The thing about plans is that they always take longer and/or cost more. I had this great idea to tap in to the old well next to the house using a hand pump. I set up the hand pump temporarily on the deck. Thought I'd give it a good workout this summer before connecting it inside the house.
Now a couple years ago I had to plug the old cut off water line as it was leaking water into the basement. It occurred to me it'd make a good backup water source. Once I hooked up a hand pump to it, no water at all came out of it.
I think I'm going to hook up a gear pump right in the basement. That'll bypass all the new line I put in. Of course, it's not really new line. It was gathering dust in a friend's pole barn and I could have it for free. If there's a hole in it somewhere I'd be unable to get water. By testing right at the basement line, I'll know where the problem is.
If it isn't the new line, then it's a matter of grabbing a shovel and following the buried water line back to the old well, perhaps digging up the well itself. Before I do that, I'm going to to think real hard on how badly I want a second water source.
It was all going to be so easy. Just to make it interesting, while working on my deck, my foot went through a decking board. Last summer I'd changed most of them. Should have changed one more than I did.
Typical house project. Start with a simple plumbing connection, end up buying decking boards at the lumber yard.
Keeps me from getting bored.
-Sixbears
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Ah, the "joys" of home ownership. That I no longer have! : ) "Hey landlord, this stuff broke over here!" Actually, I have to pay the first $250 for repairs by the lease, but that's okay. No $10,000 roof jobs, worries over a busted foundation, major plumbing or electrical repairs, storm damage.... How do I spell relief? R-E-N-T : )
ReplyDeleteAre you sure you put enough water in it to prime it?
ReplyDeleteI have found that whatever the project, it'll end up costing twice as much as the budget allows for and take twice as long.
ReplyDeleteWith this house, I ALWAYS have to do 3-4 things before I get to do the project I want to do.
Craig: There's a lot to be said for renting in this economy. Much of what I do here to save money I can't do in a rental. Few landlords would favorably to having several hundred gallons of waste vegetable oil on the property. The clothesline, solar panels, garden, woodstoves, and other projects are also tough sells. Besides, my nut trees should produce well this year.
ReplyDeleteDizzy: pretty sure.
Sharon: Ain't that always the way. A friend asked me to help with a "five minute job." I timed it at 2.5 hours.
crack or hole plus welders epoxy mix equals fixed
ReplyDeletepumps, radiators and gas tanks...
Wildflower
Fortunate you didn't wind up with a foot/ankle injury when your foot went through the deck.
ReplyDeleteWe have the same challenges here. Remove siding to add insulation board and new siding and find a critter nest. Remove the critter nest and find sill rot. Replace sill rot and discover part of the covering on the belly of this mobile is torn down...and on and on it goes.