When it ain't one thing it's another

Earlier this week it was the little Whit giving me fits, and this morning about an hour ago it's PLUMBING

Sitting on the throne and the kitty walks in and around the B room, then hops in my lap with sloppy wet paws

Looking by the tub reveals a puddle of water.

We had a failure in the shower valve in the wall a year ago and had replaced it (After having to cut this Huge Effing hole in the wall)

Same game but this time the new safety shut off I had installed to make life "More Gooder" split right up one side.

CHEAP MADE IN CHINA CRAP

You can't buy decent plumbing parts, as everything is made over sea's

Anyway, nuff on the plumbing.

Great to have tools and things to fix stuff with, and yeah, it was 0 dark 30 on a Sunday morning.

Buuuttttttttttttttttttttttttt, I have spare parts on the shelf, so no need to run to town.

This lesson has been learned by me far too many times on too many things

HAVE SPARE PARTS HANDY

Cat is fully equipped, but gentle

We have a little Sphynx cat. (PICCY) kitty has very little fur, about like velvet

The new valve is a Shark bite (Made in Australia) quality stuff.

I bought the other valves at ACE Hdwr

Never again.

Going to replace the faucet in the kitchen (worn out) and it will not be china POS.

Top quality plumbing is made here, HOW DEEP YOUR POCKETS

$500 FOR A TOP FLIGHT KITCHEN SET and then the price heads north at warp speed

The stuff in this shack are all Monogram Brass.

20+ years on well water has taken its tole.

Can't really complain though.

Fleetwood triple wide, made in 93

Poly bute pipe.

Stuff is fine on well water but chlorine is hell on it.

Problem we have is the minerals and such in the water.
Water is not hard, but the calcium buildup fouls the faucet swivels and then the shut off's get screwed up.

The Sphynx cat is like a FUR CHILD, not so much like a cat.

Acts more like a dog.
COG a good mix.

Speaking of mouse holes to fix showers.

Buddy of mine was having a $500k shack built over the other side of the hill from me and his missus ordered up this fantastic/extravagant kitchen with Solid Oak cabinets (No particle board) all tile back splashes and the works.

The master bath shower is on the back side of the kitchen wall, with "you guessed it" the shower control buried in the wall behind those BEAUTIFUL cabinets and tile back splashes.

During construction I warned him that the layout was a terrible plan.

I suggested that the opposite hand shower was in order with a Rat hole in the stem wall between the shower and the pot.

Hang a picture or a mirror over the hole.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo, the contractor was adamant that there would never be any reason to have to get in there NEVER, EVER.

THESE JUST NEVER FAIL

6 months after they moved into the palace, I get a frantic call that there is water pouring from under the bathroom wall.

There were no shut offs to the shower.

The ended up cutting the shower up and taking it out.
It was replaced by the opposite hand and an access put into the wall.

Ahhhhh

So stupid to build crap that way.


I just pray that I don't have any more issues.

The down stairs is all fixed with access rat holes.

Triple wide on a full daylight.

Far more fun to talk pellet stoves

Plumbing off

Snowy

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa

There is far less troubles with the out house for sure.

We had one here when I was youngster (up to about 6 yo)

Having a few standard items that can patch up a crisis and get thing operational is handy though

I have real become fond of the "SharkBite" fittings

They fit copper, pvc, cpvc and poly butylene.

Trim and debur the pipe, STUFF THE FITTING ON and your done.

Requires a little hand held tool to release the fitting.

The are top notch and so easy to use.

My idea of spares spans my two stoves as well as the plumbing.

Having a complete "kit" for one toilet (includes parts kit for the tank) water shut off at the floor, flex hose and a wax unit.

Easy to store all these in a plastic snap lid storage box in the utility room cupboard, right by the boxes that have parts for the two Whitfields.

Another box has a selection of circuit breakers that fit the house and the out buildings.

Just a selection of things that can and do go south at very inopportune times

Nooooo, you can't be prepared for every eventuality, but you can be ready for many of the common ones.

If the dish washer quits, ahhhh well, shut the water off, unplug it and do dishes manually for a few days till repairs can be effected.

You can't have parts for everything ?????

I have spare controls for the washer and dryer stuck in the same cupboard, yessss a spare set of drive belts too.

These new appliances have touch pad controls.

Spent one Sunday morning with the dryer controller torn apart on the dining room table patching up a burned trace on the circuit board and soldering in a new relay.

Could not get the real deal, but found one rated for the load and hard wired it in and secured the little critter to the outside of the board with silicone RTV

5 YEARS AGO, it's still in there too.


A box with stove gaskets (the odd stuff you can't buy locally) plus a fresh tube of RTV (Swap it yearly)
Door rope gaskets
Feed motors (2 spares)
Draft fans for each stove
Room air fan (common part)
Igniter for the Quad
Thermocouple for the Quad

Various sizes of wire (rolls)
Fuses
Crimp connectors
Butt splices

Common electrical parts that are used on each.

When the refit is all done and both stoves are running on my design of panel, the relays timers and such will all be backed up with spares.


Nooooo, I don't have a spare roof on hand, but generally keep a couple cans of "Through the roof" (Camel snot) roof sealer on the shelf.

BE PREPARED

Only time and my health issues have slowed me down.

Used to be hell on wheels

I don't like inconvenience, and a lack of parts to fix stuff really sets me off.