Holiday Plumbing

Rob, my childhood friend, his wife, Helen and their daughter, Hannah stayed with us over the 4th of July. They all live in Los Angeles, and get home to the midwest all too infrequently. As is often the case their arrival coincided with a small plumbing crisis. The hot water faucet on the sink gave way and was spinning 360 degrees while the water ran full force.

Compounding the problem was the fact that the kitchen sink water lines don't have shut offs. I shut off the main and we survived on drips and buckets of water we filled. I was able to get a temporary fix that allowed the water to go back on before we left for City Park to have a picnic supper and stay for fireworks.

The park was wonderful, the fireworks spectacular, if a little erratic. (There were several 5 minute delays during the display and then they randomly shot off more after most people were already in their cars on the way home.

This morning, after bidding our guests as sad farewell, I took on the faucet. I had gone out to the salvage barn and gotten several faucets so that we could at least get a better fix while we decide what to do long term.

I pulled out the salvaged faucet I had put in last year:


I had a heck of a time removing the threaded posts, but they finally gave way:


Now I had a clear shot at the water lines:


Then I installed separate hot and cold faucets:


This situation is similar to what the original plumbing was like:


The third faucet would have been for well water. Those lines are all cut, and I have no idea where the cistern is, or where the water came into the house. I'd really like to know that.

Here is a shot youngest daughter took of me doing the piled up holiday dishes: