When I stepped up to the refrigerator, as I went about my usual after work business of fixing of chilled drinks for us, my foot made a squish sound. It was water. There was a nice wet spot surrounding the fridge. I pulled it away from the wall to see water leaking from the coupler connecting the ice maker input line to the supply line. Dang. I hate plumbing.
I headed out to the garage and my tool box to get a couple of wrenches. I was not to be so lucky, just tightening the fitting had no effect on the leak. So outside I went to shut off water to the house. I really hate plumbing. With a trip to my local home warehouse store imminent and the water to the house off, I figured now was time to take a look at the kitchen faucet that had developed a drip. You could get it to stop by turning it off and then moving the handle a touch. Move it too little or too much and the leak stayed or even get worse, but I had mastered this shut off maneuver. On the other hand the major faucet user was not to happy with the arraignment. What the heck, Valentine’s Day is coming up.
At the store I bought the new washers and springs for the faucet and also the little ball on a stick thing controls the water flow. I bought a new coupling and as a extra precaution bought some of those little white plastic crush rings (or whatever they are really called.)
Back home I put all the new faucet pieces in and buttoned it up. Next I put the new coupling on the water line. I went outside and turned the water to the house back on. The faucet worked like a charm and was an instant hit with the spousal unit. The coupling on the ice maker water line was spraying a fine mist of water all over the place behind the fridge. And just like the first time, tightening it a little more with the wrench had zero effect. Back outside to turn off the whole house line again. Have I mentioned I hate plumbing?
I took the new coupling off and put the old one back on using two of the new white sleeve things. Success, no leaks (he writes, as he simultaneously knocks on wood.) Pushed the refrigerator back against the wall, but coiled the ice maker water line in such a manner as to leave the coupling easily visible for frequent checks.
By the time everything was tidied up and the tools put away it was much too late to cook dinner at home. Acropolis, here we come. Large Greek salad to split and a gyro each. Water for her and iced tea for me.
Tip: $3.00
Spent Today: $21.50
Year to Date: $355.17
Miata Top Transitions since 01/01/07: 43
I hate plumbing when it goes wrong. Otherwise I am extremely happy with it. Since I’m not into that whole squat in the woods thing. I have a friend whose kitchen faucet was spraying water all over the place. I told her to get me a pair of pliers. I proceeded to remove the end of the faucet and clean off the screen. I retightened everything and voila she had a nice stream of faucet water. She was AMAZED. “HOW did you know to do THAT??” I just shook my head and questioned if that National Merit Scholar certificate she had was printed on her own HP laser.
“I hate plumbing when it goes wrong.”
Which is why I hate plumbing, it always seems to go wrong. For the next 4 to 6 weeks every time I hear the words ice, water, refrigerator or plumbing, or even walk through my kitchen, I will be imagining that one time I will come in the kitchen and find an inch of water on the floor and the water line to the fridge dancing like a cobra being tamed by a snake charmer all the while spitting out a steady stream of water.
When you had the water shut off, it would have been a good time to install an on-off valve behind the regrig as well as under the sink. That way, you don’t need to turn off water to the house in order to fix the minor leaks that spring (pun intended) up from time to time. They are easy to install and are a great convenience. You are probably good for now with your repairs, so I would wait until the next leak to make the repairs.
This would have been a major inconvenience to you if it happened when the hardware store was closed and you needed to have water running for other uses.
Carol’s comment about the Natl Merit Scholarship caused me to think – I am certain that people used to think the same about me when it came to car repairs. Most things are easy of you have the right tools and good instructions. With the proliferation of the internet and sites like Miata.net, I can now tackle all of the repairs that I have the proper tools to complete.
Mike – The kitchen faucet has shut off valves, they are 50 years old and no longer totally stop the water flow. As for one for the ice maker line, with my plumbing prowess, why generate another possible leak point. Plus when we had the sprinklers put in a few years ago I had a bigger pipe run to the house with a nice 1/4 turn shut off valve that is easy to get to and operate.