Why would someone need to dispose of a huge amount of cash — tens of thousands of euros — very quickly? That’s what authorities in Geneva, Switzerland, want to know, after finding wads of foreign cash clogging toilets at a bank and at restaurants around the city. [More]
plumbing
Company That Makes Wet Wipes Agrees Not To Call Products “Flushable” Unless It Can Prove It
By 5.18.15
After pleas from sewage workers and hearing from plumbers who say flushable wipes are actually not flushable or good for sewer systems, one company that makes wet wipes for retail partners has agreed to stop marketing its products as safe for flushing, unless it can substantiate that claim. [More]
Burst Sprinkler Pipe Floods NYC Movie Theater, Sends Chandelier Crashing To The Floor
By 2.17.15
Nothing quite ruins a movie like an unexpected shower: Moviegoers at a New York City theater were interrupted in their cinematic pursuits yesterday afternoon when an overhead sprinkler pipe burst, flooding the place and sending a light fixture crashing to the ground. And yes, the theater did have screenings of Fifty Shades of Grey on the schedule let’s make that joke in our heads and move on. [More]
Cops Bust Man Accused Of Pilfering The Plumbing From Burger King, Cracker Barrel And More
By 10.20.14
You know what’s annoying? Heeding the call of nature at a restaurant, only to find that the thing that makes the toilet flush is missing, and the necessary plumbing to tote away what needs toting is gone as well. Who would want to steal pieces of toilets? Police in Florida say a man has been accused of visiting local eateries and pilfering the plumbing for his own gain. [More]
Pipe-Pilfering Has Doubled Number Of U.S. Homes Without Complete Plumbing
By 2.12.13
According to the 1990 census, only around 1% of all homes in the U.S. lacked a complete set of plumbing facilities, down from 45% in 1950. But a new report claims that recent rashes of thievery have resulted in significantly more homes without proper plumbing. [More]
Plumber Says It's God's Will That His Customers Only Pay What They Can
By 12.14.11
A plumber in Texas has a very full appointment book these days. That’s because he doesn’t invoice his customers for the sometimes costly work he performs. Instead, he only asks them to pay what they can afford. [More]
How A Call To Fix Clogged Toilet Spiraled Into $13,698 Plumbing Bill
By 8.25.11
On March 31, a 73-year-old man in Wisconsin called a plumber to fix a clogged toilet. He says that a day later, on April 1, the plumbers handed him a bill for $13,698, but it was no April Fools Joke. Of course, this has all ended up in court, where the customer alleges employees at the plumbing business are told it’s part of their job to upsell additional work to the consumer. [More]
Plumber: Don't Flush Anything Other Than Toilet Paper
By 6.24.11
Back in 1999, my roommates and I ran out of toilet paper and thought we’d get inventive by using paper towels instead. A flooded bathroom and ensuing visit from the plumber taught us that this was the wrong course of action, because paper towels don’t break down and tend to clog up pipes. Live and learn. [More]
Clean That Drain Before It Cleans You Out
By 2.17.11
A clogged drain can rob you in a number of ways, either by forcing an expensive plumber’s visit or causing a flood. Taking some time to learn a few pointers on how to find your way around your plumbing can pay off well. [More]
How To Defrost Pipes
By 1.24.11
You wake up. Your toes recoil the instant they hit the floor. Your breath forms stalactites in the air. You go to wash your face, and squeak squeak, the knobs turn but no water comes out. Damnit. The pipes are frozen. How do you get the water flowing again? [More]
Get Up To $175 In The Clorox Bowl Cleaner Class Action
By 12.6.10
You can get up to $175 if you bought, used, or suffered property damage from using Clorox Automatic Toilet Bowl cleaners, thanks to a class action settlement. [More]
Roto-Rooter Offers Tiny Refund To Customer Who Spent $200 For Short Visit (Updated)
By 10.6.10
Usually when a company emails us after we post a complaint, it’s with tail between the legs and the intent to satisfy the customer. Roto-Rooter, however, seized the opportunity to offer a piecemeal refund that only managed to further anger the offended client. [More]
Roto-Rooter Drains $200 From My Bank Account For 3-Minute Visit
By 9.29.10
Rochelle warns you not to call for repairs without confirming contractors’ rates. She attained this hindsight after a 3-minute visit by Roto-Rooter cost her $300. [More]
Mr. Rooter Plumbing Job Quoted At $300 But Ends Up Costing $25,000
By 8.9.10
Dave and his wife came into some money and decided it was time to get a professional out to solve their slow draining toilet problems once and for all. Mr. Rooter showed up, and in less than a week the company managed to also solve Dave’s “I just came into some money” problem, by taking all of it. The problem is, Dave isn’t sure that any of the expensive extra work was necessary now that he can see the pipes. [More]
Track Down A Water Leak In Your Home
By 5.27.10
A water leak on your line can run up your utility bills, plus it wastes water. But before you spend money on a plumber, there’s a few things you can do yourself to try to locate and stop the leak. Wikihow has a good DIY guide, from listening to toilets to checking hose bibs. Even if all you can do is find the leak, you can save money if you’re able to tell the plumber where it is and he doesn’t have to go looking for it.
How to Find a Water Leak in Your House [WikiHow]
Moen Keeps Excellent Customer Service Flowing
By 3.20.10
Jim recently learned that Moen actually believes in the whole “lifetime warranty” thing. Or at least is willing to support their products for ten years. He writes that he contacted the company asking for a specific o-ring to fix his faucet, and instead the company went right ahead and sent him an entire new shower head. [More]
Low-Flow Toilets Provide Water Savings, Entertainment
By 1.29.10
If you were unfortunate enough to have one of the early low-flow toilets installed in your home, you probably remember it as an … unpleasant experience. Fortunately, the newer models have enough power to get their job done using surprisingly little water–as little as 1.28 gallons. Consumer Reports proves this by flushing what look like brightly colored toys down the toilet. This is very entertaining to watch. [More]
Kohler Provides Flawless Customer Service
By 3.25.09
Here’s an example of terrific customer service, this time from the sink and faucet company Kohler.
