Just what you need in the middle of a lockdown and you're in the shielded group!

[MaureenMLove]

So, I'm in the shielding group due to my health and because of that, I'm usually awake and silly o'clock and need to have a hot bath to get my bones working!

Get in the bath at about 5.30 this morning, turn the taps off and the cold tap completely sheered off in my hand!

I am now anxiously waiting for an emergency plumber to come and do something. I live on my own and not strong enough to turn the mains water off, so I had to phone a friend, who came instantly at 7am thankfully, but there's still a trickle of water coming from the now exposed tap joint I suppose you'd call it. There's was a few drips coming through the ceiling in the kitchen, but I assume that since the water is off now, that's why it's stopped.

Plumber coming between 8 & 11. Really hope it's soon. I don't know what to do with myself whilst I wait, apart from collect antibacterial wipes and bleach from the cupboards, to be ready to disinfect the entire house, once the plumber has been!

Still, I guess it means I'll have something to do today. What else can you do, other than remember that it's not the end of the world and these things are sent to try us!

Hope it’s sorted soon. What a situation to have to deal with!

Oh what a pain. I hope the plumber turns up promptly. Can you get everything dried out okay? Maybe a fan?

Before the plumber comes in the door explain that you are in the shielded group - and ask him to touch absolutely nothing on the wain and from the bathroom. Then when he is in the bathroom watch him as he works so you can see what he touches. Then clean that when he leaves. Then there will be no risk of surface transmission

And obvs two metres away

It will be fine.

I expect tradesmen are at least gloving up during lockdown, but I might be wrong. Did you explain when you booked him that you’re shielding?

Sorry I'm going to disagree with watching what he touches. By far the bigger risk is being in the same room. If possible unlock your front door so he can let himself in and go and sit in your bedroom or living room. You can talk on the phone. He should disinfect any surfaces he has touched.

Yes stay more than 2 metres away and ask him to disinfect as he goes then disinfect everything again yourself and try to leave 3 hrs between going in the same rooms if you can.

Hi, yes I've told them I'm shielding. I have my cleaning products ready in the front room with me and as soon as he calls me to say he's nearly here, I can open the front door for him.

Not going in the bathroom for about 3 hours could be a problem...! No more tea for me.

The water is still running out of the non tap in the bathroom. Another friend has offered to come and see if there's another stopcock somewhere. I have to have people in here. This is my safety, not just my health.

Yes you definitely need to fix the water asap or it will cause damage to the house. Just keep well clear of them and try to avoid touching things until you have cleaned it. Don't forget the floor when you clean btw as micro droplets can fall on it, not just from shoes.

We do have a valve on the pipes under the bath so there may be one there.

He's here looking now. Think we may be a step closer to the water being off at least!

I'm in a similar situation as our boiler packed up at the weekend. I was so anxious yesterday waiting for the engineer. I explained the situation to him first - he came in, had new gloves on and he literally didn't touch anything other than the boiler (which he disinfected afterwards). He asked me on the phone to make sure that all doors were open and he said he wouldn't touch the banister going upstairs. He stood at the doorway to say goodbye while I was about 3 metres away in the kitchen. He was brilliant. Antibac'ed bathroom and all surfaces afterwards.

Are you able to leave a bowl of soapy water on your doorstep for the plumber to wash their hands before coming in? Or some wipes?

Don't worry, just keep 2m away, don't touch your face until you've wiped down the surfaces once they have left. You'll be absolutely fine.

Right, friend has been and all the water is definitely off now. He's been in the loft and said that there's no bulging of boards and there isn't any major damage with the dripping water, so that's something.

He's said that it's clearly happened before, as there's towels up there from a previous leak. I've only been here since February. He has also said that it's a relatively easy job for a plumber with all the right equipment, so now I sit and wait.

I'll better go and have a wipe down up there, before the plumber gets here, as I have to think of cleanliness for him too.

My friends dad had his stopcock in a ridiculous place and hard to access. His plumber put a button on the wall that he can press do turn off his water. As you have issues turning the stopcock see if you can get something similar.

It's a rented property, so I'll just have to get this sorted today and when people are free to move around again, get the agents in. I've taken pictures of the towels that were in the loft around the pipes, which are now in the bath and of the evidence of a previous leak on the kitchen ceiling. I'll get the plumber to take pictures in the loft too and write a report.

Friend said the pipe work is all over the place.

The landlord is going to think I'm wrecking the joint! Last week the oven door suddenly exploded for no reason, so I had to have the oven replaced and typically it now doesn't fit flush, as the gas pipe is in the way, so that will have to be moved once this is all over.

I just wanted a very quiet, very ordinary life for a couple of years, in a rented property, before I get back on the ladder. I moved in on 1st February and so far it has been far from ordinary! I haven't even had any of my friends round to celebrate my new life yet!

I just wanted a very quiet, very ordinary life for a couple of years,

Sounds more like you were bored!!!! No , sorry I didn't mean that. I remember when my Aunt had a leak (I mean her upstairs bathroom., not her!). Crikey the place stunk of damp afterwards.

Oh no, really,really not what you need!

The plumber is hopefully a decent guy with functioning brain cells & should have shoe cover, gloves & the sense to not touch more than he has to and disinfect that after himself!

Disinfect the toilet & handbasin/taps etc and leave everything else for as long as possible. The virus has a half life so is continually losing its potency by itself.

Take care 🌷

Might be a bit late, but I had to have a plumber in last week. I met her at the door with a bowl with spray disinfectant, cloths and hand gel in it. I said the gel was for her to use and to please spray and disinfect anything she touched, preferably before and after. After all, they don't know what they are walking into either.

Worrying times for us all.

All done. He managed to just change the tap. It doesn't match the others now, but it's a working tap and that's the best I can hope for.

I have bleached from top to bottom anywhere he went. It has brought up some things I haven't done yet, during my lockdown. The banisters are filthy, as is the front door!

All I can smell now is a mixture of bleach on the walls and paintwork from the kitchen to the bathroom and zoflora on the floors!