Has anyone ever seen something like this happen (video)?

[NavySuit]

The description in the video says the landlord didn't want to pay the fee to shut off the water. There was major water damage as a result. I guess I have a few questions.
Why was there so much water coming out of a pipe under the sink? Do you think the main water pipe for the building runs through that wall?

What were these plumbers trying to do? It looks like they tried to divert the water down the toilet. I don't see why the one guy just didn't hold it until someone shut off the water.

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[FullySprinklered]

Bad day at the office. Stop on the cold side must have popped off. What a nightmare.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[NavySuit]

I didn't even notice the steam. It seems like it was the hot water side. Hopefully, that guy didn't get any serious burns. I've never heard of having to pay a fee to turn off water. I'm guessing the utility company has to come out and do it.

 

[JohnjH2o1]

My son went through something like that. The stem snapped off on a cheep 1/4 turn stop.

 

[Dj2]

"Why was there so much water coming out of a pipe under the sink? Do you think the main water pipe for the building runs through that wall?"

That water pressure seems high. Find out from the manager or the plumber what the water pressure in the bldg is.

The main water pipe enters the bldg somewhere, then goes around to the different apartments.

Your plumber should have shut the main before starting the job. Old angle stops under the sink can't be trusted. In a way he did what most plumbers usually do, and the flood happened.

Now there is a huge damage, and somebody will end up paying for it.

 

[Koa]

Odd they had the wet vac to use. They should have opened all the other faucets. Also gone around to the neighbors and ask them to open their faucets. Wonder if the guy was trying to some sort of sharkbite fitting that wouldn't hold. Something sure went wrong that the "plumber" wasn't prepared for. Surprised at how much pressure that appeared to be. Would like to know the rest of the details.

 

[FullySprinklered]

Judging from his mastery of the English language, he's got to be a real plumber. Now about that being on the hot side, I can't picture it. Poor guy could not have stayed with it like he did if the water had been in the low hundreds. Looks like steam, but really, the guy would be a lobster if that water was hot.

 

[Cool Blue Harley]

Sure hope he got paid for the job!

 

[rjbphd]

My son went through something like that. The stem snapped off on a cheep 1/4 turn stop.

Another reason why I won't use those crappy cheap ass quarter turn valve..

 

[Gary Swart]

Too late to help this problem, but I would suggest you buy or have made a curb key that will shut the entire water supply off at the meter. Your city may not like this, but do it anyway. I had a disaster years ago when after I had a new 1" copper supply line installed from my meter into my basement, several months later the shut off valve in the house came off the pipe due to a poor solder joint. It was a weekend and I had 4" of water in my basement before the city's emergency man could get to me. I had a curb key made after the repair. Have use it when working on my irrigation line a couple of times. Not suggesting using this to turn on a meter illegally, but just in case of an emergency.

 

[Gary Swart]

Too late to help this problem, but I would suggest you buy or have made a curb key that will shut the entire water supply off at the meter. Your city may not like this, but do it anyway. I had a disaster years ago when after I had a new 1" copper supply line installed from my meter into my basement, several months later the shut off valve in the house came off the pipe due to a poor solder joint. It was a weekend and I had 4" of water in my basement before the city's emergency man could get to me. I had a curb key made after the repair. Have use it when working on my irrigation line a couple of times. Not suggesting using this to turn on a meter illegally, but just in case of an emergency.

 

[Erico]

Too late to help this problem, but I would suggest you buy or have made a curb key that will shut the entire water supply off at the meter. Your city may not like this, but do it anyway. I had a disaster years ago when after I had a new 1" copper supply line installed from my meter into my basement, several months later the shut off valve in the house came off the pipe due to a poor solder joint. It was a weekend and I had 4" of water in my basement before the city's emergency man could get to me. I had a curb key made after the repair. Have use it when working on my irrigation line a couple of times. Not suggesting using this to turn on a meter illegally, but just in case of an emergency.

I could barely watch this video. Scary and I feel bad for the guy.

Yeah, you really shouldn't even touch plumbing unless you can turn off water and/or know where the shut off is. The first question I ask. Where is the gas and water shutoff.

I was doing some work for a friend - not plumbing - building cabinets. I had to open a wall where I knew there was copper so I asked where the shut off was a just in case. He said "you know, that's a really smart question. We had a plumber doing some work and he knocked something loose and we had a flood while trying to figure out where the building shutoff was" . Their shutoff was in the sidewalk. A ball valve but hard to get to.

Another buddy was working on his own kitchen. He nicked a copper pipe. He called me screaming for help. He had his finger over to hole and pretty much had it contained but it was VERY painful. I was about 10 minutes away but I stopped in a hardware store to get a clamping patch. He calls me again "Where are you!! It hurts so bad!!!" I get there he is soaked. Water everywhere, even on the ceiling. I told him he looks like he was in World War 2 submarine movie. We get it patched. Just finish cleaning up and his wife gets home. "What the hell is going on!" Oh nothing.... We had it patched but it took a half day to find out where the shutoff was.

My mother in law bought a house in town down state. We were installing a new kitchen for her right after she closed. We go to pull the sink base and find out the house doesn't have a shut off. We have no street key so I call the water department. The recording says 3 days lead time for shut off unless emergency. I felt bad lying but I didn't have three days. So I tell them we have a leak. So the water truck pulls up in he neighbor's driveway and I go out to tell him wrong house. He says no, I live here next door. Turns out my brother in law was his ring bearer for his first wife 30 plus years ago. He knows the whole family. So they invite him in to show him around. "Where's the water leak?" Me: um err umm. He laughs and gives me a key. He had to pump out the box hole and then got her hooked up with a new meter because the old one was leaking

 

[Dj2]

Here are valuable lessons for everyone to avoid future disasters:

1. In a single family home, know where your shut offs are. There is usually one at the meter and one where the main enters the house. If the one at the meter is hard to shut, call your water company to replace it. The new ones can be turned by hand. Be a pest and keep calling them, as they don't consider this as an emergency. Where the main enters the house, install a quality 1/4 turn ball valve. I started putting two shut of valves, just in case.

2. In town homes and condos, find out where everything is. If you can install a shut off valve for your unit, do it regardless of cost. Money well spent. Not knowing the facts can give you a headache or a heart attack.

3. I keep telling my tenants where the shut offs are, they just don't listen. I also tell them to replace the batteries on their smoke alarms, air condition filters, but they ignore me. What can I do? go around and do it myself.

 

[Master Plumber Mark]

Now, if they had any brains , they should have just shut the door to the vanity and attempted to
find the main shut off to the home.... always wise to scope out a house before you go fooling
with older lines under sinks.....

on the bright side the plumber got his weekly bath and
the carpets got a good cleaning too...

 

[FullySprinklered]

Looks like a multi-story condo situation. You have to set up an appointment to shut the water down for a set period of time for a stack of units or bathrooms for maybe ten stories or more. Told the wife I'm not doing that s*** anymore. I'm out.
Didn't know people charged to turn off the water. I've lived in Florida and nothing surprised me about anything down there .
Glad to be gone from there. Since 1989.
Happily turning down work in Buckhead, metro Atlanta.