To think I’m being a complete CF and not want to ring into work again!

[MeteorGarden92]

So I recently dropped to PT hours to accommodate completing my qualification. Work are wonderful and supportive but I know it’s a stretch for them!

Yesterday I get a call at 7am from DP who has written off his car on the way to work. He’s ok but car is not! (Second accident in 3 months but neither his fault- he has a 2 hour commute on bad roads).

Obviously I rang in and swapped my day off!! They were fine about it.

This morning he’s taken my car to work and I’ve come down to an exploded dishwasher poring water down the front of my washing machine (and no doubt over the plugs at the bag which I CANNOT get into) I’m 26 and not the most stressful practical with electrics but pretty sure I can’t go out to work and leave the new water feature going!

Rang DP - no answer as he’s no doubt mid way through an operation right now. (Dr) so don’t expect a response from him in the next hour or two and even if he does respond he’s over an hours drive away!

Rang my mum- can’t come over.

Rang the plumbers who didn’t answer yet.

This is the second time the dishwasher has done this in a month! And our car was sick a few weeks ago and had to be rushed into the vets (again by me as couldn’t reach DP at work!

DP and I are getting married in 12 weeks and he would bend over backwards to help...if I could get hold of him, which I never can as obviously they don’t allow mobiles in operating theatres and he spends 50% plus of his working day there!

He’s on a 13 hour shift today- I just feel like it’s always falls to me, and it’s always going to be my career taking a huge hit! I’m sat here feeling terrible about having to ring work again and honestly could just cry!!

The freezer will be able to last all day as long as you keep the door closed.

Water off. Electricity off. Towels down. Go to work.

Turn off the water. Turn off the electric. Throw towels on the floor. Go to work.

I'm still wondering how the OP doesn't know how to turn off her water, when this isn't the first time she's had to deal with a flooded dishwasher

This is the second time the dishwasher has done this in a month!

I’ve never needed to turn the water/electric off before.

What did you do last time this happened?

The freezer will be fine. How do you think power companies can turn off power to the whole street for several hours whilst they do work? Don't open the fridge or freezer doors and everything will be fine. And also, almost all food can be refrozen if they have been partially defrosted. There's a list by the food agency people saying what's sage etc (as long as there are still ice crystals then I think everything is fine to freeze again).

THIS ^

And actually, if your freezer is FULL , as you say, it will take even longer to defrost than if there is just a bag of oven chips and some fish fingers1

IT WILL BE FINE!

If you don't, even if you turn the water off, you could end up with an electrical fire. That will destroy more then your week's worth of food!

If he's in theatre, wouldn't he be a surgeon or consultant, not a doctor?

Not necessarily - could be a surgical registrar.

This thread has been good in the fact that I'm going to ask DP where the stop cock is as I don't know (It's his house). I assume its under the sink but I'll double check with him later.

Just turn electric off, I assume that you turned off the dishwasher so there shouldn’t be anymore water getting into
It. Mop up as much as you can and leave towels etc to soak up remainder.

@Ice

Last time the plumber answered the phone and was here within the hour. It also was a more contained leak which didn’t appear to be going onto the plug sockets in the same way.

I do get it’s important to know these things but equally think ALOT of my age group- despite having good careers/education - don’t know how to do things around the house. Though on saying that, my mum doesn’t know how to turn off the water/electric at their house and she’s lived in it for twenty years!!

Turn off water at the stop cock. Turn off mains electricity. Take out plug for dishwasher. Turn electricity back on.

Go knock on a neighbours door ...ask them if they can help you locate the stop cock ...turn it off ...go to work...ring a plumber in your lunch hour to come after work....or post job on trust a trader ...

I'm your age group. It's not a reason to be useless at practical stuff around the house.

But anyway, did you find everything and then off water and electricity? Called a plumber? Mum on her way?

Just realised you said mum can't come over! Sorry. Ok. Just do it when you get home.

If he's in theatre, wouldn't he be a surgeon or consultant, not a doctor?

surgeons and consultants are doctors too

Switch off the power using the fuse box. The switches are usually labelled. Once that is done it's safe to go in the water puddle.
Our water main is halfway down the drive but it could be in the household cupboard or under the stairs. But if the power is off and you've turned the taps for the dishwasher off under the sink it's fine to deal with once you get home.

When I was in your age group I didn't have the internet to help me find out about how to turn off water and electricity! We found ways to find out and to survive.

A full, modern fridge & freezer will stay cold for ages. If you don't open them, and you get lucky, you can get as much as 48 hours of staying cold enough. Half a day is nothing.

You've been given really good advice here. Take it or don't bother asking. Isn't this an opportunity to feel you are succeeding at 'adulting'?

Does your Home Insurance Policy have Emergency cover. A lot do.

Check the Policy and if it is included call the number. They will send out a Plumber, Electrician etc.

but equally think ALOT of my age group- despite having good careers/education - don’t know how to do things around the house.

God, what a depressing thought. Once you get this sorted, OP, please learn how to be more self sufficient. Everyone should know how to turn off water/electrics and other basic stuff, around the house.

Don't make this a generational thing. I'm your age and know where my stop tap is.

We have a girl like you in our office meteor

Great when in work - but there is all ways a bloody drama why she can’t come in. We lose money because of it and if she doesn’t get her act together she is going to get the boot.

Adults in work always has shit going on - they just don’t drag it in to work. What are you goi g to do if you have kids? That’s when the shit really hits the fan.

Get your arse in to work

Can’t you turn it off at the spur switch? I have 4 switches on the wall ‘washing machine, dishwasher, cooker hood. Fridge freezer’ the plugs are behind the appliances but the electrical switch is on the kitchen wall. The stop cock may be under the sink. I could do this much at least as a teenager so age is irrelevant.

I mean this kindly, and you're obviously overwhelmed, but if you piss off your work, then buying a weeks worth of food may become extremely difficult if you get fired.
I used to let DH do everything, but that meant I didn't learn, so when I was about your age I started doing the dirty/difficult/oh shit I don't know what to do jobs.
YouTube is your friend, and you can do this. My DH often isn't around when working away, and jobs fall to me - knowing I can do them makes me feel more confident, plus I have no choice - the DC need a Mum who can do things.
Good Luck!

I’ve come down to an exploded dishwasher poring water down the front of my washing machine (and no doubt over the plugs at the bag which I CANNOT get into)

It also was a more contained leak which didn’t appear to be going onto the plug sockets in the same way.

How do you know the water is going in to the plug sockets?

If the water got into the sockets, the fuse would already flip.

Sockets have to be at certain hight so water leaks can't reach them. Unles your dishwasher is spouting water out from it's top (which is quite impossible), it's quite safe to say, the sockets are fine.

Still to be on a safe side, flip kitchen fuse off, hook fridge into a different room as already suggested, close the water mains nad go to work.

Btw I am only few years older than you are and I can't imagine not knowing where stop cock is🤷‍♀️

Not a good enough education to know that it's "a lot" not "alot"...

The sockets shouldn't be behind integrated appliances anyway, unless they're spurred above the worktop – you should be able to get to them from the next cupboard/unit along. After switching the water off. But assume you're on your way to work now anyway?

Does your household insurance include a helpline for this sort of emergency? Some will send out a plumber for you.