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I learned a great deal last Friday, not from a fancy seminar or a class but from the plumber. It is no secret that my husband and I are not very good at home improvement projects, which can sometimes be a challenge when you own an older home.
I always have wanted to be handy around the house but have finally realized after my last attempt at painting a bathroom two years ago — that is still sitting worse than when I started — that I am challenged in this area.
My husband’s blood pressure rises when I suggest tackling any household improvement project. He knows that as excited as I am when I start it, time will pass, it will get challenging and my enthusiasm will disappear, leaving the project unfinished and usually requiring a professional to fix or finish it.
Our latest home improvement project was not by choice. Our dishwasher died. It is an appliance that is not a necessity but a luxury. For the past month I continued to tell myself we do not need one as I washed dishes after three daily meals for a family of five.
After much debating, a good sale and a little stimulus from the government, we decided to get the luxury appliance. I was told by several individuals that taking out the old and putting in the new is easy, and I fully intended to tackle that project.
It took me about five minutes to realize this was well beyond any of my capabilities and the plumber was called.
The plumber arrived and confirmed that this was not going to be a simple job. He is a trusted businessman and a family friend for many years so I knew he wasn’t fleecing us, so the work began.
As he labored getting the old out, we found out at some point recently we had a few little furry friends in our home. The first lesson learned from the plumber was how to keep mice and bats out, sealing up those tiny cracks and spots where they get in with a little caulk and copper Brillo. It also will make heating your home more efficient.
The next thing I learned as he worked was what each of our electrical breakers controls. After shutting basically everything in the house down switch by switch, we finally found the one that controlled the kitchen. Apparently, when the electrical was done, no one thought to label the switches. This changed on Friday.
Then came an embarrassing lesson. I am afraid of basements, unless they are carpeted and serve as a nice family room. The cement walls and dark, damp areas creep me out. Needless to say, our trap-door basement is a serious issue for me.
The plumber needed to go into the basement to show me something, I had no choice but to go down there, a place I have never been before. After all, I have always relied on my husband to deal with the workings of the basement. Even when purchasing the home, I left the basement to the realtor, inspector and my husband.
So I bravely entered the basement trying not to reveal my fear as he showed me many things that should be checked regularly and the workings of our kitchen plumbing.
As he talked and I tried to follow, I realized the basement isn’t that bad. Two rooms are fairly normal, but I wouldn’t dare go near the crawl space or where the walls turn to dirt. I don’t think he realized my fear, until my husband came home and was shocked I went down there and shared my secret with him.
The lesson in the basement was that it isn’t that bad, and I learned much more about the items that keep our household running — and easy ways to maintain these items. He even suggested the basement as an area the boys could burn off some steam when the weather is bad.
I enjoyed my day with the plumber. He was full of interesting information, and I feel a little more confident and knowledgeable about the inner workings of our home. However, his bill will probably reflect the time spent conversing. As for my basement, I think I see a new project I can get started on.
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