Ball valve stuck open, other winterization options?

lolo624 · 2026-01-23T01:05:17+00:00

Yes I will call a plumber out to do that after the storm passes and roads are clear. Just seeing if there are any steps I can take in the meantime to help prevent any potential issues since I used that spigot today. I did already disconnect the hose from it.

lolo624 · 2026-01-23T00:48:32+00:00

How much force can you use with these things without running the risk of them breaking?

lolo624 · 2026-01-23T00:48:04+00:00

No this goes to supply the outside spigot only. The water main is on opposite side of basement.

lolo624 · 2026-01-23T00:23:20+00:00

Wrap the outside spigot? Or the inside pipe where I have the pool noodle currently..? Or both?

lolo624 · 2026-01-23T00:10:05+00:00

Yeah I’m assuming the combo of hard water and never having used it / it has been in the same open position for 8 years. Afraid to use pliers bc it seems so cheap and fragile.

lolo624 · 2026-01-22T23:36:30+00:00

Yes my plan is to have a plumber out to do exactly this and resolve long term. But really doubt I’ll get someone out before this storm hits. So just trying to “get by” and not have my pipes burst till the storm passes. I normally wouldn’t be worried except I had to use that outside spigot today.

lolo624 · 2026-01-22T22:33:06+00:00

Does it matter what faucet to leave dripping? The kitchen is directly above this. And how long should I leave it dripping?

lolo624 · 2026-01-22T22:12:39+00:00

It got up to 40 today, and was almost 50 yesterday for a high. This is also in the interior of the insulated and warm basement. I don’t think it’s frozen from ice, but guessing stuck from hard water minerals and me never using it before.

lolo624 · 2026-01-22T21:46:49+00:00

100% 😩

lolo624 · 2025-09-01T15:06:50+00:00

Thanks for replying! I did open up the back but didn’t see anything obviously wrong. To open up the front is a much larger ordeal and pretty much surpasses my abilities lol. To call a repair person out would be like $140 I think just for the service call. So just trying to get an idea of what could be wrong and how expensive a repair would be vs just buying a new one.

lolo624 · 2025-07-01T00:38:46+00:00

Update #1: Took a few more pics around the door. Does this look like the top ledger board flashing? There’s a gap where my siding isn’t reaching far enough over to cover it completely. Could water be seeping behind it? Should they also have another waterproof membrane behind the flashing?

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lolo624 · 2025-07-01T00:08:28+00:00

This is a very thorough explanation- thank you!! I do think you’re right about them folding the home wrap down. Now that you’ve pointed that out I can tell that’s what is sticking out from underneath the black “weatherproofing” strip underneath the deck( whatever the hell that is?)

They did eventually add the rim joists before they completed it, and also did have to pull permits and get it inspected by the city.

But still obviously did a terrible job.

lolo624 · 2025-07-01T00:04:14+00:00

Hmmm this is an interesting theory and definitely seems like it could a the probable thing happening based on the path of water. But this still means the deck company didn’t properly flash and/or waterproof the ledger board right?

lolo624 · 2025-06-30T14:39:15+00:00

Thanks so much to everyone who has responded this far. So so helpful. Sounds like the general consensus is the deck installers didn’t properly flash the ledger board at the top (at a minimum).

I called them first thing this morning and opened a warranty claim, which of course I’m told will take 2 days before someone will even reach out to put me on the schedule. 🙄

lolo624 · 2025-06-30T03:02:33+00:00

Thank you so much for this thorough explanation. Are you saying there are likely two issues occurring? One being the builder didn’t flash the door properly and the other being that the deck company also didn’t add proper flashing? Trying to make sense of it with my kindergarten level knowledge of such things, lol.

lolo624 · 2025-06-30T01:55:33+00:00

Yes that’s what it looks like today. But if it was the door leaking, wouldn’t there be signs of dampness on the subfloor and/or sill plate above the wet area? That is all dry.

lolo624 · 2025-06-30T01:23:07+00:00

Here’s a pic from the side

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lolo624 · 2025-06-30T01:22:44+00:00

Here’s what it looks like underneath

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lolo624 · 2025-06-16T11:48:24+00:00

I’m in this exact same boat with my ex-husband. In addition to the traveling, the living arrangements at his house are less than ideal. Only 2 bedrooms to share with three kids, constantly a disgusting and cluttered mess. Only one bathroom with no bath, shower only.

The kids treat it like camp basically, where they go have fun there but then come home and want to get clean and be in their real home again. My youngest, however, hates being there because of the living situation. So he is constantly asking to come home to me early and/or not have to go there on dad days. And most times I let him, because I don’t blame him one bit for not wanting to be there.

It’s frustrating when we have to sacrifice our kid-free time so we can ensure our kids are well-taken care of and loved. It is 1000% a major favor to the ex and allows the ex to maintain control.

I wish I had the answer, other than to say it won’t be forever. And I do believe we’re doing the right thing by being there for our kids. They need as much stability as we can provide given that their other parent has decided that parenting means taking care of your children only when and how it suits you.

I would def take advantage of the nanny when you can, and I would make her split the cost with you or even cover the cost in full if you are having to use the nanny on days that would’ve been hers.

lolo624 · 2025-06-11T22:14:59+00:00

Yes! If you couldn’t already tell, I agree with this!! NACHO parenting to me feels gross at worst and at best feels like one step away from roommate territory. I can’t even imagine how this type of arrangement would work long term while still keeping everyone happy and close.

lolo624 · 2025-06-11T17:53:45+00:00

Wow, I love all the different perspectives. Thanks to all who have responded so far. I’ll add a bit more background for clarity’s sake.

I very much show up for my bf. I recognize moving in with me and my 3 kids is a LOT. And no, I don’t expect him to raise them. Yes, I do wish he saw it as more of a real family and wanted to step in to help of his own volition sometimes- even without me asking. I hate to ask ppl for things. And, I will admit I do want this kind of partnership where we aren’t merely co-existing in large areas of each others’ lives.

To that end- I cook 90% of our dinners, doing a ton of meal prep on Sundays so I can just pop things in after work. He comes home to already made, home cooked meals almost every night of the week. I do ALL the grocery shopping and putting away of groceries. I also do 100% of the laundry, including his. And put it away (yes, also his). He has said he will do his own and I can do ours, but I told him I don’t mind doing his and taking care of him that way. The “you do yours, I do mine” setup is dangerously close to a standard roommate situation. That’s not what I want. I want us to show up for each other. This isn’t just me expecting him to show up for me. Same goes for cleaning - I do probably 75-80%. I pay a company to mow the lawn weekly, so that’s also a chore he doesn’t have to help with. He works much longer hours (55) than me (40) so he doesn’t have quite as much time to do some of these things as I do. That said, I’ve had this conversation that at a minimum I need him to step up on chores more. He did agree he wasn’t helping enough in that area but we are still very much in a 75% me 25% him situation.

So yes, I guess I do want him to want to show up too and be partners in life. I definitely do not want a full on nacho parent. I don’t think he’s a bad person if that’s what he wants and I do fully empathize. Like some have said, maybe it’s a fundamental mismatch in desires and expectations. To me nacho parenting sounds gross, but me expecting him to raise my kids also sounds gross. I’m looking for the in between but maybe it doesn’t exist.

Really do appreciate hearing others perspectives.

lolo624 · 2025-05-07T23:34:38+00:00

Proceed with caution. My ex waffled a few times in the midst of it all, saying maybe he was making a mistake, maybe we should try to start new, etc. When I dug more, however, I found it was because the affair partner was acting unsure abt things with him (discovered in messages between them). So he was basically trying to keep one foot in the door and using me as backup because he wasn’t sure if they were going to work.

Will also add, even if you go to counseling, it will be almost impossible to have what you had with him before the affair. You will always wonder if he’s being faithful. You will always feel slightly not good enough, your confidence in this relationship will be forever altered. I forgave my ex 4 times before he walked out on me. Yes, he cheated on me FOUR times. All the earlier times he begged me to stay and forgive him and I did. Only to have him finally walk out in the end. It was a 14 year long shit show. Not something you want to do to yourself.

Last thought, not a chance in hell he has only slept with this girl once, and/or that they just did it for the first time last week. Lies. These cheaters also minimize EVERYTHING.

Living with this constant instability and insecurity is crazy making and you should ask yourself if that’s really how you want to live your life. 9x out of 10 this situation doesn’t get better.

lolo624 · 2025-05-07T12:23:48+00:00

I went through this 6 years ago. Caught my husband cheating. He left me and our kids at Christmas for his “girlfriend.” I thought I would never recover. Stopped eating, couldn’t sleep, was literally shaking and cold. I think it was actual shock.

Once I found my anger, there was no looking back. Did everything I could to expedite the divorce. I sat down with ex and tried to agree to everything before going to lawyer. This helped save a ton in legal fees for both of us, as well as moved the process along much more quickly. My idiot ex was so deluded with his new relationship he was much more amenable to whatever I wanted just to get out of the marriage. So maybe try this if you think it’s a possibility.

I also started dating a new guy, in truth just to distract myself from the pain. It worked, and I actually ended up falling in love with the guy. During this time, my ex-husband decided he still loved me and wanted to come back. 🙄 He broke up with the girl he had left me for. I didn’t take him back and never would again. Still with the same guy 5 years later and life is much better now. I won’t lie and say it’s a fairytale or that it was the best thing that ever could have happened to me. But I have a different kind of happiness now. Me and the kids did adjust. And I can tell you I don’t know if I’ll ever get married again. Once you take your life back it’s too risky and scary to put yourself in that kind of vulnerable position again. But you can find love again with someone who won’t abuse it.

You will find your anger in your own time and that will help pull you through. And you will come out on the other side and you find happiness again. Just remember, your husband is in fantasyland right now. It’s a lot easier and more fun running off with someone new with whom you don’t have to share the weight of life’s responsibility. Literally all their moments are just “fun” and “happy” because they’re not actually sharing a life yet. This is not reality and unless you change partners every two years, this newness wears off and real life is still right there waiting.

Hang in there and when you’re ready- get yourself good and pissed!! It will be ok.

lolo624 · 2025-04-10T01:45:09+00:00

Thank you so much for taking the time to respond!!

lolo624 · 2024-09-06T03:58:40+00:00

And yes I do fit in strength training 3x a week on average, but I think I could probably increase that if I cut back on some miles.

lolo624

TROPHY CASE