In Which I Have To Call A Plumber On New Year's Eve

Suburban Correspondent, over at The More The Messier, has been sharing stories of a plumbing problem she's having. Her stories are leading me to . . . let's see, reminisce doesn't really cover it . . . maybe re-live is more the word--anyway, I've been thinking of some of my own plumbing nightmares. That's right--nightmares plural.

This is my humble abode. There are many things I love about it. When I first saw it, almost 14 years ago, I loved the big, cul-de-sac lot, the canyon in back, the school my kids would attend. The house itself was too small--only 1100 square feet--but I figured I could change the house. And change it I did. After 2 major remodels the house is 2600 square feet , completely updated and perfect for our family.

The plumbing disaster that Suburban Correspondent's story evokes happened on New Year's Eve 2002. We had, quite literally, just finished adding a master bedroom upstairs and down and adding on to the existing bedrooms. We'd just gotten to our house as part of the progressive New Year's Eve party in the neighborhood. Everyone, including me, had indulged in some cocktails as we were all on foot. The main course was to be at our house.

First, of course, I had to give the grand tour of the remodel. I proudly flung open the door of the new downstairs master bathroom (part of Grownup Girl's new room) and was greeted with an overpowering stench and the sight of raw sewage floating in the tub. If you have a strong stomach and want to see what it looked like, here's a link. If not, I'm sure you're imagination will suffice.

You know all the plumbers that advertise that they work 7 days a week? That does NOT include New Year's Eve. Finding a plumber to come out to your house on NYE while entertaining and feeding those of your guests that still have an appetite? Requires continuous consumption of the alcoholic beverage at hand.

I'm not really sure the plumber appreciated our revelry and champagne toasts as he snaked the line, but I was a very grateful client.

That back-up was the first of several similar incidents (that bathtub being the low point of the house apparently). There were several more plumbers before  the problem was resolved.

I will never forget the conversation/argument I had with a plumber while he, the general contractor and I stood in my front yard. The plumber tried to tell me that the disposal of feminine hygiene products was the problem and that we couldn't flush said products down the toilet. I had the weirdest sensation of thinking, "I cannot believe I'm having this conversation" while I told him emphatically, "I have been flushing tampons in this house for 6 years and in my mom's house for 20 years and that is not the problem!"

Finally the contractor popped for a camera in the line to diagnose the problem--it turned out to be a large nail wedged crossways in the pipe causing "things" to catch on it. I may have crowed a lot little to the plumber--"I told you it wasn't the tampons!" They cut the nail out and that particular problem has never happened again.

Comments

[Smalltown Mom]

I never had the plumbers here on new years eve but they were here in the rain very close to christmas...and one them had a birthday that day...they spent several days digging holes in our front yard to run a new pipe through it...so we would never have the plugged up issues which were NOT caused by tampons (I have never even been allowed to flush them for 20 years here!) but due to tree roots.

[kcinnova]

I, too, have been given the tampon line...but the real problem was a pipe acting as an air vent. We were living in El Paso and all the front & side yards were landscaped with small rocks. Said pipe did not have a little chimney hat to prevent neighboring children from dropping small rocks into the open pipe.
Let's just say I didn't need to click on the link for a picture.
I'm glad it is a distant memory for you, too, Jenn!

[kcinnova]

PS: There's an award for you over at my place!

[Suz]

So funny. Well, it is funny now, but not then I am sure. We too have had our share of water issues....we have a well here and everytime we did anything, new landscape, driveway, addition, pool, there have been numerous issues. I wish I had recorded some of them for americas funniest home videos.
Your house is gorgeous.

[The Cheap Chick]

I'm actually suffering from a plumbing problem AS I TYPE, so this provided a much-needed laugh. Thank you!

[Madge]

Just goes to show you how much men love blaming everything on menstruation.

[kelly]

I've never had sewage back up in my house (knock on wood). My biggest plumbing frustration are these stupid low flow toilets. We have built 2 houses in the last 10 years and you would think that the technology would have gotten better in the time between building house #1 and house #2. But when my 3 yo's BMs can stop up the toilet, all I can say is YOU HAVE GOT TO BE FRICKIN' KIDDING ME! My flushing the toilet 3-4 times as I plunge the darn thing can't possibly be any worse than a real toilet that actually does the frickin' job.

[Chesty Larue]

Its always the hormones, isn't it?

The worst recent problem at my home was when I had completely redone the ceiling in my bathroom only to look up the next day and see water spots from the upstairs toilet that was supposed to have been fixed. Grrr. I think alcohol might have been employed to handle that one as well.

[phd in yogurtry]

Every problem, big, small or nuculear, is due to women's menstruating. Sooner you get that through your pretty little head, the better.

[suburbancorrespondent]

You're kidding me - you flush tampons?

Oh, and the real killer is dental floss - it gets all tangled and snares other things.

[gary]

If you have a rural septic system I suspect you should be careful what goes down the tubes....speaking of which, we had a bunch of days so cold in New Hampshire that the pipe, although buried, filled with ice and....well, anyway.

[Meg]

It was always "tampons" at our house when we have had plumbing problems in the past...

We live out in the country now and are on a septic system that backs up also...we still get the "tampon" line...but get this, my daughter no longer lives at home and I had a hysterectomy three years ago...lol!

Hugs!

[apathy lounge]

Could you come to my house and arrange some lovely potted plants out front? I've got company coming tomorrow. Oh...and you'll have to plant the flowers first. And sweep the leaves. I love the way your house looks.

[magpie]

Argh. No fun. Did the contractor pay all the plumbing bills?

[CC]

nasty nasty nasty!! Don't tell me all this as I think we're have sewer problems right now (aka RATS!). I'm waiting for our car to sell so we can pay for the needed repairs!

[Janet]

You flush tampons??! *shudder* LOL! And I don't know why!

[MamaHenClucks]

We had our sewer back up into our basement bathroom through the floor drain and the shower. Like a geyser. I could actually write an entire post on it, myself, but whoo boy do I know what sewage backed up is like.

[Becca]

stuff a tampon in THAT baby!!
I had to call a plumber on Thanksgiving once. We were eating dinner and heard water running and running and running. Investigating revealed it was the emergency overflow on the hot water heater dumping water into the crawl space at an alarming rate. And it would not stop. Something had blown and the valve was broken open. That was not a cheap day.

[Fannie]

Our holiday house trauma always seemed to center around heating and cooling. Guess it's always something.

[Cheri @ Blog This Mom!]

Sure, blame the woman. It all started with Eve. And what was it after all? A nail. Boo-ya. Go Jenn.

[The Girl Next Door]

UGH you are an amazing woman to save the party after that little "show."

For me it is always the garbage disposal - like on Christmas eve when I'm making dinner for 20 on christmas day. 4 hours lost to snaking the line and digging out potato peelings (Daughter's doing "Oh I just thought you shoved them all in and THEN ran it....). I almost clocked the cousin (EX's cousin!) who complained b/c I didn't get "Grandmother's Homemade rolls" done. I told her "it was the roast or the rolls. I opted for the roast. Have a Pillsbury roll [bit**]"

[Kellan]

Eeeeeeek - there is nothing worse!!

Have a great weekend, Jenn - Kellan

[Susan]

What is this tampon thing? I have always flushed them, are you not supposed to?

[Rebeckah]

Tampons get blamed for too much! Geez Louize!

[Karen]

I admit I couldn't click on the link--I'll have to go with the vivid picture you painted for us...ewwww!!!

I would have loved to have witnessed that argument!

[Angela]

And that is one reason I will never live in a house with only one toilet
glad they got the nail out

[Green Girl]

I hope I'm always on your team--you always seem to win:)

[Tootsie Farklepants]

I just haaaaad to click the link.

[clippymat/pat]

well the plumbing problems inside pale in comparison to the pretty scenery outside. your house looks lovely. so pretty and inviting. love it. :-)

[JCK]

Isn't it amazing how 1 nail could cause such chaos. And more than one plumber could be clueless as to the problem?