...that 'S' word & lawn art

[Roy in TO]

I hate to be the one to let you know but S*** don't run up hill.

We learn by experience.

There were a lot of other factors that took precedence when we bought this place. If and when we move, there are a lot more things I would factor into the consideration.

Even though I paid a home inspector to check things out before we bought, he missed a lot of things. I learnt from a city building inspector after buying - that there "is no direct translation" for a plumbing "vent" in the previous owners native language. Need I say more?

[james kent]

Hahahahaaha! I hear you
See you guys at Emily
Happy New Year

[Doug Mager]

Snow Plowin' 101

[Morgan]

Maybe the Snow Joe 322P is just what you need

I was thinking more like this one, Roy.

[Morgan]

Morgan
Wow!
We call 11 mm a dusting. That's about 5/8 of an inch. Are you thinking cm's? That would make it almost 4 1/2 inches.
Well, you can have my #*#[at]% snowblower. We got hit with a couple of storms at Christmas time and then a warm spell and the poor 25 year old thing just went splut, splut, phutt with the wet stuff and up and died. My snow blower doctor is out of the office until next week. Thank goodnes we haven't gotten more than a "dusting" during the waiting time. Ah well! That's what we have 4X4's for, EH? Just pack it down, spring will come eventually.
Roy
What's this thing with axels and snowblowers?
What do you have in mind for our next problem?
Can you let me know ahead of time?

Nope, James, I measured it myself. I admit I estimated the drift height, I didn't want to get too close.

[Roy in TO]

I was thinking more like this one, Roy.

Are you sure?
It seems to slow down some when it encounters the windrows.

[Roy in TO]

What do you have in mind for our next problem?
Can you let me know ahead of time?

Ummm.

Hate to have to tell you this Jim, but you had better check you basement for water coming up from under the floor. Never had a problem until today ...

I'm in the middle of cutting a hole in the concrete floor to set a sump pump into. Can't figure out where the water is coming from. We are in the middle of the artic cold snap so it should not be surface water. Our city water pressure is down. Tested the water for chlorine and it came up negative and different from that coming out of the tap. That leads me to believe it is ground water.

So far we've sucked out about 20 shop vacs full of water and the new hole fills up almost as fast as we empty it. Stopped at home depot to get everything we need and the guy giving me all the parts forgot to mention that we also need a back check valve that was not included with the sump pump. Carol Ann is making another trip down to HD to get one as I write this.

I'm dirty, wet, tired and frustrated. Any idea's?

[Tom B.]

Snow?.....I've heard of it....almost 70 F. today...had to wear a coat to work.



Tom
Austin, Texas

[james kent]

Ummm.

Hate to have to tell you this Jim, but you had better check you basement for water coming up from under the floor. Never had a problem until today ...

I'm in the middle of cutting a hole in the concrete floor to set a sump pump into. Can't figure out where the water is coming from. We are in the middle of the artic cold snap so it should not be surface water. Our city water pressure is down. Tested the water for chlorine and it came up negative and different from that coming out of the tap. That leads me to believe it is ground water.

So far we've sucked out about 20 shop vacs full of water and the new hole fills up almost as fast as we empty it. Stopped at home depot to get everything we need and the guy giving me all the parts forgot to mention that we also need a back check valve that was not included with the sump pump. Carol Ann is making another trip down to HD to get one as I write this.

I'm dirty, wet, tired and frustrated. Any idea's?

Oh man, Roy I really feel your pain. We've had so many coincidental things happen that I actually went and double checked every corner of every room in the lower basement with a high powered light. Knock on wood. We had a sewer back up last summer but Mr Roter Router fixed that and one of these days I'll have to remove the big maple tree from the front lawn. If your's is not sewer or city water Then I'm afraid I can't help much, and what a crappy time of year for it to happen.
There isn't an old well on the property by chance is there? I would really suspect a burst pipe somewheres. How about the cities fire hydrant system? Is it separate from the drinking water?

Carol Anne
I'm really sorry that I even brought up the subject of plumbing. Yes, you can say that you told me so.......
Jim

[Coach George Jessup]

I was thinking more like this one, Roy.

Way it's going up north this year ya'll need either

This Unimog (Mercedes Utility Truck) Snow Cutter

or

This Unimog

Both are instant killers of any size ! Even this one

[Roy in TO]

If your's is not sewer or city water Then I'm afraid I can't help much, and what a crappy time of year for it to happen.
There isn't an old well on the property by chance is there? I would really suspect a burst pipe somewheres. How about the cities fire hydrant system? Is it separate from the drinking water?

I'm not sure how the city is plumbed but I do know that they don't for sure. Documents went missing back in the 60's when the first merger of small towns into bigger cities happened. I'm not sure about an old well, possible but not for this house. I do know that there are underground rivers that the developers ran into digging for the new apartments at both the front and rear of our house. Another apartment flanks one side.

We never had a problem with the record breaking amounts of rain last year. At -20*C there is no runoff I considered the possibility of a water main starting to go, but there is a difference in chlorine levels and pH. I wonder if the ground is altering the water composition.

Stranger yet is that at about 10:00 PM as I was setting the sump pump into place the amount of water coming in dropped dramatically.

[james kent]

At about the same time that industrial usage drops off???

[Roy in TO]

What are you thinking?

[james kent]

A frozen pipe to a factory somewhere in the area maybe???

[Roy in TO]

Water is bubbling up from the end of the driveway.
Spent 5 min on hold waiting to report it on the emergency water line.
Will keep you posted.

[james kent]

HEY GUYS!
STREET HOCKEY!

[Roger C H]

Some people in Washington have water in their basements also:

[Roger C H]

Anyone for a snow doughnut?

me!, me!

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/nor...07/pictures.htm

Enjoy

[Doug Mager]

Can't remember a stretch of 9 that has those dividers on it, where was this, more exactly??

[Roy in TO]

Love the snow doughnuts! And the Bimford Blower

Updating water story. Took the city 1.5 hours to get someone out. They spent an hour trying to turn the water off before giving up. Looks like it is going to run all night till a crew can make it out in the AM to dig down to the problem.

Other than the flowing stream in the center the rest of the driveway is shear ice. The water flows down to the garage, into a catch basin and then under the garage to empty into the yard a floor below. I'm crossing my fingers the pipe does not freeze because the next path of least resistance is into my garage. That is packed to the rafters with everything that I've been buying over time to do a planned reno for my business.

Looks like another sleep deprived night is on it's way.