Friday, September 25, 2009

Simple, Really

I liken my current project at work to changing an outlet because someone wants white instead of beige.

First I turn off the power because otherwise messing around in there will get me hurt. This causes anxiety to others because they have things to do and they want to know how long the power will be off. A reasonable request and the answer is 'not long, it's easy.'

Once I get the cover off of the outlet I realize that the outlet box is broken and the only thing that's been holding the outlet in place is paint and some spackle. I have to do the job right. If not for the satisfaction of doing the job correctly, then simply for safety's sake. Nobody will see it, the little devil on my left shoulder says, but I will know it's there, I explain.

I go about cutting the nails that attach the remaining portion of the outlet box to the stud with a hacksaw or maybe a sawzall. Of course, the drywall gets damaged in that operation, so I enlarge and square off the hole in preparation for creating a patch.

Ah, but I spy something in the wall cavity that looks like mold. I know that I can't leave that in there. It's a health hazard and just by glancing at it I am now subject to full disclosure if I should ever decide sell to sell my house.

A bigger section of the drywall is removed to facilitate cleaning the mold and that's when I discover the source of the moisture that is causing the mold. A slow but steady drip from a pipe feeding the sink in the upstairs bathroom. That has to be fixed, no ands, ifs or buts about it.

So, I repair the leak and begin killing the mold with a bleach solution but the studs start to fall apart as I wash them because they are almost completely rotten.

The wall is gutted and rebuilt, the drywall put back on, the joints spackled, sanded, primed and painted, the outlet hooked up and the new white cover is slapped on. Power is restored and all the affected parties say is, "What took you so long?"

2 comments:

Pete said...

just a regular hero

gagknee said...

are you being sarcastic? i think you're being sarcastic.