Leaky bathtub, repairman AWOL

[Truthiness Inspector]

My bathtub faucet is leaking, so I called a repairman to fix it. We talked this morning, then he tells me he'll call me back. He does, and sounds very pleasant. We agree on 2:30 pm for him to come over. Minutes before 2:30 he calls saying it will be more like 4:30-5:00, and while annoying, I say ok. I ask him to call before he plans to show up. He doesn't show up. Around 5 I called and got his voicemail and left a message. I called a few more times over the next 2 hours, and kept getting his voicemail.

So...gallons and gallons of water are being literally wasted down the drain, and this guy shafted me so late in the day that I couldn't call anyone else. The waste of water is bugging me more than anything else, and there is nothing I can do about it until tomorrow morning, assuming the next person I call actually shows up.

There are bigger problems in the world, but this is the Lounge, and I had to vent. :mad:

[XemaSab]

1. Put a bucket under it

And use the water to flush the john.

[Floogeldy]

3. Oh, baby.

:thumbsup:

[Truthiness Inspector]

4. I'd end up overflowing the toilet tank

if I did that. The best I've been able to do is fill up buckets and water plants, fill up my dogs' water bowls, etc but I can't keep up with it, most is going right down the drain. :(

[XemaSab]

8. Don't put it in the tank

Put it in the bowl.

[noamnety]

2. You can't shut off the main water valve thingie? (n/t)

[Truthiness Inspector]

5. Not sure

I know how to shut off valves for a leaky sink, but not for a bathtub.

[Ghost in the Machine]

6. you would have to shut it off at the meter (if you're on paid water)..

then pop the little center cap off that hides the screw... back the screw out, then take the handle out with a wrench.... take the handle to Lowe's, Home Depot or your local hardware store and ask them for a new one. It'd probably just a bad O-Ring or seal on the handle.

[Truthiness Inspector]

7. I think you are right

that it is a bad seal/ring, but I do not know how to shut the water off at the meter.

I am plumbing-challenged for the most part, and don't want to make the problem even worse LOL.

[noamnety]

9. In our house

The bathtub is upstairs, but the main valve is in the basement.

[radwriter0555]

12. Your tub may back up to a hallway wall, in which case, look for a small

door behind the tub.

The valves there are just the turny handle types of things, like the ones behind the toilet or under the sink. Just simple handles.

Turn off the one that's leaking...

I hope you have that little trap door!

[Truthiness Inspector]

14. I looked, no dice :( But thank you n/t

[noamnety]

16. When the plumber comes

ask him how to shut off the water in your home. He'll probably show you, and it's the sort of thing you should know.

[ContraBass Black]

10. What's pathetic is that when I read your subject line, I thought,

"George Bush is repairing your bathtub?"

[oberliner]

11. Are you sure your leak wasn't caused by....

...never mind, I won't say it!

[hfojvt]

13. probably just need to replace the seat

I could do that. I even own a seat wrench which cost me a whole $5. Sometimes plumbers can be hard to find though. Don't you know any guys at work? An investment in a book like "I can fix that: a woman's guide to home repair" might be in order, but I used to think dad was crazy when he did his own plumbing repairs - all kinds of black gunk in that drain pipe :scared:

[Truthiness Inspector]

15. That's funny

because I was just thinking today how life would be much easier if I could do some of these relatively minor repairs myself. Time to learn!