5963 PL - the results
the Potting Shed founded, 7-20-07
temporary roof patch put on, fall/2008 (?)
the Potting Shed founded, 7-20-07
temporary roof patch put on, fall/2008 (?)
termite treatment, 2-6-09
structural inspection, and initial report, 7-1-09
termite re-inspection: no termites, 9-9-09
pesticide treatment, house and yard, 9-16-09
temporary boarding put in, in the hot water heater room, 11-17-09
structural inspection, and initial report, 7-1-09
termite re-inspection: no termites, 9-9-09
pesticide treatment, house and yard, 9-16-09
temporary boarding put in, in the hot water heater room, 11-17-09
Behind the refrigerator - capped, but still connected
Photo by Scott Beall, Plumbing Express, 703-461-0344
Behind the refrigerator - capped, still connected
Photo by Scott Beall, Plumbing Express, 703-461-0344
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Refrigerator, not yet moved downstairs
Photo by Scott Beall, Plumbing Express, 703-461-0344
Paragraph.
The refrigerator is now in its new location, downstairs, thanks to Latino's Moving, 703-642-2727, who did a super job of moving it!
Plumbing news (since a plumber was needed to disconnect the refrigerator):
1) Water leak on floor under kitchen sink (noticed by, and focused on, by Plumbing Express, as being more major than the water drip):
The water leak on the floor under the kitchen sink seems to have been caused by the dishwasher air gap (the thing on the right-hand-side of the sink), that needed to be replaced.
However, there could be further water leaking through spills onto the Amway water treatment system auxiliary faucet, which needs a new rubber gasket (estimated cost: $165), or preferably (because it has some corrosion), replacement. But, the water treatment system is two models back, and Amway no longer carries an auxiliary faucet that would fit it. I'm an Amway distributor (Amway anniversary date, 7-18-1982), but I haven't been able to afford to get the new water treatment system yet.
Also, I need a new replacement filter, but that might not be available, either, and I can't afford it, either.
Dishwasher air gap replaced, 9-10-10.
2) the water drip, from the kitchen faucet
Replacement cartridge put in, and the aerator tightened, 9-10-10.
It no longer drips, and that will really help me on this reduced-income budget (see details elsewhere).
3) the cold water turn-off valve, at the kitchen sink, needs to be replaced
4) the downstairs toilet doesn't work, and I would like to replace it (with one like the one upstairs), when I can
afford it
5) all the piping is polybutylene, and needs to be replaced with copper piping
6) I would like to figure out what order to do things in, to redo the two bathrooms, when I can afford it. However, the structural engineer will be able to help me with that, when we get to that, two structural engineering reports from now (#1, already completed, was sagging floors (not caused by termites), and termite damage; #2, coming up soon, will be the whole front entranceway, roof to hot water heater crawlspace; #3, when I can afford it, will be the two bathrooms; #4, when I can afford it, will be the kitchen and possible deck).
7) Plumbing Express referred me to a possible contractor that could re-seal the grout, instead of replacing it, as a possible less-expensive, and maybe temporary, option
1) Water leak on floor under kitchen sink (noticed by, and focused on, by Plumbing Express, as being more major than the water drip):
The water leak on the floor under the kitchen sink seems to have been caused by the dishwasher air gap (the thing on the right-hand-side of the sink), that needed to be replaced.
However, there could be further water leaking through spills onto the Amway water treatment system auxiliary faucet, which needs a new rubber gasket (estimated cost: $165), or preferably (because it has some corrosion), replacement. But, the water treatment system is two models back, and Amway no longer carries an auxiliary faucet that would fit it. I'm an Amway distributor (Amway anniversary date, 7-18-1982), but I haven't been able to afford to get the new water treatment system yet.
Also, I need a new replacement filter, but that might not be available, either, and I can't afford it, either.
Dishwasher air gap replaced, 9-10-10.
2) the water drip, from the kitchen faucet
Replacement cartridge put in, and the aerator tightened, 9-10-10.
It no longer drips, and that will really help me on this reduced-income budget (see details elsewhere).
3) the cold water turn-off valve, at the kitchen sink, needs to be replaced
4) the downstairs toilet doesn't work, and I would like to replace it (with one like the one upstairs), when I can
afford it
5) all the piping is polybutylene, and needs to be replaced with copper piping
6) I would like to figure out what order to do things in, to redo the two bathrooms, when I can afford it. However, the structural engineer will be able to help me with that, when we get to that, two structural engineering reports from now (#1, already completed, was sagging floors (not caused by termites), and termite damage; #2, coming up soon, will be the whole front entranceway, roof to hot water heater crawlspace; #3, when I can afford it, will be the two bathrooms; #4, when I can afford it, will be the kitchen and possible deck).
7) Plumbing Express referred me to a possible contractor that could re-seal the grout, instead of replacing it, as a possible less-expensive, and maybe temporary, option
Paragraph.
Next goal: a shoring plan
Then, installation of the poles, under the kitchen and upstairs bathroom
(these will be metal poles, with jacks, and a long bar, that I will use to retighten the jacks, and
tighten them further, every few months)
Then, installation of the poles, under the kitchen and upstairs bathroom
(these will be metal poles, with jacks, and a long bar, that I will use to retighten the jacks, and
tighten them further, every few months)
Shoring plan completed, in an on-site meeting with ETC and Stillwater Construction. 11-3-10 pc
Between the shoring plan finalization and the installation of the poles, a water pipe burst.
It was the line to the former ice-maker location, that had been previously capped off, in the kitchen.
Now, it needed to be capped off downstairs, below the kitchen floor.
However, when Scott Beall, of Plumbing Express, tried to cut the line, it was so brittle that it snapped off at the connecting pipe.
So then he "cut the 3/4 line, and put a shark-bite coupling on one end and a shark-bite T on the other end, added a 1/2-in. CPVC line, and capped that off."
Here are the pictures:
It was the line to the former ice-maker location, that had been previously capped off, in the kitchen.
Now, it needed to be capped off downstairs, below the kitchen floor.
However, when Scott Beall, of Plumbing Express, tried to cut the line, it was so brittle that it snapped off at the connecting pipe.
So then he "cut the 3/4 line, and put a shark-bite coupling on one end and a shark-bite T on the other end, added a 1/2-in. CPVC line, and capped that off."
Here are the pictures:
First, a previous repair.
a previous repair, near this, but perpendicular to it - Plumbing Express didn't do this one, and it was before the Potting Shed was founded, even
Then, the before and after pictures, for this repair.
before - the curved pipe going off to the right has burst (it goes to the now-removed refrigerator/ice-maker, which had been in the kitchen, upstairs)
picture #1 of the two 'after' pictures
picture #2 of the two 'after' pictures, repair and photos by Scott Beall, of Plumbing Express (www.plumbing911.com) - rotate this picture 90 degrees to the right, to compare with the 'before' picture
My understanding is that Scott tried to cut the line to be capped off, but it was brittle and it broke off in the existing pipe juncture, so then he had to replace both the "T" fitting and one of the pipes it was connected to, the one that goes through the joist, I gather because the end of that pipe had also broken off in the existing pipe juncture. See the explanation above all the pictures, which he gave me in plumbing language.
The pole installation is complete, 11-16-10 pc.
Shoring plan by ETC (Engineering and Technical Consultants, 410-740-2233).
Repair by Stillwater Construction (www.stillwaterconstruction.weebly.com, 703-431-4450
Shoring plan by ETC (Engineering and Technical Consultants, 410-740-2233).
Repair by Stillwater Construction (www.stillwaterconstruction.weebly.com, 703-431-4450
Two of the three poles. Photo by Eric Masters, of Stillwater Construction.
All three of the poles. Photo by Eric Masters, of Stillwater Construction.
The footing. Photo by Eric Masters, of Stillwater Construction.
