I ran some hot water and vinegar down the drain and that helped a lot but it was still backing up onto the floor. It's never been high on my list of things to spend money on because it doesn't really hurt anything and it looked way too gross to snake myself (plus mine's not long enough) and getting a pro in costs $115, and do you know how many plants that will buy?
I don't know why but I finally started worrying about it and the money in my checking account isn't going to spend itself, so I called Grumpy's Drains and they sent someone out two hours later.
He was very nice (I WANTED THE GRUMPY GUY) and he said our floor drain is still in good shape, though they generally only last 50-60 years. Mine will be 75 next year! He gave me the number of a trustworthy contractor, in the event that it does finally give up. And then I snapped one of those fancy $3 covers on it. Like a grown up.
On a semi-related "things in the basement" vein, I've been using an iPhone app that I really like called "Time Flies." It cost $.99 and it has a very simple interface to keep track of things you don't do very often. I use to track when I flush the water heater, change the furnace filter, apply fish emulsion in the garden, or clean the gutters.
It doesn't remind you to do anything but it will tell you how long it's been since you cleaned the range hood (really? it's been that long?). So if you know you're falling behind but maybe don't know how far behind, this one is for you.
You are amazingly organized...like it's scary. Flush the water heater??? You mean people actually do that? You need to write an entire blog post about all the maintenance things you do that other people (me) never even think of doing. Not that I'll do them but at least I'll completely understand just what a pathetic homeowner I am.
ReplyDeleteGreg would so disagree with that statement! I think it has to do with being a worrier. What if the basement floods? What if, what if, what if? So I do things that make me feel like I am somehow preventing disaster, which I'm not. Also, I watch too much This Old House.
ReplyDeleteI haven't cleaned the range hood in over a year. Well, Chris hasn't at least :) I can't believe I just admitted that...
ReplyDeleteOMG...looking at your "to do" list makes me realize how bad I am. I usually replace "wash shower curtain" with "buy new shower curtain because current shower curtain is now so gross it punched me in the face."
ReplyDeleteI used to do that too! Then I bought one of those fabric ones that you can bleach and life got way better. We have that really gross pink streaky bacteria that grows in our shower so I have to Dod it often.
ReplyDeleteWhat if you don't even own a range hood? LOL-at least we will soon. On the fish emulsion, we live in Portland and have used it on our wooly thyme and it works wonders. Since you know a LOT about plants, can you use it on everything? flowers? plants? crops? How often should you do it and just during growing season? Thx:)
ReplyDeleteSo...what would YOU do when your printer starts sending you messages that the overflow ink cache is almost full? My guess is you would not just wait to see what happens when just clicking OK no longer returns it to working just fine.
ReplyDeleteI'm not an expert on fertilizing but I think you can use it on everything except plants that want poor soil (some grasses and succulents). I know it's really good for veggies!
ReplyDeleteAt my age I can remember what date I changed the filter (and what I was wearing) in a house I have not owned for 13 years, but my short term memory is kaput. So I got a google gadget for my computer called "Days Since" so I can figure out whether I changed the hummer feeder water yesterday or a week ago. I am lost without it, and it works like the app you have. I will have to get Time Flies for my phone now. And then a gadget to remind me whether I updated the phone or the computer.
ReplyDeleteLOL. I need that too! But then I need some sort of app that reminds me where my phone is.
ReplyDelete