Jan
13
On these cold winter mornings, nothing feels better than standing underneath a stream of hot water before you get ready for the day.
Now imagine coming home in the evenings and finding the perfect way to take away the stresses of the day. Push a button in your shower stall, sit back on the bench, and melt into the soothing cloud of mist. Twenty minutes later your ready for a relaxed evening at home, far away from the stresses of the day.
While it may seem like something you can only find at your local spa or health club, in reality its closer than you think. Many homeowners today are opting to bring the feeling of the spa home to their own showers. Read more
Dec
8
What is Reverse Osmosis?
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Reverse osmosis is a process of removing salt from seawater, making it usable for human consumption.
As water issues continue to challenge us around the world, reverse osmosis is one way of dealing with the problem. Climate change has brought on a variety of water related problems, including flooding in some areas, drought in others. Quality is also being challenged as we change our environment – getting rid of forests and converting then into farmland for our swelling populations.
The natural progression was to look to the seas. Salt water oceans make up about 71 percent of the Earth’s surface. According to the International Desalination Association, there are now over 13,000 desalination plants worldwide Each of these plants helps convert seawater to useable, drinkable water. And while each of these plants are helping millions of people worldwide, what if you want something a little more close to home? Read more
Oct
13
The faucets in your home can be a source of frustration if they are covered in mineral deposits. These deposits, which come from the water supply, can turn your shiny, new faucet into an unsightly mess.
The deposits can also cause your water to flow slower, especially through your showerhead. The deposits build up over time, making it difficult for the water to flow freely. It can be quite frustrating to lose water pressure because of mineral deposits. Fortunately, there are ways to remove these unsightly deposits. Read more
Sep
16
Low flow toilets help save water, an important feature in a world that is intent on “living green”. Low flow toilets use less water to flush waste and, over time, these toilets can save thousands of gallons of water. However, low flow toilets are not without their problems. The problems arise from the feature that makes these toilets popular – low flow.
Low flow toilets can have various problems. The most significant problem occurs when the toilet fails to flush away all the waste because there is not enough “oomph” due to the lower level of water. The simple fix is to flush the toilet again, but that defeats the purpose of the low flow toilet. Read more
Aug
26
Pullout Kitchen Faucets
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How many times of the day do you use your kitchen sink?
Whether you realize it or not, your kitchen sink is an integral part of your daily life. You use the kitchen sink every day for a variety of reasons. You wash your hands, clean your dishes, fill up pitchers or cooking pots, rinse vegetables, and perform many other tasks. And while any faucet can do the trick, a pullout kitchen faucet can make your life a little bit easier by making your kitchen sink more versatile.
Pullout kitchen faucets are not a new concept. Sprayers on the kitchen sink have been around for decades. These sprayers were a separate part of the kitchen sink. You probably remember using a black, plastic sprayer located beside the actual faucet at your grandmother’s house. While useful in their day, the sprayers were often poorly made and certainly not visually appealing.
Today’s pullout kitchen faucets have come a long way from grandmother’s house. Read more
Jun
1
Have you noticed an increase in your water bill recently?
Have you evaluated all of your water habits and determined that there have been no changes from your normal routine?
Have you checked your plumbing for obvious leaks and found none?
Are you at a loss as to why you are using more water?
If you answered yes to these questions, then you could be the victim of one of the sneakier water leaks – a leaky toilet.
Read more
Feb
19
Comparing Garbage Disposals – Which is Right for You?
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Shopping for a garbage disposal? Whether you are looking to reduce your impact on the environment, or just looking for an easier way to deal with dinner remains, you want to make sure you get the right disposal the first time. So, here are a few tips to help you shop smart.
1. Size - When comparing garbage disposal units, one of the first things you will need to consider is size. Since the unit will be held within the area under your sink, you will want to find a disposal that can fit in the available space. Depending on your layout, this might eliminate several options already.
2. Power - Garbage disposals can vary in power from 1/4 hp to 1 hp. The power you want will depend largely on what you intend to use it for. It may surprise you to find that the most difficult food item for a disposal to process is stringy vegetables. The more leafy greens you dispose of, the higher you will want your disposal’s hp to be. For the average family home, a 3/4 hp disposal is sufficient.
3. Timing - Garbage disposals have two ways of grinding and disposing of waste. Some are triggered by the presence of food, while others are not activated until you apply electricity. Families with young children especially should consider going with the garbage disposal that gives you more control.
Read more
Jan
20
Ways to Prevent Freezing Pipes
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Frozen pipes are an inconvenience at best. At their worst, they can be a damaging, time consuming, and a costly problem. The good thing is, this difficulty can be circumvented with a few advance preparations and a little attention.
1. Locate the likely freezers – As you winterize your home, take a good look at your plumbing. You need to figure out which pipes are most likely to freeze in cold weather. For instance, your main water pipe is the greatest freeze risk. Similarly, pipes that are close to outer walls, especially non-insulated walls, are likely to freeze.
Read more
Sep
9
Whether you have a leaky faucet that needs replacing, or you’re looking at updating one of your bathrooms, choosing new bathroom plumbing fixtures can be an overwhelming experience. Head to your local hardware store and you’re likely to find hundreds of different fixtures on display. Head online and you’ll quickly find access to thousands of styles at varying prices. What should you do?
1. Review your needs. If its been awhile since you’ve updated your fixtures, start by thinking about your likes and dislikes with your current design.
2. Plan for the future. Many companies are developing aging in place products, or universal design products, to allow ease and safety as we grow older. Instead of using difficult knobs, single handled designs may be easier to turn on and off. Or showerheads may be flexible and adjustable, using hand held extensions for ease of use.
3. Look at colors and finishes. With so many styles and options available today, matching any color and décor is easy to do. You can also stretch into antique finish, and even find custom designed fixtures for a truly unique look.
4. Look at your options. Just because you’ve always had a certain type of faucet or showerhead in the past doesn’t mean that’s the best choice. Ask for suggestions, and find out what makes each style unique. Can something give you more flexibility for the way you live? Be willing to give new things a try.
5. Don’t forget your best resource is an expert. You don’t have to use an interior decorator for modest changes to your bathroom. Instead, rely on your plumber to make suggestions. They have resources available to give you a wide variety of options at the best price possible.
May
14
Water Saving Toilets
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You just bought a house. It’s 40 years old, great neighborhood, beautiful landscaping – and it needs a little TLC. Where do you start?
The best place to start is with quick fixes that can give you the biggest return for your investment.
Many of the older homes on the market still have old toilets in place. Old toilets use about 5 gallons per flush. Considering a normal person flushes a toilet around seven times per day, a family of four can quickly consume 140 gallons or more every day.
Because your toilet is the biggest user of water in your home, it makes sense to start there.
Due to today’s standards and laws, the typical water saving toilets now average 1.6 gallons or less per flush – significantly less than previous standards. Because of the savings in water usage, it’s easy to see that with a simple replacement, you can begin reaping the benefits immediately.
Add in the current rebates offered by Colorado’s local water companies, it becomes an even easier choice.
Denver Water Rebate
Castle Rock Water Rebate
Aurora Water Rebate
Colorado Springs Water Rebate
[Ready to upgrade to water saving toilets? Quality 1st Plumbing is here to help you conserve water, and help you with all your plumbing needs.]
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