When Plumbing Pipes Explode
When we were at the lake house two weekends ago and the water pressure was less than stellar, I thought that something was afoot. Then, I ventured down into the basement to discover that at weekend’s end, my newly filled chemical tank (to get the Ph up to a neutral 7 in order to hit the iron filter—lake living ain’t always easy) was empty. That was oddly suspect. Still I didn’t suspect a plumbing leak, because everything was dry as a bone within the house. So I strolled down to the dock to put up our lounge chairs and on the way back up, I heard the dancing of a babbling brook. That sound is distinctly different than the gentle lapping of lake waves against the cement sea-wall. I had one of those unpleasant “a-ha” moments when things crystallize and all the pieces fall into place. I traced the running water up the hill and began to dig. Sure enough, we had an underground plumbing leak from the PVC pipe running to the dock’s faucet. Happily, it was easy to find and excavate. I saw quickly that the PVC coupling (connector) was cracked and water was gushing from the break. I sprinted to the house and disconnected the water from the main.
On the way back to Atlanta, we debated whether we could figure out how to fix the break or whether relying on a licensed plumber was the best bet. Ultimately, I thought that we could handle it—we own a renovation company after all. (Disclaimer: That is not the same as being a specialist in the various systems repairs!)
I went to my friend Google.com and typed in how to repair a PVC plumbing leak and got some good information. It looked like we simply needed a hacksaw, plumbing primer & glue, a pipe the same size (3/4 inch), and two couplings to connect the 5 inch new pipe. I thought that the toughest part of the repair would be cutting out the pipe without severing the electrical wire directly beneath it. Also, working in a muddy hole would not be joyful.
We cut the line with graceful aplomb and then our first problem cropped up. I had purchased 1 inch pipe, not ¾ inch. Oops. Off to the local hardware store, which is a lovely place and also a voyage back in time 70 years or so (no computerized system, no register, people that help you the moment you hit the front door). Bar codes are like Mandarin Chinese to this store.
PVC Compression Fitting
When we returned with a compression fitting, a definite departure from the plan. The foresight of the salesguy, that we might have a hard time working with an inflexible pipe buried in the ground, was a genius idea. The combination of the compression fitting and the coupling and bit of pipe went together like butter. Two hours later, the glue dried and we were back with water on in the house. We figured that we saved $165 dollars on a plumbing fix by figuring it out ourselves.
But…this could have gone the other way with no success and a geyser in the yard, so the key is to know your own limits and hire pros when there is danger involved or if you need the repair to work in a specified window of time.
