Drain Drama

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9 October 2012 at 22:57 · ·

I got the "Ben come up here and see this" call a few minutes ago which never bodes well. 

Not content with removing the edging tiles from the back of the bath (which I've stuck back numerous times) Ferretfingers has removed half a dozen tiles from beside the bath, the plaster behind them and the concrete, wood and bits of brick behind that.  I'm amazed he didn't get as far as the cavity wall insulation.  

Fester went into the bathroom to find him sitting it black gritty bathwater.   

For once Fester was speechless (honest - no noise - no nothing) even when Ferretfingers looked at him and said "Ooh fetch Will Fixit".  

I arrive to find himself trying to wash bits of building material down the plughole using a pint jug filled from the wash-handbasin tap.   

We have a shower.   

The head comes out of its holder so you can wash things down with it.   

Only Dr 3 Degrees finds pushing the knob on the tap fitting too technical.  

So guess who ends up sorting it out?

Doing up the bathroom was next on the list after the loft extension and decorating - but we'd prefer not to have it forced on us.

10 October 2012 at 16:21 · ·

GREAT - now the soilpipe's blocked - fortunately Will Fixit is here and is going back to Jesmond for his rods - I blame Fester flushing mud from pond samples down the sink and everything Ferretfingers picked off the wall which went down the plughole last night.   

Talk about Chateau Midden!
Thunderthighs has had to go and do his post-school wee on the compost heap!   

So tiptoes through the grass barefoot as he hasn't the sense to put his slippers on.
Is it me or do none of the men in this family have any nous whatsoever?

Bess Cavalier Sink traps - I've got little plastic cage things that sit over the plug holes and trap the bits to stop them going down the plug hole - the amount of hair that gets trapped in the one in the shower is amazing.  Although you do have to be quick to shove it in as you pull the plug out if you haven't used the washing up bowl.

Bentonbag It wouldn't be so bad if:
a) I hadn't gone out on Monday morning, cleared all the hair and gunk that was on the grid outside the kitchen, then put soda crystals and boiling water down the bath, wash-handbasin and sink plugholes.
b) I hadn't been drinking lemon tea all day to fend off a cold so now need a wee and have no intention of squatting on the compost heap myself.

10 October 2012 at 16:43 ·

Hooray Will Fixit has fixed it.   

The blockage was caused by a build up behind 2 bits of the vertical soil/stench pipe which must have fallen down and in when they were putting an extra bit on the top for the drains from the loft extension shower-room loo last week.   

They had a helluva job getting the original top bit off as in the 1920s they poured molten lead into the joints to seal them.  

 So I'm not surprised bits on the inside fell off.   

And at least we now have nice clean and sort of inspected drains.   

Much relief all round.