"Smitty Two" wrote in message
news
In article merica,
"Dave" wrote:




Wow. Sounds like your job was a lot more labor-intensive than I expect
mine
to be.

Let us know about that when your job is done.


Am tempted to take it up with the contractor, who was rated with the BBB,
but I can't really blame him, it was one of his workers who took a
shortcut
and thought it wouldn't matter.


Gosh. You can't blame a contractor for what one of his workmen did? So
you're going to pony up for new cabinets and flooring without a peep?
That goes beyond charitable, to unfathomable at best.

Okay, the plumber came out, used the access port I cut in the outside of the
house, and removed the T-joint along wth maybe ten inches (5" either side)
of 1-1/2" galvanized pipe as well as the leaking horizontal member itself.
(I have *GOT* to get a Saws-All.) Turns out the leak was due to the
horizontal member rusting from the inside out, due to it being installed in
such a manner that there was a small pool of water left in the pipe near the
T-section that never drained out. Have to admit I am not totally clear on
how this is possible, but that is indeed what happened. Rusted from the
inside out, right next to the T-section. This pipe was original to the
house, and was fifty-two or fifty-three years old. Not four or five like I
originally thought. The contractor and his head man had nothing to do with
this leak. I just jumped to conclusions. So anyway, T-section and pipe
replaced with PVC. Took about an hour, after which I spent the rest of the
day putting the steel siding back up. Looks good, works fine. Everybody's
happy. We still have to replace the cabinets and possibly flooring, but
believe we can do that ourselves. In the meantime, life goes on.

I thank all of you for your input, and the encouragement to persist and not
try to do it myself. That would have been a big mistake. The home warranty
covered the plumbing costs, and I have a better idea as to how things inside
the wall work. Truthfully, I feel lucky. Believe it could have been a lot
worse...

Thanks all,

Dave