[AT] OOOPS - Do as I say not as I do

[Larry D. Goss]

I always shut off the water when leaving the house for any extended
length of time.  I didn't used to do that, but we had an experience
better than 20 years ago that made believers out of us.

We had just gone to bed on a Sunday night, and all of a sudden we heard
"plink!" and the sound of water running and splashing freely.  I got up
to investigate and found that the tank on the toilet in our master bath
had cracked and water was pouring freely all over the floor.
Fortunately we were home and still awake and I was able to shut the
water off before any real damage resulted.

It's not only freak events like this that can cause problems, but the
supply hoses on an automatic washer are susceptible to sudden failure.
In that same house, we woke up one morning to low water pressure and
rusty water at the faucets.  When I investigated, I found that a pipe in
the crawl space had separated and a 1/2" line was running wide open.  It
turned out that the plumber had missed soldering one joint when the
house was originally constructed.  The joint had held for better than 15
years just by friction, but it finally let go.

So we turn off the water whenever the house is going to be vacant
overnight.  When I come back home and turn it on again, the amount of
flow I can hear in the pipes gives me a quick check on the condition of
the entire system.

Someone commented about wanting to keep the pressure up on their air
system because it saves electricity by not having to pump it back up
from zero.  That's an interesting concept.  :-)

Larry 

-----Original Message-----
From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
[mailto:at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of Herbert Metz
Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2005 8:11 AM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] OOOPS - Do as I say not as I do

Good point George
Few of us turn the water off, even when we will be gone for a week or
more. 
Last year an area resident was gone for over a month and their landscape

watering system experienced a pipe rupture.   According to the water
company 
spokesman, the resident was going to have to pay the $1000+ bill.
Where we 
used to live in IN a rather liberal ruling allowed a resident one
freezeup, 
etc per year "within reason".  We have not been shutting off our water
(when 
gone for a week or so), but recently decided to do so after a church
friend 
came back from vacation to a basement full of water.
Herb

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "George Willer" <gwill at toast.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group"
<at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2005 8:00 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] OOOPS - Do as I say not as I do
> What!!!  Turn the compressor off???  You've got to be kidding, Dean.
I 
> leave my system on 24/7/358, and have for many years.  I do switch it
off 
> when we go to Portland for the week.  Having air instantly available
at 
> any of the 8 outlets is just too handy to mess with turning it off 
> anywhere.
> For Portland week only I also turn the power off to the water system.
Do 
> you turn your water off when you aren't using it also George Willer

> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Dean VP" <deanvp at att.net>
> To: <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2005 1:14 AM
> Subject: [AT] OOOPS - Do as I say not as I do>
>> Dodged a bullet yesterday, I think.  Was using the 5HP Dual stage 60 
>> gallon
>> Air compressor night before last and got called into the house for a 
>> phone
>> call. Didn't go back out to clean things up. Mistake. Yesterday
afternoon 
>> my wife tells me she hears air leaking in the barn.
>> Hmmm.  Oh my God, I forgot to turn off the power to the compressor
and
>> didn't shut off the air line valves. Sure enough the compressor is 
>> running
>> and the rubber hose has sprung a leak.
>> Quickly shut off the compressor power. God only knows how long it had

>> been
>> running. The room where the compressor is in was very warm so it had
been
>> running for some period.
>> Hopefully no damage has been done to the compressor.
>> So, just a friendly reminder. Shut the power off when leaving air
>> compressors unattended. Getting forgetful in my old age.
>> Dean A. Van Peursem
>> Snohomish, WA 98290


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