Chaos in the bathroom!

[Mekk]

I came home from work the other night to find our bathroom flooded out. There were damp towels on the ground, sopping wet toilet rolls scattered everywhere and a giant pool of water, creeping its way across the adjacent carpeted part of the flat. (Pictured)

There, in the middle of the chaos sat a post-it note from one of my flatmates.

"The washing machine leaks, don't use it."

Thanks, no shit.

So I got my handy mop out and handily mopped most of it up, hung the towels out to dry, threw the toilet rolls out, picked up fallen over hair product bottles, cleaned the sink, washed my hands and sat down with a beer.

On completion of earned beverage, I turned the machine on to observe where the leak was coming from. I figured it would be the only way to troubleshoot something like this and stood ready with bucket and mop.

For about thirty seconds I didn't hear anything unusual. Then out of nowhere a huge puddle came gushing out from underneath it. I quickly turned the machine off and started frantically bailing the water that had conveniently avoided the drain in the floor. On establishing where it was coming from, I finished cleaning up again and tipped her up to have a look underneath.

I hadn't realised that most of a washing machine's machinery was right there, I thought it was hidden inside for nobody to see. Anyway, I quickly established where the leak was coming from. (Pictured)

My flatmate has two pet rats that she lets out from time to time. I don't understand the desire for rats as pets, but whatever. It looks as if these little bastards have gotten in there and chewed the seal (or the pipe) right through. I can't really tell at this stage as it's bloody hard to take pics while holding the machine up with the other hand.

There are some definite chew marks through the seal, and the fact that the cork they usually play with and a small piece of bread is there too confirms the suspects.These rats have also recently annihilated my network cable so needless to say, I'm a bit pissed off.

Normally I'd go to the landlord about something that's broken, but as we're strictly not meant to have pets and the fact that these "pets" have caused the damage, I'm a bit reluctant.

I call upon thee, washing machine gods and goddesses and gurus and experts and all people able to lend me a hand in knowledge about what this could take to fix. I am wanting to fix this myself if possible without causing any great harm or destruction. I appreciate any help, thanks.

[janno]

So are the rats, and/or flatmate, on their way to a lovely new home?

I'd be expecting flatmate to foot the bill for any repairs, that's for sure.

Good luck with the repairs, sorry I can't offer any wise and useful advice. Apart from get a new flatmate?

[Colapop]

Don't react too quickly! It is unlikely to be the flatmates rats (they're probably well fed). Quite often during the winter this sort of damage occurs when mice come indoors coz it's cold.

[BMW]

Hey! I had to pull apart mine as the flattie got the drain pump stuck. meant that the bowl spun up and splashed water every where. So I took the pump out , cleaned it out and got mine going.

Recommend looking at a new hose ( see some place like Mitre 10) and then get the power cables fixed before starting up!

Also tip a bucket of water down the top with no power as it seems the electric motor is below the hose! You may feel a jolt sitting in the water with power applied!
This way you can test for leaks without power on.

[bull]

dettach the current stuffed hose and take it to mastertrade and theyll hook you up with the matching replacement, as for the electrical you could just put some insulating tape around it otherwise get it fully repaired by a registered electrician.

[The Pastor]

rat poisn in the cage when ur flatmates out, or buy a cat and don't feed it.

[Mom]

So are the rats, and/or flatmate, on their way to a lovely new home?

I'd be expecting flatmate to foot the bill for any repairs, that's for sure.

Good luck with the repairs, sorry I can't offer any wise and useful advice. Apart from get a new flatmate?

I love animals, but.......is this pet rat allowed free run of the house? :sick:

If you are not prepared to ask your landlord for repair (because you know that this is most likely a "pet" problem) then remove the chewed portion of hose, go to your local plumbing supply store to buy the bits, repair the machine hose, get rid of the flat mate!

If you really dont want to do that, make it a "rat or flat" scenario to them. All rats must die by the end of July.......this is August, the rat or the flat :sunny:

[Keystone19]

Kill the rats.

And the mice.

And the flatmate.

That should solve the problem.

[Steam]

Just tell the landlord there are wild rats in the house, problem solved. So many problems can be solved by lying.

[SlashWylde]

Hey dude.

I had to replace a black concertina hose on my old washer recently. You can get them from Applianceworld, at 140 Apirana Ave Glen Innes Auckland.
Ph 0-9-528 5555.

I think I paid about $24 for mine.

Just call them and tell them the make and model of your washing m/c before you head on out there, to check if they stock them.
A flat tipped screwdriver is all you need to remove the two hose clamps holding it in place. Should be a 10 minute job.

Then all you need to do is hold the rats hostage till the flatmate coughs up for the damaged hose and cable :yes: Sorted!

[sunhuntin]

tell flattie that the rats do not run free in the house anymore, and that they are footing the bills [i suggest get as much ruined bits of washing machine out as you can, make a huge mess with them in their room, and leave a similar note.]

we had rats as pets too [i had 11 at one point... my original one had babies about a month after we bought her!!] and we used to let them run in our beds. shut the door and block the gap with a towel, and away they went! great fun, and good exercise for the rats too. if flattie still wants rats to run free, tell it to keep em in their own room. that way, only their stuff gets damaged.

[ynot slow]

Can you teach them to chew the wires whilst machine plugged in,instant fix.

[The Pastor]

accidently knock the cage over while leaving the door open while showing the neighbours cat your house....

[Mekk]

Thank you all! Most amusing replies and helpful too.

To clarify, the rats are allowed out for maybe ten minutes at a time because they get restless in their cage. Said flatmate has said she won't be getting them again as they are destructive little fuckers. She's happy to cover costs and has already replaced my network cable.

We have seen them go into the bathroom before, but I just didn't think about what they could do to a washing machine. Kinda stupid in hindsight, but that's life.


Don't react too quickly! It is unlikely to be the flatmates rats (they're probably well fed). Quite often during the winter this sort of damage occurs when mice come indoors coz it's cold.

I am pretty sure it's the rats, I am on the second level of a 5 story building in the city, we don't see many mice around.

If it is though...when do they start paying rent?

--

Thanks also SlashWylde, Bull and BMW, great tips. I'll have a play around soon, see if I can get the hose off...just don't want to flood any more than I have to.

[Mekk]

accidently knock the cage over while leaving the door open while showing the neighbours cat your house....

Unfortunately the neighbour's cat did venture over one time. It was scared of the rats.

[NighthawkNZ]

Chaos in the bathroom!

What was our cat doing in your bathroom... sheese she be a menace

[Mekk]

Right!

I've opened her up and got the hose part that needs replacing off. I could probably repair it with a bit of no 8. wire but I would rather not have to worry about it, plus I figure it'd be cheap part to replace anyway. Will find out tomorrow.

Anyway, I got some better pics of the rat-attack.

[peasea]

Right!

I've opened her up and got the hose part that needs replacing off. I could probably repair it with a bit of no 8. wire but I would rather not have to worry about it, plus I figure it'd be cheap part to replace anyway. Will find out tomorrow.

Anyway, I got some better pics of the rat-attack.

That looks like piece of cake to fix to me and the cost should be shared if your flatmates are half decent. I fixed my machine a while back when the flexible coupling shat itself. Off to the appliance guy in Glenfield (in the YP's), a few bolts later and bingo.

I've had two floods and I learned from the first one. My last genius of a partner did a wash while there was a rag in the tub. Rag filled plughole, tub overlowed etc.

I cleaned up the mess (coz I was first home) and lifted the carpet to dry, all good. BUT....thinking that the accident could happen again I drilled some holes in the floor under the tub, out of sight. Sure enough, it happened again and the majority of the water drained to the ground under the house, (well away from my bike) and no wet carpet.

If you ever own your own place get a pipe that goes under your tub that the machine empties into, with the outlet below the tub plughole. (I haven't bothered coz I'm moving, but will do that in my next place) For the meantime buy some mouse/rat poison and slip it under the machine.

Good on ya for having a look under the machine and fixing it yourself, Money saved for more bike gear!

[janno]

Yeah, second the drain in the laundry floor scenario. Saved my bacon a coupla times! Our floor here is sloped toward the drain hole too.

Don't see why you couldn't do this yourself in your second storey flat? :innocent:

I'm sure no one would notice . . .

[Beemer]

Don't react too quickly! It is unlikely to be the flatmates rats (they're probably well fed). Quite often during the winter this sort of damage occurs when mice come indoors coz it's cold.

I'd be pinning the blame on the rats - we live in the country and have a constant mouse problem, despite three cats, and we've never had a problem like this before!

[Mekk]

That looks like piece of cake to fix to me and the cost should be shared if your flatmates are half decent.

I have the replacement hosing ordered in, comes in early next week. Problem with fixing it is that the way it's been eaten makes it very hard to properly seal it up. Also the fact that it's rubber, not plastic means that it doesn't stick properly to anything.

I went to mastertrade today and got an inner tube and some electrical tape, so it should hold off until next week.

The flatmate who owns the rats has agreed to pay for damages, so that's sweet.


Yeah, second the drain in the laundry floor scenario. Saved my bacon a coupla times! Our floor here is sloped toward the drain hole too.

Don't see why you couldn't do this yourself in your second storey flat?

I'm sure no one would notice . . .

Thing is, I already have a drain in my bathroom floor...it's just so poorly designed that the water hits the carpet before it gets to that. In fact it usually pools around the drain without going in it, it's useless!

[westie]

Rat poison should fix the problems!

[Mekk]

Rat poison should fix the problems!

Reckon it'd work on the flatmates too? :devil2:

[westie]

Dont be too hard on them. One of my worst flatmates is now a good friend:eek:

[skidMark]

you: .....i fed the rats .....they wont move now tho.....

flatmate: what did you feed them

you: those green pellet things...isn't that what they always have? :innocent:

[westie]

Go to bed its pumpkin time skids

[Mekk]

Here's a couple of pics of the culprit. :nono:

BAD.

Part still hasn't arrived, I expect it to be in tomorrow or Tuesday though.

[Mekk]

Mother of fuck!

So I went and picked up the replacement bit of hose today.

$43.50 plus shipping ($6).

What the hell?! It's a piece of bendy rubber hose! Have I just been screwed?

I did enjoy the anxious glances of cagers on the walk home as the shape of the tube looks very similar to that of a firearm as I noticed in the reflection of a shop window.

But still, I had got $40 in cash out because I figured it'd be around $25 max and that I could use the rest for lunch. BUT NO.

Can someone please help me justify this cost?

[Coldrider]

It's not any bit of hose, it's that bit that you specifically need, and have to pay for accordingly. Manufactures make money out of parts supply, and all the agencies get their 'click' on the way.:shit:

[Mekk]

I forgot to add the other bright side:

I have fixed my washing machine without paying for someone else to do it and learnt a lot along the way.

[Coldrider]

I trust the rats are fed on something cheaper, or gone....

[Mekk]

They're caged better at least.

I'm not fronting the bill though...if I wasn't such a nice guy I'd have my labour paid for too!

Then again, I value the experience over any monetary gain to be honest.

[Ms Piggy]

Don't react too quickly! It is unlikely to be the flatmates rats (they're probably well fed). Quite often during the winter this sort of damage occurs when mice come indoors coz it's cold.

No doubt it's your flatmates vermin! I used to have a rabbit that lived in my bedroom and she chewed everything - power cords, wallpaper, books, telephone cords etc, etc.

[Mekk]

No doubt it's your flatmates vermin! I used to have a rabbit that lived in my bedroom and she chewed everything - power cords, wallpaper, books, telephone cords etc, etc.

Mmm, I prefer to think of rats and rabbits and the like as OUTDOOR pets.

Some people would sleep by a horse if it'd fit in their bedrooms.

[Ms Piggy]

Mmm, I prefer to think of rats and rabbits and the like as OUTDOOR pets.

Some people would sleep by a horse if it'd fit in their bedrooms.

Yes indeed, I had some lame arse idea that I could have my rabbit inside (apparently it can be done with those big lopped eared rabbits) she was just 1 of those little ones (a dwarf rabbit) but she was a little fluffy cute bundle of destruction that got a new home with someone who had the appropriate outside caging area for her.