G
Guest
·Please excuse the length of this post but I want to explain the situation so that I may get some sort of definitive answer and I thank you all in advance. I am a single woman, living alone and have no idea about plumbing.
This month the city worked on a water line across the street from my house. They dug up the street in a direct line to my home. That day I was leaving on a plane, turned on my shower and no water. I was angry with them for cutting off the water (I assumed) without informing me first. Turns out I was wrong. My neighbor happened to stop in and when I mentioned the water she assured me that she had water and was, at that moment, washing clothes. I knocked on all 5 doors in the complex, all had water and had not experienced an interruption in service.
I took my shower at her home, had to leave for the airport and called the city to advise them that they needed to fix the problem as my home had no water when I left. I returned to my home a week later. No water. Called the city, had the guy come out. He took out the meter in the street, cleaned it out, got water and came in to say all was well. Nope, I still had no water. He then said that I needed a plumber and it would cost.
I called the city. They took no responsibility until I had all my neighbors assure them that my problem happened at the exact moment they were digging. They admitted perhaps there was a 'surge' of debris into my home and sent their authorized plumber to check out all of my lines. My water was brown, pressure was way low and sediment is coming from all the faucets and shower heads etc.
They agreed to clean out screens in faucets, change filters in water purifier and make sure toilets are working properly BUT they can not, and will not, assure me that the pipe (which is under the house, under a cement slab) is not filled or clogged and in the future, maybe a few months down the road, won't unclog, let the debris loose and screw up all the appliances again. The plumber told me he has no way of getting to the pipe.
OK, I am not a plumber, just a lowly homeowner but it sounds logical to me that if the pipe under my home broke they would HAVE to access it. I agree with him that I don't want men digging in my living room but, couldn't a thing like roto rooter (for lack of a better word) get in that incoming water pipe and either break up the clog if there is one or make sure there isn't one? Am I expecting too much, worrying too much and being a pain to the plumber?
If there is sediment, debris, whatever in the pipe will it work itself loose and is it harmless? I usually trust a tradesman that comes to my home but this man (although he has his own company)works on claims for the city and it's the city that I do NOT trust. Thanks in advance for either telling me to lighten up or assuring me that I have cause for concern. Linda
This month the city worked on a water line across the street from my house. They dug up the street in a direct line to my home. That day I was leaving on a plane, turned on my shower and no water. I was angry with them for cutting off the water (I assumed) without informing me first. Turns out I was wrong. My neighbor happened to stop in and when I mentioned the water she assured me that she had water and was, at that moment, washing clothes. I knocked on all 5 doors in the complex, all had water and had not experienced an interruption in service.
I took my shower at her home, had to leave for the airport and called the city to advise them that they needed to fix the problem as my home had no water when I left. I returned to my home a week later. No water. Called the city, had the guy come out. He took out the meter in the street, cleaned it out, got water and came in to say all was well. Nope, I still had no water. He then said that I needed a plumber and it would cost.
I called the city. They took no responsibility until I had all my neighbors assure them that my problem happened at the exact moment they were digging. They admitted perhaps there was a 'surge' of debris into my home and sent their authorized plumber to check out all of my lines. My water was brown, pressure was way low and sediment is coming from all the faucets and shower heads etc.
They agreed to clean out screens in faucets, change filters in water purifier and make sure toilets are working properly BUT they can not, and will not, assure me that the pipe (which is under the house, under a cement slab) is not filled or clogged and in the future, maybe a few months down the road, won't unclog, let the debris loose and screw up all the appliances again. The plumber told me he has no way of getting to the pipe.
OK, I am not a plumber, just a lowly homeowner but it sounds logical to me that if the pipe under my home broke they would HAVE to access it. I agree with him that I don't want men digging in my living room but, couldn't a thing like roto rooter (for lack of a better word) get in that incoming water pipe and either break up the clog if there is one or make sure there isn't one? Am I expecting too much, worrying too much and being a pain to the plumber?
If there is sediment, debris, whatever in the pipe will it work itself loose and is it harmless? I usually trust a tradesman that comes to my home but this man (although he has his own company)works on claims for the city and it's the city that I do NOT trust. Thanks in advance for either telling me to lighten up or assuring me that I have cause for concern. Linda
