Hook-Ups
...Of the washer/dryer variety.My dad forgot to bring the hoses for my washer on moving day. This is entirely understandable because he brought me a dryer, a spare gas can, extra indoor garbage cans, two outdoor garbage cans, 4 door stoppers, a 5-gallon bucket, an entire van full of tools that he put to use all day helping me to get settled.
He assured me that hooking up a washing machine is very easy. He took me down to the basement and we had a little show-and-tell as he explained, "Attach a hose here and here...cold to cold and hot to hot." Sounds easy enough. In fact it sounds a lot like jumping a car. Positive to positive...negative to negative. As I verbally make that connection my father looks at me with a sudden doubt crossing his face... I haven't had the best of luck with jump starting my car (I've melted jumper cables twice in fact.). He tells me this it is not that difficult. We shall see.
That same night he gives me the hoses.
A few days later I brave my way down to the basement for my first DIY project as a homeowner (can I technically call myself a homeowner if I have as yet to make my first house payment?). The hoses are a little difficult to attach (here and here) because the previous owner clearly had stock in some paint company and painted everything...including the spickets in the basement. So I proudly busted out some tools that the previous owner had abandoned and found some "tightener thing" and proceeded to attach the hose as my dad had instructed.
I figured that I should test it out before I go through all the hassle of threading it onto the washer. So i turn on the water. And water sprays EVERYWHERE! Luckily the floor drain is in close proximity because I am drenched from head to toe. I keep working with my "tightener thing" but it just doesn't seem like it could get any tighter. I try the water again. More water pouring out of the spout, out of the threads, out of nearly every spot but the end of the hose where I WANT there to be water coming out. I have to just stop and laugh at this point because it really is just amazing HOW MUCH water I have on me and on the floor with just two little turns of the knob.
I try a couple more tightening turns, more water on me and the floor and decide that doing more of the same thing isn't going to give me any different results. So I sweep the excess water down the floor drain. Ring out my sopping clothes. And wait for a consult on this situation.
I told my story repeatedly at work. It got lots of laughs but few suggestions. Finally, Sue offered her husband to help (my heroes!). They were the first people that I got to show my house off to. And Steve had my washer working just fine in no time flat. I guess I was doing all the right things...just not tight enough. So in this case more of the same actually would have been a good thing, but that is a separate issue.
So now my washer works. Thanks to my dad. And Sue. And Steve. And really I didn't do much except bring all these lovely people together. :) Good times. And the adventures of home ownership continue...
posted by Trisha @ 10:03 PM
