ARGH! I need some help!

The water pump stopped working this morning and as my landlords are on vacation, they gave us instructions on what to do, ie hairdryer, etc. I did all that and got it to work again. But it keeps on switching off - what is causing it to do that? Every time I try to switch on, a green flash happens.



We need water and a shower!

You guys are in a cold front right? The cold has made it seize up and the green flash is the arc from the load on the system. If you have tried to thaw it with a hairdryer and that didn't work then there is a short in the system and your landlord needs to hire someone to come in and fix it for you.

Oh Kellye, I SO sympathize with you! Gary has spent quite a few hours outside with the hairdryer these past few weeks.... we're fortunate, however, in that it's just the lines, not the pump. I hope your landlord left emergency contact info, because it sure sounds to me like MA's right.

One thing - you can sponge bathe with bottled water. Not ideal, but better than nothing. Also, hopefully you've got lots - or at least several - large containers you can use - because when the water comes back on you want to fill up what you can just in case it goes out again.... You can fill your toilet tank with water and it will flush.

Good Luck! And I'm SO sorry!!!

Thanks both of you - we managed to have a shower before the water runs out - its still running and my neighbour (whom we share the pump) said that she has had water all day - which confuses me - I can not feel the pump running and I can see the part that needs to be touching the other part not doing so. Is that part just to start it up or is it needed to keep it going? When I get the two parts to touch, the pump vibrates (I cannot hear any noise, obviously) but then it moves and the vibrating stops.

We ran out to the store and got some water in case.

And if it indeed is electrical, my landlords won't be back til Saturday night, what can we do legally, like call an electrician? We cannot cook without water, we will have to go to a laundromat, etc and I don't want to have to spend a lot of money that we are trying to save on the bare necessities.

I am not sure, but I also live in NC, and they have a very specific tenant's Bill of Rights. Just type in "tenant's rights NC" on a search, and you should be able to find it.

I would think that you are within your rights to call for service.