Apr
27
When you make the decision to purchase a new home, you are making an investment in your future. You need this investment to be a sound one – which is why it is important to choose your new home with care.
You may jump at the chance and put in an offer to beat the crowd. Yet in today’s marketplace, its more important to concentrate on getting a solid house that won’t cost you money in the short term. Rather than rushing into buying the first home that suits your fancy, take your time, and consider investing in various inspections before making that final purchase.
A plumbing inspection can reveal many details about your property. Read more
Mar
30
Who Invented Plumbing?
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When you flush your toilet or drain your bathtub, you probably never give a second thought to your plumbing – unless, of course, it is not working right.
Plumbing has become an essential part of our lives. It is needed for a variety of sanitary reasons and also for the comfort factor. Imagine living in a home with no plumbing – that would be quite a hardship. No running water to help cook dinner. No hot water to enjoy a shower on a cold snowy morning.
Plumbing has been around for a long time. But when did it start? What was the first attempt in history to make our lives easier with plumbing? Just these few facts from history will help you appreciate it every time your toilet flushes and your tub drains. Read more
Feb
2
Ever hear a “quick tip” that almost sounds unbelievable? From a helpful tip to an old wives’ tale, it can be difficult to decide which info is fact and which is fiction. More than a few of the best-known “tips” are myths – myths that can cost you money and time. Here are a few of the most common plumbing myths you should avoid:
Putting lemons down the garbage disposal is a good way to freshen it and clean it. Although putting lemons in the disposal might make it smell fresh at the time, the acids in lemon juice will corrode the metal inside the disposal and shorten its lifespan. If your disposal needs cleaned, use ice. The spinning ice will clean any debris from inside the disposal.
Using cleaning tablets or cleaning liquids in your toilet tank will eliminate the need to clean your toilet. The truth is that the use of these products can create build-up that will destroy the toilet. If you need to remove grime from your toilet, simply run white vinegar down the overflow tube. The vinegar will safely remove the grime in a natural, chemical-free manner. Read more
Jan
6
10 Things That Will Ruin Your Plumbing
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No one wants to face expensive but avoidable plumbing repairs. For those of us who aren’t plumbers, here are a few things to watch out for.
Putting grease down the sink -Please don’t put grease down the drain. Even with hot water and soap, grease can build up over time causing problems with your pipes.
Using your sink as a trash can – Even if you have a garbage disposal, that does not give you a free pass to dump everything and anything down the drain. Food chunks in the kitchen or hair and fingernails in the bathroom serve as the start of a terrible clog.
Using the toilet as a trash can – The toilet has its given role, the trash can has another. Do not confuse the two.
Using too much Drain-O – Using drain cleaner too often or on the wrong type of clog could lead to erosion of your pipes or just a really nasty clog for the plumber to clean out. Read more
Dec
16
Last minute gifts, baking and shopping all mean that the holidays are fast approaching.
And as you’re headed out the door with high hopes of vacations with family, friends, food, gifts, and fun this holiday season, there are some things you might not plan for: disaster. One quick way to kill the holiday festivities is to come home to a watery (or worse, mold and mildew ridden) mess.
Before you head away for the holidays, be sure your home is ready for its time alone too
1. Shut off the main water valve. Imagine your dishwasher springing a leak an hour after you leave. How many hours of water would fill your home while you are away? Water itself is a huge problem when its someplace its not supposed to be. And when the water continues to flow, it becomes even more of a problem. If at all possible, turn off the main water valve to your home. You will limit the amount of water present in case of a problem. Read more
Sep
23
Recycling has become a huge part of society. The world is always looking for a “greener” way to live. Finding other uses for common items is one way of accomplishing this task.
For example, using empty food containers, like butter bowls, for storage is an easy way to avoid throwing the empty container into a landfill. You can give it new life by using it for storing leftovers or other items.
One item you may not think twice about throwing away is a toilet paper roll. There are actually many uses for discarded toilet paper roll.
Use the roll to hold your pantyhose. The roll will protect your hose from runs and tears. They also make it easy for travel. Read more
Sep
8
How To Fight Mildew In Your Home
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One of the toughest stains and smells to fight comes from mildew. The dark, ugly spots and stains seem to find their way to every area that has even the tiniest bit of moisture. Bathrooms are a prime location for mildew to grow because of the moist and often warm environment. Clothes are another target – ever forget a load of laundry in the wash? It can take many washes just to remove the odor and chances are that you will still have to toss a few items.
Fortunately, there are ways to fight mildew and keep it from taking over your home.
Rub leather items that smell of mildew with an alcohol solution. Using a rag soaked in a two-parts water and one-part alcohol mixture might save your leather items. Just rub the items down with the rag and repeat until the odor is eliminated. Or seek help from a professional leather cleaner.
Ventilating your bathroom with an exhaust fan will remove the excess moisture created from steamy baths and showers. Mildew doesn’t thrive in dry areas, so the drier you can keep your bathroom, the better. Read more
Jul
12
What is Hard Water?
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You are probably familiar with the term “hard water.” You may even be familiar with the potential problems it can cause, or the signs you should watch for that indicate hard water. But, at the end of the day, do you really know what hard water is?
Water’s hardness (or softness) is determined by the presence and concentration of two salts within a water supply. Water is considered hard when there is an excessive concentration of calcium and magnesium salts. The higher the calcium and magnesium levels, the harder the water.
To help turn this ambiguous definition into more concrete usable information, water analysts have developed a table for measuring and comparing water hardness. For this table, amounts of calcium and magnesium are measured in “grains per gallon” (gpg). Naturally, the higher the gpg the harder the water. Read more
Mar
18
How Do Water Softeners Work
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Some areas have water with high levels of magnesium and/or chloride. Elevated levels of these minerals lead to the label “hard” water. Over time, these minerals can cause two types of problems:
1. You may notice that hard water leaves a residue or “scale” inside teakettles and coffee pots. Magnesium and chloride tends to stick to containers long after the water is gone. While this may mean a gross looking coffee pot, the threat on your pipes is a bit direr. This scale can build up over time and impede water flow.
2. “Hard” water diminishes the lathering capability of soap and increases its tendency to scum. End result: a less satisfying shower experience and soap scum rings on your tub. Read more
Dec
17
How To Save Water
Even when Colorado has above average snowfall, and water restrictions are limited, it’s still important to focus in on how we can conserve water in our daily lives. In addition to saving money on your water bill each month, water conservation also helps keep lakes, reservoirs and water tables high, reducing overall pollution in our systems. Keep Reading>>
Commercial Plumbing Options For Denver Businesses
In order to choose a reliable commercial plumber, you have to look for two things. Keep Reading>>
Comparing Water Heaters – What’s The Most Efficient Way To Heat Your Water?
Thinking about installing a new water heater? What’s the most efficient water heater you can use in your home? When you are comparing water heaters, it’s more than choosing the least expensive system. You should also consider: Keep Reading>>
Designing A Natural Gas Outdoor Fire Pit
Spring is back here in Colorado. Warm days. Cool nights. It’s the perfect time for heading outside. And for designing a natural gas outdoor fire pit. What could be better than enjoying the outside with family and friends just a little longer each day? Keep Reading>>
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Blogroll
- Quality 1st Plumbing website - Quality 1st Plumbing website
- Troubleshooter - Tom Martino – The Trouble Shooter
- WaterSense