Almost every time I decide to do a new home repair project, I end up going to Home Depot multiple times.
No matter how much research I do, no matter how prepared I think I am, my initial supply run will miss something that I won’t realize I need until I’ve gotten into the process. So I’ll go get that thing. And then, further down the line, I’ll realize I need something else–either because I forgot about it, or because something’s not working right and I need a part to fix it.
Today I was replacing an anti-siphon sprinkler valve. I got the old one off, and realized I needed new PVC Solvent Cement, because the stuff I had had turned to jelly (which means it’s not safe anymore and won’t work, either). So I went to get some. And then I realized the pipes on the old valve are about 1/2 an inch wider than the inlets on the new valve. So I had to go back for a clamp to bring the pipes together–and if that doesn’t work when I test the pressure, I’m going to need to dig the whole thing up, through the old rose vine roots that are in that bed, and basically start from scratch.
Sometimes I miss the days I could call the landlord and he’d deal with it.