#fixing toilets

[balkanradfem]

The story of a broken christmas toilet

So the first thing that happened to me on the christmas morning, is I went to the bathroom, and toilet didn't work - no water. Weirded out by this, I opened up the water tank, and the water poured in as soon as I messed with the floatie. I thought this fixed it, only to realize minutes later, that the toilet is now leaking water.

I've never fixed the toilet before, especially not a leaking one, opening up the tank and peering inside was the height of my knowledge. But, I was ready to figure it out. I tried to mess with the parts that were leaking and make them tighter, only to immediately make it leak worse. Panicked, I quickly found the valve that shuts down the water in the bathroom. Now the toilet doesn't leak, but I also can't use the shower or the basin.

Looking at more youtube videos, I concluded that the valve that lets water into the tank, has loosened and broken inside, and there was no fixing it, I'd have to buy a spare part. But as it was christmas, all stores were closed, and would be closed for tomorrow as well.

I had some wrenches I acquired while fixing my own bike, and none of them were big enough to dismantle the tank, but comparing the size, I could tell which sizes I did need. I would ask a friend if she could lend me the right tools, but as my friend wouldn't be visiting for a few days, I had to make do with a non-functional bathroom.

Luckily I love the old methods of washing - using a sponge to bubble up and then pouring heated water from a jug to rinse, that is a very gentle way to experience warm water. I would sometimes wash that way just to not have to use the boiler - because it's a great energy saver.

Anyway, my friend brought the tools to me, and I set on to dismantle the tank. She stood outside the bathroom saying 'I don't know anything about toilets', too intimidated to join in. But I wasn't having it, I called her in to look because, armed with my youtube knowledge, I recognized the broken part, and now knew for sure what I had to replace.

That afternoon, I headed to a hardware store, and since it way my first time there, I asked an employee if he could get me that exact part - I had the original with me. He told me they were 'all the same' and handed me the cheapest one. I pointed out it was important for the brass part to be the same width - and he said it was.

So I bought it, and upon installing it in my toilet, the toilet was now leaking from the outside, where the new part was fixed into the wall pipe. I got confused, dismantled it and put it back together a few times, but nothing worked, it only leaked worse each and every time. Devastated, I went to check how others were doing it, and if I maybe lost a part, or forgot to do something, or had to play with the pressure more, or maybe my arms weren't strong enough. But every other person was fastening it in the exact same way, I wasn't doing anything wrong.

I dismantled the thing again, and compared the new and the original part. The metal part that goes into the wall pipe seemed the same width, and I had to stare really long to notice, but there was the tiniest, millimeter difference in how big the waves in it were. Pissed, I went back to the store, to ask the employee if they had any correct replacement parts, and he had absolutely no idea, so I asked him to unpack multiple ones until I found the exact same size I was looking for. I had to go through the lengthy and annoying process of exchanging the part, but once I got home, I put it together in 20 seconds.

And it worked. My toilet works again. I can now fix toilets. Self-assigned plumber.

I had to do a lot of following my instincts and believing that I can notice what is wrong, and when someone who is supposed to be more expert than me, is giving me false info. Most of this was just about confidence! It is absolutely no-brainer to fasten one pipe to the other if they're the correct size, any kid could do it if shown even once.

If I can do this, even without prior knowledge or tools, with other people giving me negative amounts of help, then anyone can! Any house-repair we usually think m*n can do, are just putting puzzles together, created to be simple and intuitive, and we are very well equipped for it, all it takes is confidence and curiosity in how it works.

[kensatou]

felt sad. caught up on baseball from the past week. now i'm not that sad anymore.

[tofusfortbhk]

Teru being taunted with his unrequited love in the Red House fics. Save me, Teru being taunted with his seemingly unrequited love in the Red House fics.

Part 1/2

[toshio]

my belly is currently full of RICE 😔😭🍚

[iamhereinthebg]

｡Anemoia ｡

[lycanthropixx]

More of my Swap AU, this time with value practice

Also wanna clarify, aesthetics and demeanors are swapped, but relationships are not!

full list of who swapped with who under the cut!

OJ 🔄 Taco Paper 🔄 Pickle Paintbrush 🔄 TestTube Lightbulb 🔄 Fan Nickel 🔄 Knife Balloon 🔄 Suitcase Goo 🔄 Blueberry Lifering ➡️ Cabby ➡️ Tea Kettle ➡️Lifering Candle 🔄 Silverspoon 4 🔄 4S Toilet 🔄 Floor Mepad 🔄 3Gs 5c 🔄 5s Cobs 🔄 Ballpoint (Benjamin Penn) Tissues 🔄 Trophy Cheesy 🔄 Cherries Marshmallow 🔄 Baseball Apple 🔄 Bomb Dough 🔄 Bow Yin 🔄 Yang Clover 🔄 Box Springy 🔄 Walkie Talkie Salt 🔄 Soap Pepper 🔄 Microphone Zoetrope 🔄 Groscer Dr Fizz 🔄 Boaty (Bot has ladybug associations, and so does box)

[kermitbread]

why would you do this mr. hourglass sir? we need to throw hammers at you. and you too, evil amane. we need to throw tenfold the amount of hammers at you too. y'all fucking suck!!!

[tabacore]

Wanted to post my WIP because I realised I haven't put up any art in a bit (mostly because I chose to do something with six whole visible hands in it and my brain decided that was not possible the past few days). Working on the circus AU ideas I had ! @1verre2trop-official suggested that they have tarot cards in place of the seals and I really loved that, I have so many ideas I want to put into this so I hope you guys will enjoy it too :)

[trixytheunicorn]

Siffrin in the bathroom on the third floor be like

Lore accurate below the cut

[blueskittlesart]

i love it when maintenance lies to me

[hy4c1nthh]

Valued Time

[valencrime]

[teruwasright]

They way Teru looks so tired and defeated...so empty...

He started off strong but as soon as he was down he stayed there...he lost his world...his will for living and it shows...

I'm actually gonna be sick...he looks so tired...so done fighting...even Akane got back up from being hit but he didn't...he's so tired and it breaks my heart...

Do you think he got a sick comfort out of what Amane said...? "You'll see your brother soon enough" ....

[gefthetalkingmongoose]

Can you do a Jean Loo Pissoir stimboard with bathroom stims pls?

jean loo pissoir stimboard with bathroom stims :D 🪥 / 🧼 / 🧻 💧 / 🎤 / 🛁 🚽 / 🪠 / 🚿

[anamuave]

I never noticed his eye bags at first somEONE HELP HIM

[singlecrow]

sometimes I think I want a list of things people know/do/say because they were in a specific fandom at a specific time and never shall anything else explain it. Like everyone who isn't Canadian who can say "The year was 1778!" and then sing all of Barrett's Privateers.