When the Pipes Burst: A Not-So-Glamorous Part of Homesteading

Plumbing problems, poop water, and perseverance.

💥When the Pipes Burst: A Not-So-Glamorous Part of Life

Let’s be honest—when the pipes burst, it's never part of the plan. One moment, you're going about your day, and the next…sewage water is flooding your bathroom. Yep. Full-on, toilet-scented chaos.

As with most things in this lifestyle, the unexpected has a way of showing up without an invite. We were in the middle of a dozen other things, but when plumbing becomes a problem, everything else gets paused. Fast.

🔧 The Fix (and Fails) Along the Way

I rolled up my sleeves, grabbed what I had on hand, and went to work. I threw together a quick fix with Gorilla Glue and a hose clamp to stop the bleeding long enough to buy us some time. It wasn’t fancy—but it held.

Drain Line With Quick Fix

We kept troubleshooting and eventually realized the issue wasn’t just a broken pipe. After seeing the tub back up and then the toilet overflow all over the floor, we dug deeper and discovered the real problem—our septic screen filter was completely clogged, even though I had cleaned it just a few months ago. That backup caused the main drain line between the house and the septic tank to clog. I had assumed it was a standard clog somewhere in the house, but it turned out to be backflow from the septic system itself.

If we had caught the bathtub backing up as the early warning sign, we might have saved ourselves a much bigger mess. Lesson learned!

Of course, the rest of life didn’t stop falling apart either.

While I was crawling around under the house, what I thought was a bug bite started looking a whole lot more like a bad case of poison ivy—and it was spreading fast. Paige, already a trooper through all this, stepped on a plastic dinosaur and split her foot open. Then, just when she tried to wind down and watch some TV, it decided to die too.

To top it off, one of our sweet kids climbed into our bed during the night and… peed all over Paige. (I, of course, somehow stayed completely dry. Not sure how that works, but here we are.)

We still had a house with no running water, bandaged limbs, a broken TV, and now—laundry. Lots of it.

On day two, we had our septic tank pumped, just to be sure we were in the clear. That’s when we met Tom, a guy with 28 years of experience who didn’t just do the job—he taught us so much. He answered our questions, explained how our system was set up, and helped us understand how to better prevent future issues. We love learning from people like Tom—that kind of wisdom is worth its weight in gold.

🧰 The Tools, The Mess, and The Mindset

Let me tell you—fixing a pipe while standing in sewage water is not the dream. But here's the thing: you either get frustrated, or you get to work. I prayed a lot during those two days. For wisdom. For patience. For parts to finally fit.

In the middle of it all, I tried to keep it light-hearted (even if my jokes weren’t landing), and Paige and I focused on attacking the problem, not each other.

This was a not-so-glamorous DIY, but it was a necessary one. And we’re better for it.

🚿 What We Learned

• Always have backup parts for your plumbing system (especially when you live in a place that’s seen some miles).

• Don’t ignore the early signs: tubs backing up = red flag.

• Clean your septic screen regularly—and maybe even more often than the experts say.

• Humor helps—but so does a positive, united mindset.

• Paige draws the line at no running water. And honestly, fair enough.

• When you find someone like Tom, listen and learn—that kind of experience is priceless.

🛠️ Closing Thoughts

Life doesn’t always go the way we plan. Sometimes, it floods your bathroom, sends you on a three-store scavenger hunt, and tests your patience in ways you never expected. But every mess is a chance to grow—in patience, resilience, and partnership.

More importantly, it's a reminder that we’re not in control—but we know Who is. Through prayer, deep breaths, and leaning on God (and each other), we got through it. Not because we’re perfect, but because He’s faithful—even in the middle of sewage water and busted pipes.

So if you find yourself in the thick of a hard season, remember: don’t attack your people—attack the problem together. And invite the Lord into the mess with you. He’s already there, waiting to walk you through it.

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