Remedial Household Training

kyleb

Final Approach
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Drake the Outlaw
Teach everyone in your household over the age of 5 how to stop an overflowing toilet. Hint, there are two ways - 1) the shutoff valve (recommended). 2) Lifting the arm or float (only works while you hold it).

Sincerely, your local (brown) trout fisherman and future ceiling repairman.
 
Yeah, and if it’s just a regular plug, don’t keep flushing to the overflow point.
 
Also, turn those same valves off when you go on vacation. The plastic nut that connects to the toilet will also go on vacation.
 
Just one of many life skills that are the cornerstone of common sense. So many folks these days don't have these kinds of skills, they can only call a professional ( plumber). I'm sure you can get your son up to speed on these things.
 
Also, turn those same valves off when you go on vacation. The plastic nut that connects to the toilet will also go on vacation.
I turn the main house valve off when we go on vacation.

Been doing that ever since a supply hose to a bathroom faucet let go, fortunately while I was in the next room. It's pretty scary how much water ended up in the basement below in the little bit of time it took to shut the water off.
 
I turn the main house valve off when we go on vacation.

Been doing that ever since a supply hose to a bathroom faucet let go, fortunately while I was in the next room. It's pretty scary how much water ended up in the basement below in the little bit of time it took to shut the water off.
Friend of mine built a house recently, 2 stories on top of a finished basement. Had lived in it for maybe 6 months, when they went on a week-long trip. A supply shutoff valve blew out of the feed line to the 3rd floor bathroom sink (later discovered that the metal PEX band had snapped unobtrusively on installation), and spewed water for most of 24 hours before being discovered. About half of the walls & ceilings on the 2nd (main) floor, and most of the basement, had to be torn back to the joists & studs, and all affected floors torn back to subflooring, and redone.
Helped with some of the cleanup work, and the scene definitely introduced a few changes/checks for when I leave the house on a trip now.
 
Friend of mine built a house recently, 2 stories on top of a finished basement. Had lived in it for maybe 6 months, when they went on a week-long trip. A supply shutoff valve blew out of the feed line to the 3rd floor bathroom sink (later discovered that the metal PEX band had snapped unobtrusively on installation), and spewed water for most of 24 hours before being discovered. About half of the walls & ceilings on the 2nd (main) floor, and most of the basement, had to be torn back to the joists & studs, and all affected floors torn back to subflooring, and redone.
Helped with some of the cleanup work, and the scene definitely introduced a few changes/checks for when I leave the house on a trip now.
Similar to my dad's case. 2 stories with basement. Upstairs toilet line broke. Was only on for a few hours before someone caught it. But the damage was done. Upside is he wanted to remodel anyway.
 
What are everyones' opinions on "flood safe" supply lines?

I use braided steel supply lines for the washing machine, dishwasher, toilet and under the sinks. Never had one fail. Don't believe they're that brand necessarily. My brother used plastic at once in a pinch, lived to regret it.

I can learn from the mistakes of others.
 
I use braided steel supply lines for the washing machine, dishwasher, toilet and under the sinks. Never had one fail. Don't believe they're that brand necessarily. My brother used plastic at once in a pinch, lived to regret it. I can learn from the mistakes of others.
I also use braided steel supply lines. But another failure point is the inlet valve to the washer. So my routine is when I leave even for a few hours I just turn the supply line off to the washer. If I leave for an overnight, I turn all the water off to the house. My wife thinks I am a little overzealous, but she has gotten used to it. Problem avoided is a problem solved.
 
I also use braided steel supply lines. But another failure point is the inlet valve to the washer. So my routine is when I leave even for a few hours I just turn the supply line off to the washer. If I leave for an overnight, I turn all the water off to the house. My wife thinks I am a little overzealous, but she has gotten used to it. Problem avoided is a problem solved.
My problem is pets and the requirement for a pet sitter when we're away:(
That requires water, and I doubt I'll ask a 13-year-old girl to go into the utility room and turn on/off the water so that she can care for the cat. Any ideas on that front would be helpful!

Edit - I guess I could keep some jugs of water on the counter. May seem weird though if she isn't allowed to use the sink faucet
 
My problem is pets and the requirement for a pet sitter when we're away:(
That requires water, and I doubt I'll ask a 13-year-old girl to go into the utility room and turn on/off the water so that she can care for the cat. Any ideas on that front would be helpful!
I've seen sensors you can put on the floor in strategic areas that will trip an emergency shutoff valve at the main if they sense flooding.
 
I've seen sensors you can put on the floor in strategic areas that will trip an emergency shutoff valve at the main if they sense flooding.
Cool, was not aware of such a thing. Multiple "best of" lists upon quick Google search. They seem expensive, but much less so than the aftermath of a line coming loose when you're away. Thanks.
 
I use braided steel supply lines for the washing machine, dishwasher, toilet and under the sinks. Never had one fail. Don't believe they're that brand necessarily. My brother used plastic at once in a pinch, lived to regret it.

I can learn from the mistakes of others.
The "flood safe" is not only braided steel but it also has a flow sensor. If it exceeds some value then its internal valve shuts off the water.
 
What are everyones' opinions on "flood safe" supply lines?

I installed those in some of my rental units. They do seem to work. No, I haven't had one fail but when replacing a faucet I wanted to flush out the line before connecting it to the new fixture. Without the restriction of faucet, the safety valve kicked in and shut off the flow.
 
For those of us on natural gas of propane, don't forget to change those flexible lines from the gas line to the appliance.
 
I guess I just don't worry about it that much. Of course my house is on slab and all bathrooms downstairs, but I'm not shutting the water off each time I leave. I'd probably be more worried about a washer supply line leaking than a toilet connection, but I suppose anything can happen. I do have an auto-stop pressure valve on the water well used for outside watering, but it's just there so that if pressure dropped so low that it suspects a busted line, it won't burn up a well pump running continuously for days.
 
Yes...but there are also people that will accidentally hit the gas instead of the break and watch themself drive themself into a wall as they freak out...seen it happen...so you are asking a lot to solve an overflowing toilet for some.
 
I also use braided steel supply lines. But another failure point is the inlet valve to the washer. So my routine is when I leave even for a few hours I just turn the supply line off to the washer. If I leave for an overnight, I turn all the water off to the house. My wife thinks I am a little overzealous, but she has gotten used to it. Problem avoided is a problem solved.

And don’t forget to replace the typical refrigerator ice maker plastic line that comes with many fridges with braided stainless.
 
And don’t forget to replace the typical refrigerator ice maker plastic line that comes with many fridges with braided stainless.

Another good idea. Around the start of summer my moms fridge water line split and she did not know how to turn the water off.

900 bucks later and damage repaired. (new fridge)
 
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