Where science and tech meet creativity.

If, like me, you are eagerly awaiting the launch of galaxy Zoo 2, but not quite sure what to do in interim, I invite you to participate in a new citizen plumbing project dedicated to determining when (and why) the flame in the video below keeps going out.

FlexMonkeyPatch “Pilot Episode,” is a program to figure out why my husband and I can’t always take hot showers. For mysterious reasons, at completely random intervals, our water heater’s pilot light fails. This usually happens in the middle of the night. Sometimes we’ll be okay for weeks, sometimes it will go out 3 times in 1 day. We’ve had the plumber out several times, and he hasn’t a clue.

Having gotten sick and tired of traipsing in PJs from the 2nd floor bathroom to the basement water heater, my overly technical husband has now setup a webcam on the water heater pilot light. If you see the light go out, can you direct twitter him @turdotherun?

Please help. Without your citizen plumbing, we may not be able to get a repairman to acknowledge we have a problem.