Thursday, December 19, 2013

SCREAMING ROOFER!!!

Since occupying this residence in March of this year, I've spent a large amount of time dealing with repair people. Virtually nothing in this place worked properly and if it did work, it leaked. First it was the washer and dryer, both. The dryer wouldn't heat up and wasn't even connected electrically or vented and I soon found out why. The washer wouldn't fill with water and I was advised that even though it appeared at the residence, it was not listed as part of the residence, (my error). So, I gave them away to the first repairman with a truck, that was willing to haul them off, upon the landlords instructions. When I asked for that authorization in writing, I was ignored. The kitchen faucet was frozen in place and needed to be replaced. The garbage disposal inoperative, frozen with a burned out motor and replaced. The dish washer leaked like a sieve. The water heater wouldn't heat water. The replacement washer and dryer, (mine) were never vented and I had to pay to repair my own washer. The toilet seat in the master bath required either a seat belt or replacement, I bought a new one. The landlord sent two plumbers, right off the boat from Bulgaria, that had little command of the English language and less experience in plumbing and they were in charge of this myriad of repairs. NOTHING went right. To flush the toilet in the master bath, the one I use, you have to hold the handle to make it continually flush the toilet. They put in the wrong flapper. The roof, although new, leaked like crazy and continues to leak after 5 different repairmen have been out, which leads to the reason for this text.  

When the new roof is exposed to rain, it leaks down through the cold air return. When the roof is not exposed to rain, it continues to leak there, as well. A week after our rather heavy rainstorm, the roof continued to leak for about a week, almost ruining the new carpeting that the landlord supplied. I started with putting pots and pans down, but quickly realized that it was not that severe and reduced the item to huge old ash trays that have been laying around my garage for 30 years, as that is when I quit smoking.

After being ignored by the landlord, I finally secured the number of the roofing company and called for yet another appointment for repair. The roofers ignored our appointment twice and finally showed up a day late, about 5:30 PM. on Tuesday, of this week. By the time they got here, it was pitch black outside, but the roofers assured me they had flashlights to perform my water test. Like second story men, they set up a ladder in the dark and climbed up on the roof, but only one of them, the boss of this outfit. He was a young, tall guy that SCREAMED whenever he spoke. I mean a really LOUD talker. Embarrassingly LOUD! I want to hold me ears, LOUD! The second guy, a guy named Rudy was instructed to go into the house with me and watch for water. Rudy asked me where the water was coming in and I told him to look at the ash tray on the floor and go up! Rudy went out to Billy Bob and handed my hose up to him and then came inside and went on patrol, watching for water. About 30 minutes later, I went to check on Rudy and he was laying on the floor with his trusty flashlight next to him on the floor. My real goal was to check on him to make sure he was going though my drawers. When I approached, I noticed that his eyes looked a little sleepy, like I had awakened him. He kind of jerked upon seeing me and so I offered him some refreshment, possibly a bottle of water? He said, no, he was fine. Just then, Billy Bob came walking through the front door and announced screaming, EVERYTHING LOOKS FINE UP THERE, IT MUST BE A FURNACE PROBLEM, as my ears were ringing from his loud intrusive voice, suddenly, Rudy jumped to his feet and yelled, LOOK, water!!!!

Billy Bob, runs outside and back up the ladder, as if suddenly he was going to be able to see where the water was going in. Now water is literally pouring into my house, running around like a waterfall and Billy Bob comes back down, trudges through the mud in doing so, and this time, after he dragged mud into the house, I stopped him at the door and he started screaming again. IT LOOKS FINE UP THERE, YOU HAVE A ROOF YOU CAN BE PROUD OF, and tells Rudy to pack up the tools and ladder. As Billy Bob stands there YELLING, I casually, trying desperately not to SCREAM, because that's a natural reaction when someone 
SCREAMS at you! I'm now worried that the neighbors will think there's a fight here. I mention that if everything looks fine, why is the water drenching the carpeting? He confesses that there was one spot he wasn't sure of, where the water could be coming in and then yells, "RUDY, PUT THE LADDER BACK UP"! Now it's about 7 PM and he climbs back up there with his trusty caulking gun and returns 10 minutes later with his going away words. WELL, IT'S ALL DONE. IT SHOULD HOLD NOW, IF IT DOESN'T, THERE'S NOTHING HE CAN DO! I went back into my house feeling sorry for Rudy. He has to hear that stuff everyday! If it leaks again, I'm buying bigger ash trays!

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