Unless You Dwell In A Cave, There Are Things You Should Know

Reflex action caused me to answer that ringing land line, although I expected it to be a solicitor. It’s a good thing I did, because there was an emergency down the street. A plumbing emergency — and if you’ve ever had one of your own you know how dire it can be!

“Shelly!” my neighbor shouted. “Help me! There is water pouring out of my walls and I can’t turn off the water!”

“Heeere I come to save the DAAAAY,” I sang out, in my best Mighty Mouse imitation, as my shirt popped open to reveal my superhero costume beneath. I dashed down the stairs and out through the garage, grabbing the “water shut off tool” that stands (ever ready) in the corner by the door. It’s a long “T-shaped” bar that has a “claw,” similar to a wrench, on one end.

I raced up the street to find that she had already removed the manhole cover over the water valve and was now dancing around flapping her arms, like a chicken with its head cut off. Calmly, I placed the “claw” end of the bar against the lever and turned. Voila! The water ceased to flow into her house. From her phone call until the time the water was cut took all of three minutes.

My neighbor thanked me profusely, as if I had turned water into wine. “It’s not rocket surgery,” I demurred.

We went in to survey the damage. Her bathtub was filled with water that had overflowed to the floor, and one faucet handle was on the floor. “What happened here?” I asked.

“The faucet kept dripping, and I thought I would fix it,” she replied.

I bit my tongue … hard … to keep from telling her something she should have known. I told her to call a plumber to finish the repair, knowing that the plumber would tell her what I wouldn’t. He did:

All day yesterday, I considered the difficulty that my neighbor faced and I realized that there are several things that EVERYONE should know, whether you are a home owner or renter. At first glance, these things seem like just “common sense,” but we don’t get taught these things in school AND we often don’t learn them until we have a need for them.

I’m going to list a few, and hope that you will add to the list from your own hard-won store of knowledge.

1. Know where the meters are for ALL power that comes into your home … and know how to turn off that power.
   • Water: Know where the water meter is and have a “water shut off tool” in your possession. You can purchase it at any hardware store. Also, know how to turn off the water at the toilets and at the sinks (make sure the valves turn easily before you have an emergency).
   • Electric: Locate your fuse/switch box. If you have fuses, know how to change them. If you can, label the switches so you know what part of the house they control. [From hard-won experience, if an appliance stops working, check the switch to make sure it hasn't "blown" before you call an expensive repairman ... I'm just sayin'.]
   • Natural gas or butane: Know where the meter is and how to turn it off. Know that if you turn off the natural gas to your home you must get it inspected by the gas company before you turn it back on.
2. Keep the tools you need for repairs in a readily accessible place (they won’t do you any good in an emergency if you have to dig for them). I have a friend who laughed at me for having an ugly plunger next to my commode. “That belongs in the garage,” she said. I beg to differ. If your toilet is “plugged,” you want that plunger before it overflows.
3. Attempt home repairs only if you know what you are doing! What might seem like a very simple faucet repair could turn into catastrophe if you blunder. Remember:
   • NEVER attempt an electrical repair if you do not have the skills!
   • Turn the water off before attempting plumbing repairs (and the electric off if you are crazy enough to still attempt that electrical repair).
   • If you decide to try that DIY repair, do it on a weekday! If you botch the job, you want to be able to call a professional. Try that repair on a Sunday and screw it up? If you can find a professional who will come on a weekend, it will cost you an arm and a leg.
   • Keep the telephone numbers of a good plumber and a good electrician on speed-dial.

That is the “short list” of things I think it is important to know. I could start listing things to know about the furnace and the a/c and on and on. If you know this much, however, I think it’s a good start.

Anybody want to add their two cents? I’m betting you have all dealt with a home emergency or two in your time. Tell me what you think should have been added to the list. Inquiring minds want to know.

Other posts you might enjoy:

1. Letting Go Of Scary Things
2. Throwing In The Towel
3. Listening Skills
4. The Cave
5. Water

Tagged as: advice, home disasters, repairs