I DETEST this house.

from JoeUser Forums

The house in which my family and I currently reside is slated for demolition later this year.  It's old and falling apart, and the AF is building us nice new houses with lamiate floors and attached garages.

Because the house that we're living in is old, it's got some issues.  HUGE issues.  We can't seem to make a lightbulb last more than a week or so and the plumbing leaves a LOT to be desired.  Every so often the drain in the laundy room floor backs up and whatever I've poured down the sink spills out all over the floor and makes it's way into the kitchen.

Today was one of the days the plumbing chose to be difficult.  It backed up and vomited coffee grounds all over the place this morning, so I got out the snake and gave it a good cleaning out.  I thought I had the problem taken care of, so I merrily went about emptying the fryer (we've got a resolution to eat healthier this year) - using copious amounts of scalding hot water and detergent in an attempt to break up the grease.

It broke up the grease alright.  I could tell that it had broken up the grease as a torrent of dirty greasy water went across the kitchen floor, and when I stuck my head around the laundry room door there was a veritable fountain of nasty greasy coffee-ground laden water coming up from the drain.

I've used 4 towels - all of which will have to be thrown away - to sop up the worst of the mess, and I used my little Green machine to suck up some of the water from under the washer and dryer.  I can't empty anything down the kitchen sink because it simply comes right back up from the laundry room drain.

I called housing maintenence as soon as I realized what was going on, and they said they'd put in an emergency work order and have someone out right away. 

That was an hour ago.  Nobody has been here yet.  The water is up off the floor, but it's got a light coating of grease on it now so it's slick as hell.  I can't clean anything up because I can't use the sink - or the toilets, or the tub. 

This is fekkin' ridiculous.  I want to move house.  We can move into a newer house anytime we want, but we have to move ourselves.  Dave wants to wait and move into a brand new home - and the government moves us if we choose that option - but I'm so sick of living here and dealing with this crap that I'm about ready to say 'fuck it' and go hire a U-Haul and move us MYself.

I DETEST this house!!!!!!!!!!!!

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3,910 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
Last time I was on Staff Duty, I had to put an emergency work order in for some students in the barracks. Seems a drip from their ventilation turned into a stream of water overnight. Half their floor was soaked and they had to leave to go to class.

It seems that emergency work order means, "We'll get out there today, if we can." There was still a stream of water from their vent when I left that morning...

I hope they got out there today.
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
I'd be far more worried about the wiring than the drains if light bulbs burn out that quickly. That is not a good sign.
Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
There should be (I won't say there is for sure) a place you can open the system to relieve pressure if the blockage is outside the house. (It frequently is, especially if it's caused by tree roots, and any little thing will back it up.)

Look for a little round white plastic piece out front or back of the house. It'll be about 3 inches or so across, with a square bit on top. Use an adjustable wrench to open that up, and if the blockage is outside, it'll come out there. It opens up your main drainpipe, and it's not a permanent fix, but it will allow minimal water flow, and releive the pressure that's backing up water inside.

It's not ideal though, especially for bathroom use, since it does dump out onto the lawn. Beats the kitchen floor though.

Another thing that'll help with the grease, is to dump a cup (or two) of salt down the drain and flush it with at least a kettleful of boiling water once a month or so. It helps prevent the buildup, especially in the shitty, undersized pipes that're usually half clogged with rust anyway in old military housing.

Good luck, anyway. P.S. Your scarf is about three feet long now and growing.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top

I'd be far more worried about the wiring than the drains if light bulbs burn out that quickly. That is not a good sign.

I agree with Mason.  We lived in one fire trap with wiring issues - and the fire turned out to be a reality!

Hope it happens soon for you!

Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top

It seems that emergency work order means, "We'll get out there today, if we can."

Yep.  They showed up yesterday afternoon and used a powered snake.  They ran it through the entire plumbing system and said that should take care of it for another month or so. 

In the meantime, I'm working on persuading Dave to say 'yes' to us moving ourselves - SOON.

I'd be far more worried about the wiring than the drains if light bulbs burn out that quickly. That is not a good sign.

I know it's not, and I've expressed my concern to everyone from my husband to the housing supervisor. The comment I got from the housing person spoke volumes : "those are old houses, there's going to be some maintenance issues that we're just not going to fix on them".

In the meantime, I'm going to work on persuading Dave to let us move.  SOON.  Before we all burn up in a fire that was started by old wiring.

 

It helps prevent the buildup, especially in the shitty, undersized pipes that're usually half clogged with rust anyway in old military housing.

I do EVERYTHING I possibly can once a month to prevent any blockages in the plumbing.  (The oil I emptied out of the fryer yesterday was the liquid stuf, not solid Crisco, btw.  I won't use the solid stuff in anything but pastry)  It doesn't do much good, simply because the plumbing is old and falling apart. 

Gah.  I detest this house.  In the meantime, I'm working on persuading Dave to let us move.  SOON.  I'm sick of cleaning up after domestic disasters.

P.S. Your scarf is about three feet long now and growing

Aww, thank you!

I agree with Mason. We lived in one fire trap with wiring issues - and the fire turned out to be a reality!

I cannot even begin to tell you how afraid I get about this crappy wiring.  Matter of fact, I think I'm going to call the housing people about it again today.  This is ridiculous.

Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
My word this sounds dreadful Dharmagrl not something you want to be putting up with every few days. I can certainly understand your irritation and frustration with the constant mishaps.

Time to put your foot down, tell them to put you guys up somewhere, get the fire dept in to check the wiring and declare the house unsafe to live in if you have to.

As far as Dave goes - let him clean up the next few messes - he will soon get pissed off and move you all. Go on strike! Put your foot down and get your way!
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
In the meantime, I'm working on persuading Dave to let us move. SOON.


You must feel very strongly about this statement.
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
Isn't it wonderful living in like...condemned housing? Been there.

We're currently looking for something attached permanently to the ground. I'm sick of becoming seasick every time the wind blows. It literally shakes our house. And we get to file our first homeowner's insurance claim because the 80 mph gusts completely tore the skirting off our doublewide palace. We also have a sand dune outside of our home. I'll have to post a picture of that. I think it's pretty hilarious considering how "destroyed" I think our house is after this windstorm.

I hope you're well woman. *hugs*