I hate plumbing

[sammyg2]

It started out as a slow drain from the garage sink to the main last weekend.
Had to snake it with 5/8" snake, about 40 feet (thanks to harbor freight).

Got it flowing but was still a little slow, added some enzyme drain stuff. Then i put it in all the drains.
That broke free all the stuff on the walls of the pipe and the next day it clogged worse. Snaked again, then a power flush with water, all is good.

Two days later the kitchen sink clogs. I take off the P trap and it snaps in half, old brass deal. Of course it's a really old design they don't sell anymore so I'm under the sink modifying stuff. Got that fixed and went to the other sink side and snaked it with 1/4", got it open and flowing good. But the other side is leaking now, gotta replace the thin 1 1/2" pipe coming down from the sink. Then I'm running to buy a new sink bowl drain, finally finished after 5 trips to the store.

Note to self: that enzyme stuff works great, iffn you use it all the time. If you haven't used it in a long time, it tends to clogs everything.

What's the difference between a mechanic and a plumber (besides the crazy billing rate)?
A mechanic puts his butt where a plumber puts his face.

I could never be a plumber for a living. I'd hate it too much. Maybe that's why they get away with $200 an hour.

[Taz's Master]

People that never did that kind of work (plumber/carpenter/mechanic...) often believe they are being cheated. It is important to understand why you are willing to pay someone else to do the work. Good help may be hard to find, but it is worth it.

[wdfifteen]

A plumber once told me, "****e runs downhill and payday is Friday. That's all you need to know." You're saying he was wrong?

[Taz's Master]

What if you live at the bottom of the hill?

[1990C4S]

ABS drains are much better.

The worst part of plumbing now is that solder that doesn't contain lead. Much harder to get a good solder joint now.

[GH85Carrera]

I love plumbing. I hate outhouses and no running water.

But I do understand what you mean.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

A plumber once told me, "****e runs downhill and payday is Friday. That's all you need to know." You're saying he was wrong?

You forgot the third part of plumbing. "Never ever lick your fingers"

[fastfredracing]

I actually sort of like plumbing, although I will admit that I hate clogged drains. Nothing worse than getting a clogged pipe open only to be showered with someone else's poo. But I enjoy running pipe. Most of the rental houses we buy have been visited by the midnight plumbers, and it is my job to put all the plumbing back together. My partner calls me the cellar dweller because I always spend my first couple of weeks at a new house in the basement trying to get the water back on and everything flowing again.
The key to plumbing is having all of the supplies you need. I usually have a pretty good idea of what I need before I start, but usually end up making a few trips to the hardware store/box stores for little fittings and what not.
Plumbing kind of fits right in with being a mechanic , same sort of gig. It does piss me off though that plumbers charge 4x what mechanics make, and the work is usually not as nearly as technically difficult.
When I need a pipe or fitting, I just shoot right up to the Lowes, but when working on cars ,when I need a pipe or fitting, I have to call the dealer, look at a bunch of parts diagrams, and then wait 2 days for it to show up.

[dhoward]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

A plumber once told me, "****e runs downhill and payday is Friday. That's all you need to know." You're saying he was wrong?

Don't bite yer nails...

[scottmandue]

Yep... gotta put a new goose neck in the bathroom (slow drain)... and on the bathtub (rusted out vent)... and fix the toilet.

Putting off as long as possible.

[RWebb]

you can reduce your plumbing problems by getting rid of all trees near the drains, and all kids...

[dhoward]

Or by using the trees...

[gr8fl4porsche]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

The worst part of plumbing now is that solder that doesn't contain lead. Much harder to get a good solder joint now.

Just did some copper pipe mods in my laundry room. Used the new water based solder. After it failed and I pulled it all back apart, recleaned and resoldered with the standard paste, I immediately threw the water based crap in the trash!

[Gogar]

Originally Posted by gr8fl4porsche

Just did some copper pipe mods in my laundry room. Used the new water based solder. After it failed and I pulled it all back apart, recleaned and resoldered with the standard paste, I immediately threw the water based crap in the trash!

Yes, but someone's got to think of the children. What if some child licked that lead solder joint? Plus, it 'creates jobs.'

[URY914]

Hot is on the left.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

The Three Rules of Plumbers:

1. Schit flows downhill
2. Always know who the boss is
3. Payday is Friday

PVC pipe. Know it, live it, love it. Never deal with a solder joint again.

[yetibone]

Originally Posted by URY914

Hot is on the left.

That's the fourth rule of being a plumber.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by Gogar

Yes, but someone's got to think of the children. What if some child licked that lead solder joint? Plus, it 'creates jobs.'

you are making fun of a very serious issue - Lead is highly toxic and has very strong sub-lethal effects on children.

[Rick V]

I worked for a plumber for a few years, before I started wrenching. I hate plumbing.

[peppy]

I always heard it was

1. Hot on the left
2. Cold on the right
3. $h*t won't flow uphill