Went to the basement early this morning and thought maybe I smelled gas. Took a shower (how dead can you get?), which clear my sinuses, and went back to check.
Yep. Very localized. That's the good news.
Gas company showed up with a sniffer and pro-grade bubble soap (it's the touch of corn syrup that does it). De nada. So he did a pressure test.
Yep. Pressure drop. He shut off the gas. That's the bad news.
I went calling for a gas plumber and it took two hours of looking to find one who could come out today. Gas company, probably won't see them back 'til Monday -- if we can fix the problem. That's bad news, too.
Also, I'm losing a day's pay, which I kinda ain't got.
One bright spot, the gasman did get the stove out of its niche and showed me how to open up the top -- I hadn't been able to get it to release. So it's not running, but at least it's clean now.
Heck with that -- ever hear of Mean Mary? Somewhere at the intersection of old traditional folk songs, country and Wyndham-Hill-type acoustic is where you'll find her. It's a good sound. Iron Horse hauls some traditional approaches to the "lonesome train" trope out to the woodsdhed and puts 'em to work. Wherefore Art Thou Jane reminds me of a certain redhead.
Watched it.
ReplyDeleteAll that's missing is a big. black dog!
gfa
It's the water heater. It's always the water heater. (Although gas range burner valves are notorious for being leaky too, but not many people put them in the basement.)
ReplyDeleteNope. It's the pipe between a galvanized L and a galvanized T, which was replaced after the home inspector found it leaking when I was buying the house. I think I know why it failed. This time they're coming out and the whole thing will be replaced. Total will be around $1K. Can't really afford it but blowing up would be a lot more expensive.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt. I've done my own gas plumbing but only under duress. Good idea to get someone with insurance to do it instead.
ReplyDeleteI cringed a bit when you said galvanized because I was taught "no way no how" could you use it with gas, but the Writ of All Wisdom, which is Google, says it's okay in some jurisdictions. Learn something new every day.
It ain't okay in this one. I suspect that dodgy repair was from the same sack'o'bastids who charged to "replace" the unsecured, "permanent" air filter in the furnace (essentially a giant Scotchbrite(tm) pad 3/8" thick) and did exactly nothing.
ReplyDeleteThey've been off my holiday-card list ever since I checked through the inspector-mandated repairs and found it. It wasn't shiny galvanized, or I'd've caught it back then, so maybe they just reused existing and didn't care or didn't notice.
Glad you found the problem BEFORE it decided to go boom...
ReplyDeleteYes. This is a case where "failure to fire" is a GOOD thing.
ReplyDeleteWeekend of cold showers at Roseholme cottage??
Weekend of warm-water sponge baths, standing in the tub.
ReplyDelete(I'm sorry boys, all applications for volunteer help have been passed out already.)
Having been volunteered for such duty, I can vouch for the fact that it's not nearly as entertaining as one might hope. The patient tends to regard it as the lesser of two evils, and, well, misery loves company.
ReplyDeleteGlad you found it. Round these parts we had a house go kablooey a couple days ago.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.abc15.com/dpp/news/region_west_valley/peoria/peoria-home-explosion-atf-local-teams-investigating-what-caused-fiery-explosion
Glad you found it, without excitement. Glad I was able to avoid making suggestions re: Huck's diet.
ReplyDeleteWe wound up buying a Coleman Hot Water-On-Demand Portable Water Heater after the earthquake of '01 left us sans gas, and therefore hot water, for a few days. (Runs on propane Tanks.) We've only needed it a couple of times, but it's handy, and has available garden hose and shower attachments, so you could use it to take a nice hot shower.
Price seems to have gone up a bit...
Can you imagine the conspiracy theories if Rose Holme had gone kablooie?
ReplyDelete"The home of notorious gun bloggers and right wing Tea Partiers {sic.} Miz Ecks and Miz Kay mysteriously exploded..."
I suspect a lot of us who normally deride conspiracy theories might have been distraught enough to be hit that one ourselves.