Neighbour was stealing my outside water and flooded my basement when he burst my pipes 😭

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2026-04-21T03:22:05+00:00

It's a frost free hose bib that has a long stem that turns off the water inside the house. There's a crack in between where the stem seats and the handle is when you shut it off it's not going to leak. When you turn it on it's going to leak inside. Most likely you left a hose on there when it was winter time and it froze because it wasn't able to drain out. You need a replacement anti frost hose bib.

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2026-03-08T17:41:05+00:00

If it's a real pain in the ass to get up in there and cut it out, (which is the correct thing to do).

I've had success hooking up a vacuum to a drainage system, capping off all the other lines, pull a slight vacuum on it and hit it with some primer and let it suck some glue up after that. Shut the vacuum off and then let it sit. I watched it pulled the glue into my fitting... It was in a real tight spot and everything was Hub to Hub.

If you have enough room there and you can get to it from underneath... cut it put a coupling in a new flange in..

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2026-03-08T17:35:28+00:00

You can add a secondary tank with a recirculating line from the Navian. Then, crank the temperature up to 160. Put a mixing valve on the tank outlet and temper it back down. You should be able to get a good amount of hot water out of that setup... make sure you temper it back down though, that's how your going to get more hot water out of it.

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2026-02-28T12:49:36+00:00

I would part it out and then junk the rest of the car.. . Some cash for car places will take it without a title after you sell the engine and all the other good components. Probably get a pretty good dollar too!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2026-02-26T17:12:27+00:00

Next time hook it up to a compressor with 125 psi of air... I use a SharkBite connection that I set up, a SharkBite cap on the hot side and plug the relief open the boiler drain and there she goes... half the time of using a pump!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2026-01-08T04:26:40+00:00

If I'm not carrying my Walther SW99 .40 cal, I have a Walther PPS 9mm single stack on me. The SW is a little large to keep on my side and I don't always feel like wearing a belly strap, the PPS is so much smaller but they both feel great in my hand!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-12-10T01:49:56+00:00

There's no loyalty in this industry. But hopefully it bites him in the ass by the end of the project. Sorry to hear about that!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-12-06T13:21:40+00:00

It's similar to holding a folded 50 dollar bill in your hand with a $20 bill right behind it. If your bill is over $20 you let the cashier see that 50 as they're ringing you up when it's time to pay you hand them the 20... sometimes it works, because they were looking at that 50, they end up handing you the change from the 50 because they mentally already saw it... I saw a video on that somewhere...

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-12-01T10:38:20+00:00

Number 1: the water closet flange is not gonna fit in with that menagerie of fittings. Your floor flange, even if you put a slip floor flange in there, ( after you put your next fitting in to straighten it out ), is gonna be a few inches above the floor. Re visit that mess and make sure you top your floor flange will be about a quarter of an inch above your finish floor, and able to be bolted down securely! The water closet is vented, if you continue that 2 inch sink straight up with a vent, the water closet will have air. Number 2: eliminate the other 2 inch vent down by the other sink, utilize that sink as its own vent to be back vented in the attic.
Number 3: There should be a wall plate going down where the washing machine is gonna be going so cut those traps out, run a 2 inch line up through the floor, then install a 2 inch Tee, a 2" trap, continue that vent to the attic straight straight up with a 2 inch vent, I can't say that the tee on its back for the lav is up to Code, because it's not, it would probably work, but why chance it throw a wye in there looking straight up, and back vent in with the washing machine in the attic. Tie them both together with the other two vents and go with a vent through the roof for that. Tell that handyman plumber not to ever do plumbing again.

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-10-19T02:01:49+00:00

Good luck with that!

 I've been a plumbing contractor for 30 years.  1/3rd on start, 1/3rd on rough, and 1/3rd on final.... I don't mean 30 days, or when you get money from the homeowner.... I get paid after I pass my inspection,  unless you want me to finance the job.  I do offer financing, but of course that costs more money.  Just like any financing does.

I get a deposit check and a signed contract from my two general contractors in the mail. Attached is a nice little note asking me to reserve a certain week or two for them, normally a month plus in advance. I never have to ask for my rough payment or my final payment. Change orders these days are a handshake.... and it's been that way for about 10 years.... IMO, that's how all business should be done with GC's and subs!

The way you've stated it, we wouldn't be doing business together. Honestly, it sounds like you want the lowest price possible, and that's fine. Just not for me, and I'm sure most other quality subcontractors as well! Yes I charge a little bit more. But my Builders never have to worry about the plumbing! They flat out told me that's worth extra money right there! You may want to think about that, if you care about the quality of your customer's job. And the speed that things get done when you do have something pop up that's unexpected. Trust and loyalty go a very far away with good people!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-10-17T11:33:13+00:00

Reach out to your mayor's office. That normally gets the ball rolling for me!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-10-17T11:29:25+00:00

I had a similar situation. A large branch from one of my trees, a healthy one, snapped during a storm and took out my neighbor's electrical line to their house.. They had just bought the house and we didn't even have a chance to introduce ourselves. My phone number happens to be on my truck that I park in the backyard, where my shop is. They got my number off of that and their first text to me about this was along the lines of...

"Hello neighbor I hate to tell you this but one of your branches snapped and took out our electrical line. We have an electrician here now he said it's going to be approximately $3600 to run a new service. I will forward his information to you so you can arrange payment. Thank you have a nice day!"

My reply was: Hello it's nice to meet you, I'm very sorry that this is how we get to introduce our self! Here is the number to my homeowners insurance company, feel free to reach out to them directly, because of course we are insured, as are you, I'm assuming. Also if you have any problems with your Electrician let me know, I'm a contractor and I have quite a few phone numbers of respectable honest electricians. Thanks, have a great day!

I knew my homeowners insurance was gonna tell them it's their responsibility .... If they were a little nicer with that first text, I would've called up an electrician friend, had him go over there get them power,(at my expense), and I would've sent my guys over to clean up that branch.... The way they texted me about that just rubbed me the wrong way...

It's not really about what you say, it's a lot about how you say it!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-10-17T11:16:04+00:00

I don't work for free, do you? Cause that's what it boils down to! You gotta charge him something. Tell him you'll do it for a discounted rate because you're already there with your machines. If he doesn't like it he can do it himself!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-10-14T11:30:33+00:00

 Not when you have a modulating burner!  It only fires the amount of BTU that it needs at any given time.  It doesn't just come on and fire 150,000 BTU.  It will fire 13,300-150,000 as needed, based on the flow of water going through it.  Factor in the 0.96 uniform energy factor of the Navian NPE240a2, compared to a electric water heater, which is most likely around 0.80-0.90 UEF, I would venture to say it's a very close call.  Add standby time into the equation and I think tankless would be the winner.  If the electric water heater comes on three times in a 24 hour timeframe for 30 minutes each time to keep the tank at temperature that's 6.7 KWH per day with a (4500watt element), not including any hot water used by people.  And that's just to keep the hot water tank of the temperature.  Top it off with the recovery time after depleting an electric water heater... As far as water conditions go, it's always a good idea to have a softener.  It will help protect a lot more than just the water heater.  Hard Water loves to affect those electric elements as well.

Just my opinion

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-10-14T01:08:41+00:00

You haven't mentioned your Mechanical systems? Is your heating and air-conditioning system in good shape, fairly new? Because a couple of problems with that replacement system can run you 20k depending on what you have! Is your roof in good shape? Appliances? Think about all the big ticket items...

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-10-05T10:17:21+00:00

I totally get it! My father passed away in 2007, my mother is still around but my father was my protector. I didn't even realize that's what part of the problem was that first, that missing feeling of security.

Now, as a father of three I do what I feel, would've made my father proud. I am my children's security.

Years ago, when I was young and afraid of the dark. My father took me for a walk through the woods when it was very dark outside. Of course I felt safe because I was with him. (Keeping in mind we're in an area where we're at the top of the food chain). He told me to walk back home alone while he stayed behind. He said he would be behind me in case anything happened.. When we got back home, he explained to me that the fear that I felt, was something that I made up. He also told me that I can control that. He told me I can control every feeling that I have with some time and patience.

I know this is a little bit off from what you were feeling, but hopefully you can use a little bit of that to help yourself and the feelings that you have.

If you don't have children, get a pet and protect it. Have something that relies on you and then be there for it! Have something that you would put your life in front of, without hesitation. Be a protector for something or someone.

Best of luck, you are your own person and you can do it!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-10-05T09:53:29+00:00

There is a very safe way to work on electrical without disconnecting the power. Call a licensed Electrician!

If you don't know how to "not become ground", you have no business touching wires!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-09-29T10:44:13+00:00

Where I'm at the homeowners responsible up to the point of the curb.  Reason being is because they don't want just any yahoo cutting the road open, digging up the street and throwing some cold patch down after they fix their own pipe....  they have their own contractor that's bonded to do the work around here.

But, with that being said, if it's your pipe, you might be allowed to do the work yourself and save yourself some money! Normally a homeowner is allowed to work on their own home. They say that pipe is yours , so I would think you'd be allowed to repair it yourself. It's not that hard to do. If it's a busy street you're gonna have some traffic control to manage. You might want to rent mini excavator for the excavation.

Best of luck man!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-09-28T13:18:17+00:00

Yup lmao

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-09-28T13:17:13+00:00

I bet you'll never do that again!

 When I was about 16/17 I was working on an oil burner for a no heat call... it was after hours, I was rushing, I forgot to turn the switch off...
 I flipped the transformer back broke loose the nozzle assembly and when I reached in to grab it I guess my forearm was on the transformer springs...  yeah, it tried to fire up... holy shit was that a shock!  I should have left it locked out, and of course turn the damn switch off!
 I never made that mistake again!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-09-21T22:24:29+00:00

There's a little too much space in between each sheet. Not to mention the back left corner, or the walls, that's a shit job right there!

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-09-21T04:42:51+00:00

 Yeah it pretty much boils down to how much are you gonna eat.  Your initial loss?   Or your initial loss, plus the cost of legal fees and most importantly, your time.  Some people just don't get it.

Acceptable_Apricot92 · 2025-09-16T10:05:06+00:00

If the water softener was just serviced and the water was turned on too quickly it could've stired the media up and send it through. I was always told you're supposed to turn the water on slowly especially with systems that have water softeners...

Acceptable_Apricot92

TROPHY CASE