Wow, my kitchen is trashed this morning. Yuck.

[Rabrrrrrr]

I did some cooking yesterday, as well as playing around with settings on my coffee grinder and espresso machine, and was basically in the kitchen a lot. But, it was a holiday, so I said to myself, "It's a holiday - no work!" So I didn't clean much up as I went through the day...

and now there's piles of dishes, appliances and bottles and cans that aren't where they're supposed to be, and other miscellaneous untidiness all over the counters.

Well, something to do tonight, I suppose.

Still, it was worth it - by not cleaning, I bet I gained an extra two hours of reading time yesterday!

[A Cooper]

1. I haven't used my kitchen in years

I feel bad for you because I usually go with disposable dishes. It saves time and it makes it easier to clean up.

[LaurenG]

2. uh-oh

you really shouldn't have said disposable dishes to him. Welcome to DU though!

:hi:

[A Cooper]

4. I break so many of them

If they weren't disposable in the first place they would become disposable after I handled them for a few minutes.

Thanks for welcoming me.

:hi:

[Crystal Clarity]

3. I had a lazy day yesterday too

We all need a break from time to time. It was fun while it lasted :hi:

[Dr. Strange]

5. It was worth it.

[Skittles]

6. I WILL KICK RABRRRRRRRRRRRRRR ASS

THEN MAKE YOU CLEAN THE KITCHEN

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. The kitchen is all cleaned, good madam!

All cleaned!!!!!!!

:scared:

:hide:

[av8rdave]

8. I might have you beat

My kitchen is entirely unusable right now. Thanks to an under-slab plumbing disaster (no basements in this part of Texas), Almost all of my downstairs is being retiled. The kitchen is full of workers, plastic sheeting, tile and tools.

Guess it's an upstairs kind of day (or a few days, actually).

[snooper2]

9. I had the same problem...you could hear the water running from under the slab

And there's a nice crack between the garage and the entrance to the house, water would seep up from there. So step one was to turn on and off the water whenever we needed to shower (This whole process below took about two weeks)

So- first ripped out drywall in garage by hot water heater..no leaks..

then I started digging out back in a corner where the garage and back of house meet...

and digging, and digging..found the direction the water was coming from.

Then proceeded to call my plumber who told me to tunnel under the slab it would be like $400 a foot, minimum 5 feet. So, fuck that, I started digging and digging myself each day after work. Got about two foot down under and behind the footer and realized it could take me days, as I didn't know how far back the leak was. (Main comes in from front of house, kitchen on back wall)

So, I had plumber come back out and this time he used his listening tools and walked the slab back and forth to try to pinpoint the leak. He pointed to a spot and said right in there. (No charge- he's a good guy just never shows up when he says he will :) )

Next I went straight to the equipment rental place and picked up a jackhammer. 15 minutes of work and I found the hot line, and then the cold, and the leak. A little ass pinhole in the bottom of the copper pipe from rubbing on a rock for 35 years. Plumber came out and welded (you can't solder the joints under the slab) a new section in for $130. So for about $200 total got it fixed. Could have been $5000

Luckily the kitchen was already half destroyed from ongoing remodeling...


I still have the 3" piece of copper with the pinhole :)

[av8rdave]

11. I still have my piece of pipe with the hole as well

Unfortunately, I had the slab guy do all the work, but it was just as well because all the flooring (tile) had to be replaced. It set me back my insurance deductible. If it happens again, I think I know what/how to do it, and will take care of it the way you did.

Turns out in my case, the leak had been going for some time without my knowing it, so I had to wait a while to reinstall flooring, and had to hire a structural engineer to be sure the slab was OK (it was, and insurance covered that cost).

I did learn a few things from the experience:

Concrete is corrosive to copper. If the builder ran copper directly along the concrete slab, the pipe will eventually be compromised.

If the pipe is crimped/creased at a bend, the water will eventually erode through it over a long period of time.

Running plumbing supply lines under the slab is one of the stupidest, shortsighted things a builder can do, but they nearly all do it here because it's quicker and cheaper (surprise, surprise). It's a great deal for the slab/plumbing business, though.

If you're ever concerned about the condition of your slab, hire a structural engineer. Will cost you a couple hundred bucks, but you'll get an unbiased evaluation. If you call a foundation repair company for a free inspection, they WILL tell you that a major repair is necessary.

[snooper2]

13. How did you get homeowners to cover it?

I was told that they only cover everything "above" the slab...

So basically was on my own to get it repaired.

I do need some piers on both sides of the garage as it's sunk a little and pulling on the rest of the structure. Also not covered by insurance...

[av8rdave]

14. My policy includes all plumbing issues, including below the slab

They'll pay for the slab penetration and repair, but won't pay for the actual plumbing repair, which is completely weird. Fortunately, teh actual pipe repair is a pretty small chunk of the bill.

They are also covering floor replacement and repainting. All in all, they've been a pretty decent company over the years, as far as insurance companies go.

If you're military or former military (or you have a relative that is), check out USAA.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

10. A kitchen hint:

Put the lid on the coffee grinder before you turn it on.

That's what I read somewhere.

:hi:

[Inchworm]

12. Welcome to my world

I keep trying to get in the habit of cleaning as I go but fail. I found I do better in the winter :D

:hi: