Workshop Renovation 2004
If you have been following the amazing
workshop renovation project, you will already be aware that on January 4, 2004,
I decided to install a shut-off valve that leads to one of my water spigots
outside because of problems with it freezing up during cold nights. During this
installation, a leak developed at the main shut-off under the house when I
turned the water back on. It will be a tricky repair job because of where it is
located, and a myriad of other challenges relating to that particular area.
Check back later this month to see if I am successful !
Update - January 19, 2004
Due to a variety of factors, including my
absence for almost a week while I was down in New Orleans on business, I have
yet to start this repair. It has been very cold in recent weeks, with
temperatures sometimes getting down in the teens ! I am way too old to lay on
my back in a puddle of water for hours on end when it is this cold outside. As
soon as I have a warm day, I plan to start this repair.
Update - March 07, 2004 - 8:00 am
OK ... I can't wait any longer. Last
night I heard the leak for the first time. This means it is getting bad.
No more excuses. Time to go ....
For those of you who have never had the
pleasure of crawling under my house, this is my crawlspace. There is a lot
of room here ... it gets tighter in spots.
This is my main shutoff valve ... appears to
be having a problem.
This is the section that comes in from the
blue holding tank from the well. I will be replacing all of the pipe and
related connections from this point over to ...
.... this point, where the copper reduces from
3/4" to 1/2" and turns into CPVC.
As you can see, this area is going to be
especially fun ... have to put in a new shutoff valve, a "T" that joins the main
copper line to that gray plastic thingy (which supplies water to the new
bathroom), then sweat a 45 degree angle to line up the copper to the ultimate
destination where it joins the CPVC. It is about 8:00 am now ... heading
to Lowe's to get some CPVC pipes and glue. I have all of the other stuff
... I hope. Let's see how long this takes. Start timing me ....
March 07, 2004 - 12:24 pm
Well ... it is 12:24 pm. Been to Lowes
... cut out the bad section ... cut, sanded, soldered, and glued the new pipe
section together. See close-up of the new shutoff valve below:
Here it is ... new vs. old. Now all I
have to do is drag this thing under the house, solder one end, glue another end,
and put a compression fitting on the third connection. Then turn on the
well pump and see what happens ! Start timing me again ...
March 07, 2004 - 2:56 pm
Well, I have installed the newly created pipe
section, but ran into a small problem (surprise ??). There is a 4" X 4"
beam that was placed under the floor joists years ago to prevent a sagging floor
and doorframe. As luck would have it, that beam is in the EXACT place
where I need to attach the plastic pipe to the compression fitting. The
end I had to glue and the end I had to solder did fine .... and what I thought
would be the easy part is now causing additional delay. Getting ready to
go under and cut away part of the beam, then finish the installation.
March 07, 2004 - 4:07 pm
Finished ... if you define finished as being
once again capable of obtaining water. If you mean, am I satisfied ?
Nope ... not comfortable at all with the angle of the pipe coming into the
compression fitting. I will need to go back and modify that in the near
future. In the meantime, if you hear a sudden gush of water, that means
that the compression fitting did not hold. Turn off the well pump.
Quick ! And if you are expecting a picture of the finished product, you
will have to wait ... I will be damned if I am crawling back under the house
again today ... geezzzz ... I am getting too old for this !
