The time I tried to fix a leaky faucet and flooded my kitchen

I was in my apartment in Chicago last Tuesday, thinking I'd save $150 by replacing a washer on my own. Ended up with water spraying everywhere because I cross-threaded the nut and had to call an emergency plumber. Has anyone else made a small home repair turn into a total disaster like this?

2 comments

2 Comments

lunakim2d ago

My buddy Jake tried to fix his own garbage disposal last summer and ended up cracking the pipe under his sink with a wrench. He had to pay a plumber $400 to replace the whole unit plus the pipe. Honestly, I think people overestimate how much they can save by DIYing stuff around the house. I always pay a professional for plumbing or electrical because it's just not worth the risk of making things ten times worse. These jobs are tricky even for experienced handymen, so why would an average person think they can handle it? You're probably better off spending the money upfront than dealing with a flooded kitchen or a ruined floor later on.

the_james2d ago

Wait, Jake cracked the pipe by just using a wrench on it? That's not even a DIY fail, that's just bad luck or going in way too hard. How hard do you have to wrench a garbage disposal to break the pipe underneath?