plumbing. Am I not a Manly Man? Have I not a Wrench? And a pair of Channel Lock Pliers? I can see my wife looking up at me with adoring eyes as she timidly squeezes my bicep...

Then I see the fountains cascading down, the downstairs ceiling collapsing, the wood floors ruined, my wife looking up at me with eyes that are anything but adoring, and I content myself with replacing a five buck flapper.
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OMG, Too funny, ty you expressed my feelings wonderfully.
 
zinger1457 said:
Sounds like you have a couple of issues. The tank fill valve isn't working properly and the tank overflow pipe is clogged. The overflow pipe should stop the tank from flooding if(when) the fill valve malfunctions.
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I will point that out to him as well. Thanks for the heads up, Im sure that little gem will cost another hundred.
 
braumeister said:
... that evening I took it to a VW dealer in the Valley. Told him the problem, and the guy said "That sounds easy. Probably just the shift plate that needs adjustment." Two hour later I had the car back, working perfectly, no charge.

That episode is etched in my memory and to me it says everything about NYC and the rest of the country in terms of service attitude.
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I had a similar experience with a 1975 VW Dasher. The shift plate had some bushings in it that were only available from the Parts Department if you bought an entire new shift plate. So I paid $50-plus in 1970s dollars to replace some bushings that probably were worth a quarter apiece. Classic VW parts support. I hate 'em.
 
You can buy a whole new toilet for less than $100 at Costco. They are only held to the floor with 2 bolts and a wax ring.
 
travelover said:
You can buy a whole new toilet for less than $100 at Costco. They are only held to the floor with 2 bolts and a wax ring.
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Shhhh!
Are you trying to drive the entire economy down the toi...
Wait.
I mean,
Yeah, but you really want the good stainless steel bolts and pure beeswax rings, and it's best to hire a professional to ensure proper placement.

No, never mind.
Yeah, this whole thing is kinda whacked out, isn't it?
 
travelover said:
You can buy a whole new toilet for less than $100 at Costco. They are only held to the floor with 2 bolts and a wax ring.
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Yeah, I didnt know about this, Ill tell you what I did know at the time. Builder said " Go to the plumbing showroom, pick out what you like". Neon lights, placing dripping in marble. They didnt serve caviar or champagne but it looked like a one of those fashion runway settings. Everything we picked out was followed up with a phone call. "gee the stuff you picked out was over the budget." Like I knew what budget he had for things. He told me to pick out what we liked. The tile showroom was a bigger shock. We picked out hand painted Italian tiles at $47 a pop. I told the guy when we returned show me the machine painted tiles made in China. He said we dont sell any. We wound up eating all the overages. On the hand painted tiles not all were $47 just the ones that are at the border. I just counted 81 of them.
 
Blue Collar Guy said:
the bride has reminded me that If Mr Murphy, Of Murphy's Law is bored he will visit me in the middle of this 15 minute repair.
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I do a lot of home repair. I can pretty much do anything however, it always takes me longer than planned because of Mr. Murphy. Something always comes up. Most times it's not actually Mr. Murphy per se, but because I refuse to do anything have ass. So usually a few trips to the store are needed and often the part I need is not at the local hardware . . .

So, I've found it better for my constitution many times to just let someone else do it. Yes, it costs money but I get my weekend back for that money and usually, that alone makes it worth it.
 
Blue Collar Guy said:
I will point that out to him as well. Thanks for the heads up, Im sure that little gem will cost another hundred.
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He's the plumber. He should tell you what's wrong and fix it.

Let's us know what the problem turnend out to be. I've replaced a few fill valves when the water won't shutoff but never overflown. Somebody said a clogged overflow pipe. What would clog an overflow pipe? It's only water that runs through it.....
 
Jerry1 said:
I do a lot of home repair. I can pretty much do anything however, it always takes me longer than planned because of Mr. Murphy. Something always comes up. Most times it's not actually Mr. Murphy per se, but because I refuse to do anything have ass. So usually a few trips to the store are needed and often the part I need is not at the local hardware . . .

So, I've found it better for my constitution many times to just let someone else do it. Yes, it costs money but I get my weekend back for that money and usually, that alone makes it worth it.
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Thank you, As much as i Like/love to save money at this stage of my life Ill let them do it. :).
 
Jerry1 said:
So, I've found it better for my constitution many times to just let someone else do it. Yes, it costs money but I get my weekend back for that money and usually, that alone makes it worth it.
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I'm finding myself doing this much more often now too. While I might know how to do it, the pain I'd have to endure from my knee and shoulder to get the job done often makes it worthwhile to just pick up the phone.
 
Jerry1 said:
So usually a few trips to the store are needed and often the part I need is not at the local hardware . . .
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Over a lifetime of DIY, I've learned there is one iron-clad rule about plumbing repairs. No matter how small the job, it always requires three trips to the store.
 
If the Toilet is clogged, the overflow pipe wont work will it?

All the water must ultimately go down the toilet...

Also re: the wax ring...old technology!!!! See the new SaniSeal waxless gasket....about 15.00 on Amazon. Comes with two toilet bolts. You can install Two of them on each other if your floor is uneven!

Try a plunger first to unclog the toilet. Maybe the toilet is clogged and the water filling the toilet tank pushed the float up where it kept running.

Was the water coming from the toilet bowl or tank? (OK re-read see you said the tank).
 
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Lcountz said:
...

Was the water coming from the toilet bowl or tank?
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Best comment. The tank is the reservoir with the flapper valve and the ceramic cover. The bowl has the seat bolted to it. MAYBE the tank was overflowing from the handle area (lower than the rim), but I'd bet on a plugged bowl.

This morning I addressed a tenant complaint - shower going from proper temperature to over-hot while she was showering. Sounded like someone flushing a toilet as one is showering. Four units there, up and down, back to back. Tenant reported hearing a toilet refilling every few minutes, so first some calls to find out who has the faulty john. Once that was determined it was just a quick visit and replacement of flapper chain. Tenant hadn't wanted to bother me (wonder if their rent is going to be late) so had the tank lid off and was lifting the flapper by hand and not getting it re-seated properly. Cost me less than an hour for the fix, including drive time, and got two happy tenants. Not bad return on effort.
 
braumeister said:
Over a lifetime of DIY, I've learned there is one iron-clad rule about plumbing repairs. No matter how small the job, it always requires three trips to the store.
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OMG, never were truer words spoken. I used to be fairly good at DIY jobs (even if it did take those multiple back and forth trips to the store). But even though I know I'm paying a LOT, it sure is easier to just write a check to the plumber.
 
Replacing the valve ass'y in the tank is a fairly easy job. That is until you go to shut off the water supply valve and it hasn't been turned in 20 years and won't shut off the water. Or if it will shut off the water, the 20 year old packing on the stem will leak when you turn it back on. Been there. Done that.
 
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