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KnitSSK
Seriously Hooked
USA
656 Posts |
 Posted - 01/24/2007 : 1:32:03 PM
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Oh my. Last night, I went to the basement to do laundry. There, by the drain, was some very smelly gook. I ran the washer and there was more! Oh no, I thought, a sewer backup. My DH is home and the plumber is there. The drain is apparently very clogged. It's going to be about $250 to completely clean it out. And now I'm sitting here wondering; could it be my felting in the washer that has clogged it? If so, it's our little secret [blush]
Martha
Wanting to be knitting, not working... |
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purlthis
Permanent Resident
USA
2715 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2007 : 1:42:42 PM
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Yes, if you aren't washing the stuff inside a pillowcase or something similarly woven. You have to keep all the fiber that goes away during felting from clogging up the drain. Shhh, I won't tell...Next time? Pillowcase with a hair band on it. Secret to my felting success. Or the laundrymat...lol...
Rachel
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As I get older, I prefer to knit. Tracey Ullman
http://purledthis.blogspot.com/ |
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KnitSSK
Seriously Hooked
USA
656 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2007 : 1:47:42 PM
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Ya know, the rubber band was on, just not tightly enough and it came undone. Well, darn. But, my DH has the most awesome looking pair of felted mittens...lol.
Martha
Wanting to be knitting, not working... |
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purlthis
Permanent Resident
USA
2715 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2007 : 3:01:23 PM
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Oh girl, if you lived here, I'd be tying you up! LOL That's a LOT of wool, that $250...LOL...But as long as your dh doesn't read here, your secret's safe with me.
Rachel
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As I get older, I prefer to knit. Tracey Ullman
http://purledthis.blogspot.com/ |
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chris
Permanent Resident
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2007 : 3:28:19 PM
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My washer bit the dust this past weekend, but I can't blame the felting. It blew the thingy that causes the spin cycle. (Do you know how heavy soaking wet flannel sheets are?? I do!)
I honestly doubt it was one felting project that caused the back up. How old is your house? Lots of houses that were build during and just after WWII have sewer pipes that aren't metal. They're essentially cardboard coated with tar. When they break down, everything backs up. Ask me how I know!
chris |
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yarnlover
Permanent Resident
1729 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2007 : 6:05:46 PM
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Chris,
That happened to my washer in November - I immediately thought I would have to replace it, but good news - I had it repaired for $120. The repair guy said it was time for the gizmo, whatever it was, to go, and the new one should last another 7 years. Just FYI, in case you were thinking like I was, that it needed replacement. Maybe not.
See My Stuff: Here
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chris
Permanent Resident
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 01/24/2007 : 7:53:07 PM
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Yarnlover, mine will --hopefully-- only cost about $18 to repair. I bought the part at a local appliance parts shop yesterday and DH is downstairs putting it on right now. I'm extremely lucky to have a mechanical engineer for a husband! Most things that would cost a pile to fix or replace, he can repair on his own. He's even gone so far as to take a broken part to a machine shop and have a buddy reproduce it, if it isn't available aftermarket.
He can't do everything, though. Half of our house is without electricity. Something went kerflooey during Christmas and he can't figure out what or where. We've got extension cords everywhere and lamps in the oddest places. The joys of owning an older home!
chris |
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KnitSSK
Seriously Hooked
USA
656 Posts |
Posted - 01/25/2007 : 07:08:14 AM
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As an update, it turns out that while the yarn fibers were some of the problem, the percentage of yarn fiber to dog and cat hair was minute! They snaked it down for something like 8 feet and there was 5 feet of pet hair, fiber, lint and other materials. Phew...
Martha
Wanting to be knitting, not working... |
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yarnlover
Permanent Resident
1729 Posts |
Posted - 01/25/2007 : 08:17:01 AM
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quote:
DH is downstairs putting it on right now. I'm extremely lucky to have a mechanical engineer for a husband!
You are lucky. My late husband also had his degree in mechanical engineering, but then went on to become a software engineer. He could fix some things, but seemed more interested in figuring out how things work (taking them apart), than fixing them. We still called the repairman.
See My Stuff: Here
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chris
Permanent Resident
USA
2449 Posts |
Posted - 01/25/2007 : 10:33:46 AM
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Martha, I knew it would be more than your felting fiber! Vindication!
Yarnlover, there are several smaller appliances down on DH's work bench that he said "I can fix it!" Their replacements are in the kitchen, bathroom, etc., etc. And there is the occasional "I can't remember how this came apart!" that gets replaced, too. In all honesty, I was hoping the washer would be one of those. I wanted a new one; this one's 13+ years old. I cannot believe he looked for and found an exploded diagram of our washer on the internet. Sheesh. You really can find everything there!
chris (whose washer now works just fine...but probably needs her drain snaked, too!)
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sanity101
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
594 Posts |
Posted - 01/26/2007 : 09:52:33 AM
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Yup, one pair of mittens is nothing compared to a lifetime of regular old laundry.
Now if you'd been mass-producing bags....
-C |
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stitchmd
Seriously Hooked
716 Posts |
Posted - 01/26/2007 : 3:29:57 PM
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If the outlet hose from the washer is accessible you can make a simple, fine meshed filter from a cut off leg of panty hose or a knee high nylon. Just rubber band it over the last couple of inches of hose. Remember to change it when it gets noticeable build up or it will fill with water that can't drain through and pop off and clog the wash tub. Ask me how I know.
You can't have a battle of wits with an unarmed person. |
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galleylama
Seriously Hooked
753 Posts |
Posted - 01/27/2007 : 05:20:52 AM
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My DH laughed and said you break it, you fix it. I knew he would fix it (no agitation, just a tub full of water which you could drain but not spin, resulting in very heavy, wet laundry) when he got home. Made me think though- bet I could do it my self. Found the book that came with the washer and googled repair questions and figured out what part might be bad. The hardest part was finding the right tools, don't know the proper names and DH doesn't really put anything away. By 11am the sucker was fixed. Man at the appliance repair shop said, yup lady, that's it - do me a favor though - don't help any of your friends fix their appliances, you just cost me $100 repair :)
It is easier to be forgiven than to receive permission. |
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