Water, water, everywhere!

As a semi-responsible homeowner, I try to do the things that keep our home and yard in good repair. One such thing is to turn off the outside water in the fall. If the water is not turned off, it can freeze in the sprinkler system pipes and cause them to burst. Last fall I did this. Besides turning the water off, it is advisable to drain any residual water from the system.

The outside water shut off valve is located downstairs in my office. Behind a removable panelin the drywall, I can turn a handle and voila, no more water to the outside faucets or the sprinkler system. Located right next to this handle is a spigot that looks just like one you would find on the outside of your home to hook up a hose. Once the main handle has been turned off, there is no water pressure to the spigot. It is this spigot that allows you to drain water from the system for the winter. You simply hold a bucket under the spigot, open the spigot, and allow the water to flow backwards into the bucket. Easy process. Responsible homeownership. This I did last fall. Pat myself on the back. Another to do list item checked off. I forgot one minor detail. After I drained the water, I forgot to close the spigot....

Sooooo, when I turned the main handle back on this spring, water gushed forth from the spigot directly onto my desk, which was covered with papers. It was basically like someone put a hose in my window and turned it on full force. Way to go, Jer. Maybe I'll put a post-it note above the waterworks in my office..."Note to self: Don't be Stupid!!!"

Jer