Hardware store voyage

Spent 3 hours going to and fro from the hardware store today. The initial mission was to get, primarily, a shop light, a heater, some silicone caulk (optimistic), and a good utility knife. I ended up also getting a sump pump (thanks to Kevin and Avi's suggestions), some dremel tool accessories for cutting, a rope for my Halloween costume, some hooks for my bathroom, and a bunch of stuff for Heather.

I came back and studied the lower drain pipe again. It can't be twisted off because the pipe T's to another line, and because it's L shaped and, even without the T, would hit the ground. I removed the silicone caulk, and it appears the PVC pipe is nicely and fully seated. It's going to have to come out. Which means the tank is going to have to get lifted.

I called Brian to discuss, and we concluded that the thing to do is to lift the tank from the ceiling to that it is easier to work on. 4 eye bolts sunk into studs and some straps should do it. So, back to the hardware store to pick up appropriate eye bolts and a matching drill bit. Came back and did the use-a-small-drill-bit-to-find-the-studs trick (sorry Heather), and sank the four bolts. I used a strap and lifted myself from each hook individually -- the tank probably weight 300-400lbs empty, and I arranged the hooks to be pulled almost straight down under load. So, there should be a factor of two safety margin.

Brian will come over next weekend, and we'll tackle the lower leak. The fiberglass shell of the tank will have to live outside for a bit whilst we work on the plumbing.

I've set up the end of the tank with power, lights, and heat so I've got a comfortable place to work, and I've cleaned up all the detritus.

Next week, the tank gets lifted, and we can see the full plumbing system more clearly.