Doug Hjellen, Joke of the day

[Terry]

I called on a Saturday. I left a message. Waited 5 days for a call back. They did not return my call. I called again and left a another message. After waiting 1 more day I still did not receive a call back. Another plumber I had called earlier was booked up for a month and couldn't help me, but they at least had the courtesy to call me back quickly. Not this outfit.
Doug Hjellen
Mill Creek, WA 98012

Description of work:
I need a French drain unplugged.

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Dear Doug,
A French Drain in your yard needs to be unplugged? Why didn't you call a landscaper to dig that up?
Are you trying to be funny? Or at least call someone that works on unplugging drains. I don't advertise drain cleaning, nor do I have any tools for that. I also don't do landscaping, or outside drain work. I'm a service plumber installing faucets, water heaters and toilets. I have a shopping cart and web site that details the things that I do, and the hours I work. All of the work I do is inside the home. I also don't replace sewers or water lines from the meter. There are people that do that work, but not me. You might as well as called me to come over to your home and baked you an apple pie and graded me on that. That is also something I have never done. How many things can we come up with that make Doug angry? Would Doug want surgeons to install toilets? Does Doug want fisherman to herd cattle?

Monday through Friday
9:00 to 5:00

By the way, It had snowed a lot this weekend and I went skiing with a friend on Monday. I have a season pass for skiing and I do need to make use of it. Is that okay with Doug?
I hope your drain gets fixed. It has been raining a lot in Washington. When I was younger, I can't tell you how many days I worked outside in the rain, crawling in mud, wearing rain gear all Winter. As I got older, I decided to take my knowledge of plumbing indoors where I can conserve my strength. Doug and I are the same age. We both are of Medicare age. Most of our friends are retired. I'm still out there plumbing, and doing an A+ job of it.
Doug, if you need a comfort height toilet, I do those.

 

[LLigetfa]

There was a time I used to say "please leave a message and I'll get back to you" but then realized that I was too busy to return all calls so I removed the second half of it.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[hj]

If you leave me a voice message, I MAY get back to your in a month or so, when I check my mailbox, otherwise talk to me on the phone.

 

[MACPLUMB]

A FRENCH DRAIN IS JUST A PIT FILLED WITH GRAVEL IN RAINY WEATHER YOU JUST WAIT FOR THE RAIN TO STOP

 

[Terry]

A FRENCH DRAIN IS JUST A PIT FILLED WITH GRAVEL IN RAINY WEATHER YOU JUST WAIT FOR THE RAIN TO STOP

And he wanted someone to snake it.

I got a call a day later from someone needed to stop the hot side water on their tub. Plastic handles and they were pulling but they wouldn't come off.

I texted:
Those knobs have caps hiding the screws. A thin blade helps to pop them off.

She texted back:
We were able to fix it! Thank you so much, we feel silly for not realizing it sooner. Thank you again, and good luck with your business!!

It's always nice to get thank you's like that.

 

[Reach4]

The thing I called a French drain had a horizontal 4 inch PVC pipe with a bunch of 3/16 holes that I drilled. I put an elbow at the higher end, and capped that just below ground level, in case I ever wanted to clean it. I put pea gravel around the pipe, and dirt with grass on top. It was effective at letting a yard area dry that had kept standing water after rains previously. The pipe after the holes was not given holes, and it ran straight under what shortly thereafter became a poured concrete driveway.

 

[LLigetfa]

A french drain can be built with or without a drain pipe. I put in a french drain on my former property. Sloped the grade to a swale and dug a 3 foot wide trench about 8 inches deep, lined it with filter cloth, put a 3 inch slotted pipe in the middle surrounded with crushed rock, topped it with more filter cloth, and then topsoil.

I sold the property after 5 years so no idea how well it lasted. The filter cloth should keep silt from clogging the pipe but then tree roots probably invaded it. Might be a job for Mr. Rooter?

 

[hj]

How would you flush out the roots after you cut them off?

 

[LLigetfa]

That would be Mr. Rooter's job. Ask him. That's what he's paid the big bucks for. When you hire an expert, you don't tell them how to do their job and if you knew how to do their lob you'd probably DIY.

 

[Terry]

I dug out and repaired this line for my mother last Summer and had a friend Walt bring out his snake to clear the line.
Even in the Summer is was a lot of work and mess. For my mother I will do this. She's 100 years old. Other than her, I'm working inside now.

These guys do outside work though.
https://terrylove.com/forums/index....ne-repair-outdoor-plumbing.73835/#post-544247
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