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Water water absolutely bloody everywhere
Mar. 6th, 2012 11:51 amAfter going into the office at 7am yesterday to get some last-minute things prepared for a demonstration, I enjoyed a comparatively massive evening and was looking forward to a more leisurely-paced morning today. What actually happened was that I came downstairs and went into the kitchen, immediately thinking that the washing machine was sounding a bit loud. Then I realized that I was the first one up and nobody could have put the washing machine on.
Then I found this.
The water heater had burst and for an unknown amount of time that night, had been absolutely Glasgowing water out its back and into the basement. Oddly, even though I'm normally easily stressed, I was sufficiently tired for my reaction to be more along the lines of "Oh, that probably shouldn't be happening", twiddled some of the valves at random to see if I could stop the tide, and was then able to Google a reputable plumber straight from my phone - it's at times like these that I really appreciate living in 2012. Fifteen minutes later, they immediately saw that the bottom had just given out due to its age, and came round and installed a replacement - it only cost us $1000, far less than I had thought for a new heater and emergency installation, and hopefully it'll be the last we have to spend on it for at least the warranty period of six years.
Considering the office space is in the basement, we had surprisingly little damage - we have concrete floors with rugs on them, which proved super-absorbent as the water miraculously didn't quite reach the computer. Meanwhile, the sump pump was going at it like mad, and when I looked outside at the grate in our front garden, water was shooting up out of it with the drain cover balanced on the top of the fountain, like in cartoons when someone runs into a fire hydrant. Next door, though, seemed to actually get the worst of it - fortunately nobody lives there just now and we've just about been able to clean up all the evidence before the estate agent comes round to see what's going on.
Now I really need a shower.
Then I found this.
The water heater had burst and for an unknown amount of time that night, had been absolutely Glasgowing water out its back and into the basement. Oddly, even though I'm normally easily stressed, I was sufficiently tired for my reaction to be more along the lines of "Oh, that probably shouldn't be happening", twiddled some of the valves at random to see if I could stop the tide, and was then able to Google a reputable plumber straight from my phone - it's at times like these that I really appreciate living in 2012. Fifteen minutes later, they immediately saw that the bottom had just given out due to its age, and came round and installed a replacement - it only cost us $1000, far less than I had thought for a new heater and emergency installation, and hopefully it'll be the last we have to spend on it for at least the warranty period of six years.
Considering the office space is in the basement, we had surprisingly little damage - we have concrete floors with rugs on them, which proved super-absorbent as the water miraculously didn't quite reach the computer. Meanwhile, the sump pump was going at it like mad, and when I looked outside at the grate in our front garden, water was shooting up out of it with the drain cover balanced on the top of the fountain, like in cartoons when someone runs into a fire hydrant. Next door, though, seemed to actually get the worst of it - fortunately nobody lives there just now and we've just about been able to clean up all the evidence before the estate agent comes round to see what's going on.
Now I really need a shower.
