Repairing the Water Line, Part Deux

Repairing the water line has been my main focus for the past month or so.  I can't list this property for sale until I get this fixed.  When I left two weeks ago, the last part to be repaired was that compression coupler.

I took it apart and couldn't see anything wrong with it - it didn't look cracked.  So, I cleaned it up and then replaced the PVC pipe with a longer one that would slip into the coupler better and then I used coupler that was already there.  I drove over to the hardware store (the water department officer runs the hardware store) and asked to have the water turned back on.  He closed his store and came over.  I stood next to my repaired line and hoped for the best.  There was a v-e-r-y  s-l-o-w  drip. Like once every 5-6 seconds. 

Oh well.  Nothing else to do but turn off the water again and follow him back to his store where I bought a new 3/4" x 3/4" compression coupler.  Back at the farm...  I cut off the leaking coupler.

 

I brought a wire brush with me to try to clean the metal pipe a little so the rubber ring inside the coupler could get a better grip.  After I put it together, I realized that I had forgotten to put plumbers tape on the grooves before I screwed the two end caps together, so back to the hardware store to get the tape. 

 

I had whittled away most of the afternoon, but by 4:30 I thought I had it fixed.  Back to the hardware store I went.  He came by and turned the water on, and it seemed to hold!  Yahoo!!!  I went inside and turned on the water in the bathtub and was very pleased!  I turned the water off after I took this photo and went outside where I could get a signal on my phone.  I wanted to send the photo to my friend M.

 

I was about to hit 'send' when I heard a gurgling sound...

 

 

Apparently when I fitted the PVC pipe into the coupler, it didn't slide it in far enough.  The PVC was only about one inch into the coupler - I should have shoved it all the way up against the metal pipe.  And since I hadn't buried the rest of the PVC pipe yet because I wanted to make sure there weren't any additional leaks, there was just enough slack in the trench for the pressure to push the PVC out of the coupler. 

 

I hurried back to the hardware store before it closed to ask the officer to come turn off the water, again.  I'm not discouraged though, I know where my mistake is and when I go back in two weeks I can fix it.  I know this may sound crazy, but I'm enjoying doing this - I'm learning so much!  Now I know when my next adventure comes along, I'll be ready to tackle it.

 

I haven't surrendered, I haven't given up, I'm just here waiting for the Lord to direct me to my next adventure!

 







Repairing the Water Line

I drove up to Moody Girl Farm last week to get started on repairing the broken water line.   My handy man had gotten the trench dug when I visited two weeks ago, so all I would have to do this trip was push the PVC pipe into the trench and then repair the main break.  Or so I thought.

 

 

The trench revealed the old water-line pipes.  The light color pipe is PVC, the lower darker pipe is metal and probably the original from the 1940's.  I wanted my water line to go beneath the two pipes, but digging here is like trying to break up concrete. 

 

 

I brought a 3/4 inch slip x slip union with me.  So then I cut the PVC, pushed it under the first pipe (PVC) and used the slip union to put it back together.  I admit I watched a couple you-tube videos and actually took notes.  I left the foam insulation around the pipe although I'm not sure how much help it will be.

 

 

 

The next part of the repair that I'll do this next weekend will be reconnecting the PVC to the metal waterline where it broke from.  I'll take extra PVC pipe with me since the old one is now a wee bit short.  I'll need to cut off that connector on the metal pipe that comes from the meter at the street to the house, I'll cut it an inch or so away from the connector.  My son has a Sawzall that he'll loan me for this.  I'll get him to show me how it works, get the 'safety' instructions, and probably borrow a pair of leather gloves.  Once the old connector is cut off, I can sand the end so the new connector will have a good bond. 

 

The folks at the Water Department will be on stand-by, ready to come turn the water on once all the work is complete.  I'll be standing right next to my repaired lines, hoping they hold!  And I'll try to remember to take more photo this time. 

 

 

In the meantime, I haven't given up, I haven't surrendered, I'm just here waiting for my next adventure.