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That renter who tried to fix their own toilet with a coat hanger
I was at the hardware store in Cleveland last Saturday and overheard a guy telling his buddy he used a wire coat hanger to unclog a toilet because he didn't want to pay for a snake. Next thing I know, he's calling me saying the porcelain cracked and now there's water damage on the subfloor. How do you convince people that some things are worth spending ten bucks on before it costs you four hundred?
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park.robin3d agoMost Upvoted
That happened to my neighbor last year with his garbage disposal. I told him next time just call me first because I keep a cheap auger in the garage. Twenty five bucks at the hardware store beats a plumber bill every time.
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caleb_stone2d ago
Feel for that guy, man. I mean, we've all been there where you just want to save a few bucks and figure you can MacGyver your way through a plumbing problem. But a coat hanger is just asking for trouble. The metal is way too thin and can scratch up the porcelain inside, making hairline cracks that you don't even see until water starts seeping through. I've seen those cheap plastic drain snakes at the dollar store and they work way better for like two bucks. Still sucks that he had to learn that lesson the hard way, especially with a water damage bill on top of it. Hope it doesn't set him back too bad.
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sagep192d ago
Genuinely feel for him, man. A couple of those thin metal tools can really do a number on the pipes before you even realize it. I've seen hairline stress cracks form right at the p-trap from people forcing stuff down there. Bottom line, sometimes the few bucks you save just ain't worth the headache.
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