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This guy should really stick to cars!

Right in the very tire tracks of yesterday’s post about old galvanized drain pipes comes today’s post about inevitable repairs to those pipes.

I have seen all manner of attempts at extending the life of these pipes, and the picture below eloquently speaks for most of those attempts.

Drain the radiators

If the water goes down----what can possibly be wrong with it?

One of the advantages to making plumbing repairs with radiator hoses is that you can get the drain to go anywhere you want it to go.

Can you imagine turning the key to open the house door and hearing the engine start up?

Charles Buell

PS, for those of you that are new to my blog (or for some other "unexplained" reason have never noticed)all pictures and smiley-face inserts (emoticons) (when I use them) have messages that show up when you point at them with your cursor.

DeCroe, is my "etherial" home inspector assistant and occasionally flies into my blog and other people's blogs to offer assistance. To find out more about her beginnings just click on Raven.

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle, WA, Home Inspector on 01/25/2009 08:19 AM

Comments (27)

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Originally posted at: Seattle Home Inspector's Blog: This guy should really stick to cars!

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27 Comments on This guy should really stick to cars!

JAN

I like the picture, but unfortunately what do you say to the homeowner that asks, "Does it work?" In the North it is easy to argue that this hose wont last through the first 20 degree day. It's also pretty easy, with any vibration at all, to pop the stuff off the plastic. There is a reason they use radiator hose on radiators and DWV or CPVC plastic on plumbing in the house.

Nice Photo!

To the best of my knowledge the ASE only tests for compatibility with Anit-Freeze and not with drain cleaner.

Should I use radiator flush or drain cleaner ?

Jack, well do we define "work" the same way a Doby Gillis? In my opinion this set up does not function as a drain is intended----got to love the sprinkler system "T."

Jim, I would go with the drain cleaner because then they would HAVE to fix it right:)

Hey Charles, looked to small to be a drain line, from the picture. Your right, stuff flows down hill, so you got yourself a bunch of mini traps.

Yes, Jack----that is 2" galvy.

The problems never end, do they. I hate do-it-yourselfing repairs!!

Barbara, as long as there are things to fix there will be someone that can figure out a way to fix them wrong:)

Charles, it is unfortunate, but we all see strange and incorrect things like that everyday. Somebody always has to be creative to save a nickel.

Ian, the craziness here is that the correct parts would have been cheaper than all those stainless steel bands and radiator hoses:)

Ingenious repair job there. Let me guess...the homeowner is an auto mechanic.

Charlie,

The solution is simply two words.....shoe goo.

Jim---that would be a safe bet.

Steve---ya thimk?

... your posts are so helpful Charles ! ... I always feel like I've learned something with every blog entry of yours that I read !

... just wanted to say thanks :o)

Sheldon, you are welcome----glad to entertain and be helpful when I can.

JAN

Charles - like I said in a previous post, some repairs are genius!

But, like Einstein said, it's all relative...

Charlie - That's a very good example of improvising!

Jay, does that mean my relatives are geniuses?

Carol, live at the Improv.

Charlie - it's usually relatives who do those kinds of "repairs!"

Jay, this reminds me of a funny story about my brother. When he was little he couldn't say his "S's" very well so as was customary around the dinner table there were fights to get the potato skins from those that didn't like them (weird I know). One night my brother says, "Anyone not want their kins?" My sister pipes up and says, "Kins are 'relatives'---you jerk" (or something to that effect). My brother says, "Anybody not want their relatives?"

Prescient kid...

Jay, being a diesel engine mechanic he would probably be capable of a repair like this too.

JAN

Charles - I love when you post these photos. Although I see the obvious problems with a repair like this, I also love to see human ingenuity at work. Got a problem? Let's fix it McGuyver style. Now hand me that bubble gum.

Matt, necessity is the mother of invention:)

Charlie, I have to admit to you, that was exactly how I fixed my first plumbing leak. I was 17 and moved on my own. My landlord never fixed a thing and it seemed like a good idea at the time. My dad corrected it a week later and made the same comment. It would have been cheaper to fix it the right way. Amazing what we find in some houses during the inspection, isn't it?

Suesan, it is all relative isn't it? Depending on what we know we do the best we can-----sometimes we get to laugh at ourselves later when we have learned better. I know I have been there more than once:)

What can I say. When I was young and foolish I excelled at it.

Suesan----it is the only way to get to be who we are today:)

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