Actually, hard water can mess with color even if YOUR water seems fine. Mineral buildup happens slowly so you might not notice until it's too late.

Gotcha, that makes more sense.

Twenty minutes, right? That's all it takes. I lost a Speckled Sussex last fall in about the same amount of time. I strung up some old CDs on fishing line over the run, the shiny reflection seems to spook them. You ever try something like that?

Only charged regular rates" sounds too good to be true for a weekend call. Every repair guy I've ever met slaps on an emergency fee after hours, that's just how the business works. Maybe you got lucky once, but telling someone to expect that feels like setting them up for a surprise bill. Wouldn't you rather know the real cost up front instead of hoping for a miracle?

Wow, I always thought a little bend was fine.