Plumb Pudding

After a week and a day, I have running water in my bathroom again, and let me tell you, indoor plumbing never loses its novelty. I said that alot while hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2009, and the more I think about it, the more I think it is a universal truth.

I like my 3/4 bath with its vintage tile and pedestal sink. Last year I swapped out the toilet seat for a blue plastic one I'd salvaged from a 50s house I helped tear down. This year Eddie gave me a new set of faucets and Thanksgiving weekend seemed a good time to tackle the replacement. Two trips to Home Depot, four trips to Breed & Co, and eight days later, success! Gotta put in a word for the dudes in the hardware department at Breed (central location). That is my absolute favorite place to shop when I'm working on a project. More than half the time (this project not included) I walk out with spot on advice and no merchandise. They know their stuff, have everything I might need, and know where to find it in the store. You just don't get that kind of service at the big box home improvement stores. And they have killer truffles.

So, here's how the faucet replacement went down. I consulted a website or two to get some tips on the replacement. And headed to the conveniently close Home Depot for teflon tape and a nifty pipe wrench. The old faucet disassembly was simple enough. I was delighted to learn the waterline connections were the same size on the new faucet. Much thanks to the Eddie for the basin wrench. Here's the old faucet, minus the pop-up drain, which I'd already pulled.










All the gaskets were shot, the slip-joint extension for the drain pipe was in sad shape, plus, my first attempt at pop-up drain installation revealed a desperate need for plumbers putty. Off to Breed I went. Next, I installed the new pop-up drain and flange. A simple task made challenging by the limited workspace behind the pedestal. After getting it the drain in place I tried to reconnect to the p-trap, to discover I needed to take about 5/8" off the end of the drain pipe. Disassemble, cut, reassemble. Connect p-trap to drain, install faucets, pop-up drain lever, and reconnected the water lines. The moment of truth. I turn on the water and sadly, discover a leak at the p-trap connection. Tighten the connection some more. Still leaking. Dangit. I suspect it's the gasket, so back to Breed I go, and return with a different type of gasket. Still leaking. By this time it's late Saturday afternoon, and I'm tired of messing with it.

I think about the plumbing all week. When I finally get back to it the next weekend, on closer inspection I discover a little light filtering through the ell-shaped pipe that goes into the wall. Lovely. I start to think perhaps I need to call in a plumber, but I'm not ready to give up that easily. That pipe does not want to come out of the wall, but several hours after applying some WD40, I get it loose. In the meantime, I've been back to Breed for the replacement pipe and more gaskets, since the helpful hardware man explained on a previous visit that I only needed to hand tighten the nuts, and that the gaskets were getting pinched and were only good for one use. After cutting about an inch off the end of the new pipe, I get everything in place. Moment of truth #2 Still leaking, but now from hairline cracks in the j-bend pipe. By this time it's funny.

It's late, it's Sunday, and I'm really not motivated to drive all the way to Breed, so I fall back on the convenience of Home Depot, since I know what I want and where to find it. I install the new j-bend and finally, everything is working as it should. Exciting, no? Here's the purty new faucet:










Lesson learned - just buy the whole p-trap replacement set already.

The State Plumbing Examiners Office is not far from my house. I often wonder if they have a crack team there...