A Year Without Hot Water
We have not had hot water in our home for a year.
When we go to the public restroom and the water is perfectly warm to wash our hands, the children express how good it feels. It echoes my thought of wanting to crawl into the sink and enjoy the warmth.
No Hot Water for a Year
Ther are times its quite inconvenient to be without hot water. A child gets sick and needs a bath – we must wait for the water to heat. Bathing simply does not happen as often as we’d like. Dirty dishes wait till the water is hot. Cold water out of the sink in Montana hurts the hands – so hand washing is done as fast as possible, germs are probably chilled to death!
We do Bathe
Just in case your wondering. We have a shower so by setting a large tub (organizer) in the shower, we dump a couple of gallons of cold water in, then boiling water and bathe the children. Since adults don’t fit in an organizer very well, a more shallow tub works well for a basin bath. Baths in this way get us all clean, but bath time is more of a chore than a pleasure.
Basin Bath, we do get clean.
Saturday nights when everyone needs a bath we keep 2 large kettles going on the stove to boil water. Eventually, the dishes and all 6 of us get clean.
In the winter we have a pot of water on the wood stove all the time.
How did we end up without Hot Water?
The reason we do not have hot water is a rather long explanation. When we got water into the house we installed an on-demand hot water heater simply because we did not have the space it takes for a traditional hot water heater. The on-demand hot water heater never did work well. It was a freeze or fry experience.
We have a lot of minerals deposited in our well water. This slowly built up over a few years and ruined our water heater.
The on-demand water heater was not dependable for regulated heat. It would overheat, then turn off completely. The children could be burnt, it would get so hot. So we were not interested in replacing it with another on-demand water heater, plus the new ones are quite pricey.
But we do not have room for a traditional water heater. A water softener is also an update we felt we should do since the mineral deposits will soon ruin any equipment we install.
Living small, we originally thought if we add on for a water heater and softener, we should add on more space to the house. We drew up plans and talked to a contractor. But neither of us had a peace about that plan.
We also hit summer – the full season of carving as much as possible, with no time for the extras.
Back to square one. What should we do?
Finally, we decided to add a small 4 x 8-foot addition to just the bathroom. By that time Al had another large project, he had already committed to so that needed to be completed before he could start on our bathroom addition.
Now today, after many hours of labor, Al has the addition complete, and a plumber is scheduled to come.
Excitement is running high around here, knowing we will soon have hot water. One child is quite sure they will get to be the first to shower. Imagining a long, warm leisure shower makes us smile.
I will be glad to have access to hot water, without needing to plan ahead to boil water. And I am so ready to be done carrying large pots of water around.
But you know, we have learned that as with hot water many things in life that we perceive as needs are really a want. How quickly we think the things we are accustomed to having are something we must have. The reality is that we enjoy so many luxuries.
It has not been convenient for me to deal with, but it has been do-able. I have had to ponder how many luxuries in my life are just expected.
Ready and waiting for the plumbing
COVID Reality Check
Literally just as I finished handwriting this blog post, the plumber we had on the schedule to come today called and canceled. He had a meeting with his workers this morning and because of the fear of contacting the Corona Virus, the employees are choosing not to work. Maybe they can come out next week.
I sat here in tears and a year’s worth of anticipation just crashed at my feet.
Yesterday Al took off the afternoon and worked hard to be ready for the plumbing. He tore out the vanity and the toilet, as they both need to be moved.
Now I do not have hot water, bathroom vanity or a toilet. At 16 degrees this morning, the outhouse seat feels a bit crispy.
So I am stretched some more.
I am trying to wrap my heart around the “Why, Lord?”
I have felt so untouched by the COVID19…who am I NOT to be touched by the virus? Some inconvenience is so little compared to illness and death. This too – no toilet, vanity or hot water – shall pass and eternity will not even see this moment of disappointment.
Lord, incline my heart to wisdom and apply my heart to understanding…Proverbs 2
Hope I learn fast!
UPDATE: The next week the plumbers did come and we so enjoyed HOT water and REAL showers!! But I won’t tell you how often we showered or just how long those showers were….
