Beech Tree News Network

As I write this, my commode is sitting in my bathtub, and my bathroom floor has ceased to exist—unless you count the bits of insulation still clinging to the exposed floor joists.  I mentioned last week that we are replacing the flooring in the kitchen, dining room, hall and bathroom.  The renovation has now expanded to the replacing of the entire bathroom floor, subfloor and all.
    The water damage was so extensive in the bathroom that I don’t know how one of us kept from falling through the floor as we were walking around in there or worse yet, how one of us didn’t find ourselves on ground level, while seated upon the porcelain throne.  Thank God for small favors. 
    The source of the damage was a faulty toilet gasket as well as a barely perceptible leak from a shut-off valve.  It is unbelievable how much damage a drip can cause.  After seeing the bathroom floor, my husband, Garey, and I have become downright paranoid over any little water we see on any floor.   Yesterday, he was walking through the living room when he discovered a small puddle.  He called me in for an inspection.  The puddle was under the piano bench.  The piano is against the living room wall that adjoins the kitchen wall where the refrigerator stands. 
    “I bet it’s the water line to the refrigerator,” I said
    Garey got down on all fours and looked further under the bench. “Wait,” he said, “It doesn’t go as far back as the piano.”
    I got down on all fours.  “Could it be cat pee?” I asked.  “You left the utility room door open last night, and I had to chase Figaro all over the house before I could get him back outside.”
    “Get some paper towels,” Garey said.
    I did.  It was.  Cat pee, I mean.  We were so relieved.  Do you realize how stressed you have to be in order to be relieved at having to clean up cat pee?  That’s how stressful water leaks are.
    Wouldn’t you think somebody could come up with some way to alert you when you have a water leak?  I mean, we have alarms for virtually everything else.  Let’s review.  There are alarms to wake you, to tell you the cake is done, to warn you of smoke and fire, to warn you if carbon monoxide levels are unsafe, to tell you not to cross the train tracks or to seek shelter because of a fast approaching tornado.  Wouldn’t you think a warning that the floor is about to fall out from beneath you would make some inventor’s top ten list?  Evidently not.  I’ve talked to three people just this week that got the same surprise when replacing the flooring in their bathrooms.
    The alarm wouldn’t have to be an audible one.  It could involve the sense of smell.  Some small trigger that would cause some awful smell to occur as soon as leaking water came in contact with it.  They could use scents like Dead Mouse or Burnt Microwave Popcorn.  I’d be sniffing out the source of those smells in no time. 
    Something akin to litmus paper could also be helpful.  Paper that glows as soon as water from a shut off valve touches it or better yet, paper written with invisible ink that reveals a message when it comes in contact with water.   Your Toilet Bowl Is Leaking, it might read.
    I’m no scientist, but there is a real need for this invention, so if anybody out there has any idea how to fix this problem, please call George Forman’s friends at Invent Help.