OLDER THEN DIRT

Older then dirt is a saying that I'm beginning to feel akin to. Today I changed out the faucet and drain in the bathroom.  It's only an exchange of parts, just the faucet and the drain unit. Piece of cake.

Removal of the old faucet was easy.  Laying on my back at the bottom of cabinet pushing into my shoulder, reaching up with tools to undo nuts took about an hour. Lack of the proper tools made getting to the nuts on the faucet impossible.  A sharp chisel took care of the plastic nuts.

Removing the drain plug took a bit longer since time had fused the metal parts together and made unscrewing them impossible.  Considering power tool to saw it lose I opted for prying it apart with pliers.  Muscle power ruled and I got it all out.  Clean up time to remove old crud another 10 minutes.

Hooking up the lines from the faucet to the outlets worked only for the hot side.  The line to the cold side was suddenly too short by one inch.  Sent love of my life to the local Ace Hardware store for a longer line.  Installed longer line.  No leaks. Yay.

The new drain unit threw me a bit at first.  No plunger to close the drain.  Closer examination showed that the drain plug has been changed to a new fangled push to close push to open plunger.  Aha!  Now, I thought, things should go easier. Not so as time moved on.

Installing the faucet was a piece of cake. (I should send a thank you note to them)  The plumbing drain part sucked.  Sucked I tell you!   Putting the drain elbow back together it leaked.  Took it apart, reassembled and reinstalled it.  Still leaked.  Noticed one of the pipes was short a washer…I thought.  Looked for the washer, nowhere to be found.  Wasn't on the removed stuff.  Where did it go?

Went to the local Ace hardware.  Talked to a guy young enough to be my grandson or great grandson who knows jack shit about plumbing, got a replacement washer to fit the 1 and ½ inch pipe.  Won't work.  The thread doesn't want to line up and make a tight seal.  Much swearing ensues.

Love of my life has left the premises (probably to get away from my swearing.) so I have to make another trip to the hardware store, which is further away but has older help.  Buy some more rubber washers and plumbers putty.  Back to the project and on my back.

Much swearing and promising to abide by all the commandants, the leak stops. Three and one half hours later after only three trips to the hardware stores and I’m done.

Checking over the results:

1. Two bleeding hurts on both hands, three nasty bruises on one hand and a sore back from leaning on the cabinet bottom.

2. Have helper not stand on hair when one is on the floor.

3. Mental attitude needs to be considered when doing plumbing.

4. Alcohol doesn’t help.

5. Plumbers are worth their weight in gold.  Must consider hiring one the next time.