Saving One Penny at a Time: Day Two: An Unexpected Day at the Blue House

Mom has basically been begging me to let her into my other house so that she can clean! The water had not been turned on, so it hadn't worked out in terms of keys and times and water and all until now on a perfect Saturday. I told her I would meet her over at the blue house to turn the water on and then be on my way to the Rochester house for the rest of the day.

Oh, how quickly plans change on unknown houses.

I met her over at the house around 8:15 A.M. Dad was going over to Rochester to pick up some tools, and then he met us at the house, as well. I had one simple goal: turn the water on! The main water valve in the house had already been turned on, so I called my utilities company. They informed me that they had turned it on last week when I had called and requested it. Hmm.

So I headed down in my crawlspace to check for another valve. Neither Dad nor I thought there would be one, but this wasn't making sense!!! I found the water line...and no valve. So I came back up. We went to the side yard to see if the water was on. It was. But I had a hunch. "What if the water valve out here was installed backwards"? I asked Dad. He said that would be highly unlikely. Well, I turned the valve from pointing TO the house to point AWAY from it, and wouldn't you know it, the water turned on! I had water!!! Mom could now clean!

I wanted to get her some hot water for good cleaning, so I went to fire up the hot water heater. Nothing. It was a gas unit, but the pilot light would not stay lit. I tried again...and again...and again. Nothing. It would light, but as soon as I took it off of "Pilot," it would die. It might have been able to just use new gas parts, but I saw that the unit was original...27 years old!!! The Energy Guide said "1983" on the sticker, so it might have even been older than that! I also couldn't get the shut-off valve above the water heater to fully close and shut off the water. I decided to just replace the whole thing.

Draining the old, original water heater.

Ouch! That was a $500 surprise I hadn't anticipated...and many hours lost on the other house!

I headed to Menard's, but they only had $600 units. Nope. I headed to Lowe's...$350! I loaded one up and headed back to the house. I had Dad help me carry it inside, and I started installing my 2nd water heater (Thanks, Cleveland house, for the confidence to do this one!). Dad told me to hire it done, but at over $1000, I decided to save $500 and do it myself.

I opened up the box only to find the water heater severely damaged. It had dents on top AND bottom. AGHHH!!! MORE hours lost! I loaded it back up and headed to another's Lowe's to purchase another one. So frustrating!!!

So that is how I spent my entire afternoon: installing a new water heater. Dad worked on various electrical projects like replacing the old thermostat with a new digital one; Mom feverishly cleaned the kitchen and bathrooms by boiling water on the stove, and I worked on the water heater.

The new thermostat installed. Thanks, Pa!

Mom working tirelessly in the kitchen! She boiled water for cleaning as I installed a new water heater! Thanks, Ma!

After removing the old water heater, I quickly learned why I couldn't get the water to stop flowing. The valve had so many deposits of HARD elements. It simply couldn't fully close!

Those deposits are rock solid!

That gunk is as hard as metal!

I also learned today that my dishwasher is missing a VERY critical piece: the water spinner on the bottom! I will probably have to replace that, too. I just took a $1000 hit today on appliances! Ouch! I heard over and over again today: "Now you know why he was so eager to sell it!" That's the risk you take on as-is and unknowns...

Problem: No water spinny thingy!!! Another setback!

Dad and I conquered a major project of hanging up all of the shelves in the closets again. I'm not exactly sure why the previous owner took them down, but I'm glad to see them back up. The house is coming together, but what surprises!!!

One of the many closet shelves we hung back up.

After the frustrations of the day, I needed a little pick-me-up. So while Mom cleaned the kitchen inside, I planted boxwood bushes outside. I needed a project that I could say, "DONE!" I know it sounds silly, but I seriously needed something to get fulfillment from today!

I had BLAND landscaping out front! This house needed something!

The bushes all planted. We stayed late again tonight!

I also found this curious little friend as I was digging...I have NO idea what it is!

I don't think he belongs in Illinois!

I didn't get the water heater completely installed, although I was able to get the water lines fully hooked up. Tomorrow I will work on the gas lines.

What a day. Today was FILLED with surprises! In no way, shape, or form did I picture myself spending the day at the blue house. I NEEDED to be at the other house!!! But things kind of fell apart real fast.

No water. Then water. Then no hot water. Then no hot water heater. Then no dishwasher. A "nice" flip turns south real fast. As I said earlier, in the course of hours, I saw nearly $1000 disappear just like that!

But I know these risks going in. The 27-year-old water heater is now brand new. And soon enough, the 14-year-old dishwasher will be brand-new, too.

The beauty queen had to go...

Out with the old...

In with the new. I still have the gas lines to hook up tomorrow.

It was a good day, though. Projects are getting finished. And Mom is cleaning like only Moms can! Seriously, check out these photos...the $50 stove is like new!!! It's amazing what a little bit of elbow grease can do.