Ten Minute Job

[Stormin Mormon]

My parents have an expression, the "ten minute job".

This is where Mom wants Dad to do some thing or other, typically a repair such as fix a drippy faucet. She will describe it as a ten minute job. Dad knows the threads are rotted, and the pipes will break, and end up being two days and a plumber house call.

I was thinking that today. As I replaced faucet washer in the bath tub faucets. Go turn off the water, the knob handles don't have screws, I left them out, the handles just press on. Still, they were rotted, and took a lot of prying. The brass screws in the center of the valve stem were rotted.

Strangely, I did haved the tools and supplies (00 flat washers) and some plumbers grease. No trip to the store for parts, which is really unusual for a ten minute job.

I'm both feeling accomplished, and nervous. The next job will not go as well.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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[Frank]

Plumber here a few weeks ago to replace a laundry tub fixture. Might have tried it myself but it was soldered in.

While here I had him replace a Moen cartridge in my shower as well as the shower head as I knew he would have these type problems.

Last year I had pulled the cartridge from the tub at risk of breaking something. These were original at about 35 years. Also every time I've replaced a shower head, it's sheared off leaving threads behind.

Plumber had both these problems in my shower but had a puller for the cartridge and a trick to removing threads. He used my parts so extra costs since he was here were minimum and this septuagenarian had peace of mind.

[Ed Pawlowski]

My father in law kept his house in pristine mechanical condition. After he passed, there was no one around to do that sort of work. When we'd visit my MIL, it was usually on the weekends and I'd see a faucet drip. I had to just leave it alone. The shut offs below the sinks could not be trusted. I knew that the ten minute job could take a couple of days and I may even have to have the city turn the water off at the street. The main valve had not been touched in many years.

Thankfully, mom came to live with us for her last few years and she sold the house "as is" to the next door neighbor.