Continuing in this week's series on plumbing information, I found several quality articles that I thought would be worthy to share with all of my readers. Let's start with an article from a cool site called Home and Garden Wisdom. The article is entitled Hiring the RIght Plumber or Plumbing Company. As you might guess, the article gives consumer tips on what to look for and how to screen plumbers in your area. Some of the information you may have seen presented on this blog or others but it never hurts to get a refresher on important topics like this. It's a great read and its not too long so it shouldn't take too much of your time to check it out.
Another similar article I found was on a site called A - Z Home Centers. This site also gives lots of cool home improvement information just like you see here. The article on their site was called How to Research a Plumber. This has some great complimentary information that I think goes well with the information presented on Home and Garden Wisdom. You all can check it out and let me know what you think.
In addition to these resources, I'd like you to check out a post on Home Columns called Surviving a Plumbing Disaster. Now in the event that you do have a major issue with a sewer line, septic tank, or other waste water problem, you will want to have a clear game plan on how you are going to deal with the issue. As you have heard me say many times before an ounce of prevention/preparation can make all the difference in the world. As always, avoid panicking or acting in a hasty manner. Of course depending on the nature of your problem you may or may not have the luxury of time on your hands so don't exacerbate the situation by making a bad series of rash decisions at just the wrong time.
Now that we've discussed some potentially costly items, lets look at things that can be handled independently by most anyone. Remember that taking the time to learn how to do a simple task on your own might not necessarily be the most exciting or fun usage of your time but it could be a huge benefit for you down the road in terms of saving you money. Now I'd like to share with you some information from a site called House to Home Guide. Now I am pretty fond of this site and you can see that I have listed them on the right as one of my recommended Home Improvement Resources. In one particular post I read called Basic Plumbing Tips: Drain Screens, they go over some very valuable information about the importance of using drain screens in all of your indoor drains. You would be absolutely shocked at how many people just remove the screens for one reason or another. Not having a screen is a sure fire way to ensure that your drain will become clogged sooner rather than later.
OK well that's all for today folks, I want to thank you again for reading my site and I look forward to interacting with all of you in the comments.
Showing posts with label Plumbing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Plumbing. Show all posts
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Plumbing Advice from Atlanta Plumbers
For those of you who don't know, my buddy Carson runs a plumbing website called Atlanta Plumbers. This site provides some really useful information for anyone out there who is need of locating a reputable plumbing company in the Atlanta, GA area. I was talking to Carson about what he plans on doing with the site and he told me that he has some big plans including providing a potential plumbing marketplace where consumers could negotiate directly with licensed plumbers. He is the ambitious type so it will be nice to see what comes of it. If you haven't checked out any of his sites before I would suggest that you take a look at it and let me know what you all think. He is pretty much the best plumber I know and anytime I have a problem I call him. He can usually walk me through how to fix the issue right over the phone and if he can't he's always willing to help in any way he can.
OK so enough about Carson, let me give you all some bit of useful information for taking the time to read today's post. You probably saw the title and saw plumbing advice and may now be thinking where the heck is my plumbing advice? Well patience, patience young grasshopper, here it comes. If you are new to cold weather climates you may be unaware of the fact that pipes can freeze and burst causing major water damage on cold winter nights. To prevent this from happening there are a variety of things that can be done. One of which is to leave your faucets dripping when you know the temperature is going to drop below freezing that evening or will be freezing throughout the day. Even the smallest trickle of water from a faucet can keep water flowing through all of your plumbing pipes and this will prevent those pipes from freezing, bursting, and causing you a major headache.
OK so enough about Carson, let me give you all some bit of useful information for taking the time to read today's post. You probably saw the title and saw plumbing advice and may now be thinking where the heck is my plumbing advice? Well patience, patience young grasshopper, here it comes. If you are new to cold weather climates you may be unaware of the fact that pipes can freeze and burst causing major water damage on cold winter nights. To prevent this from happening there are a variety of things that can be done. One of which is to leave your faucets dripping when you know the temperature is going to drop below freezing that evening or will be freezing throughout the day. Even the smallest trickle of water from a faucet can keep water flowing through all of your plumbing pipes and this will prevent those pipes from freezing, bursting, and causing you a major headache.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Kitchen Items Could Give Your Sewage Grinder Pump Troubles
Many people whose homes happen to be below the level of the local sewer lines will require a sewage grinder pump to transfer their sewage water into the municipal sewer lines. This is very common, and many of these pumps will work effortlessly for many years. However, there are times when these sewage pumps will start to show signs of trouble and cause backups of sewage water. One of the biggest offenders in causing these problems are generally related to kitchen scraps.
Many people who have garbage disposals in their kitchens will send nearly anything they can fit down the drain through these garbage disposals. They reason that if it will go through garbage disposal then it is okay for the rest of the sewer line. This could not be further from the truth. Many of the items sent through these disposals will end up in the water basin of the sewage grinder pump and cause problems down the road.
Items which should not be sent down your garbage disposal include seafood shells, coffee beans, and animal bones. These items can damage the garbage disposal and accumulate in the sewage basin. Also, never send dangerous chemicals down your drain such as paint thinners and antifreeze. Again, these will be held in the sewage basin until they are pumped out, but they can also cause problems at waste water treatment plants also.
One of the biggest offenders for causing problems to a sewage grinder pump is cooking grease. Never send any cooking oil or liquid grease which could harden later after cooling. Many people with traditional sewer lines will send hot grease down the drain and then run hot water for several minutes to flush it from their system. These people have the mindset that once it reaches the street it is not their problem. However, for homes with sewage grinder pumps this grease will accumulate in the basin where it can congeal. This can cause a messy problem later on.
Many people who have garbage disposals in their kitchens will send nearly anything they can fit down the drain through these garbage disposals. They reason that if it will go through garbage disposal then it is okay for the rest of the sewer line. This could not be further from the truth. Many of the items sent through these disposals will end up in the water basin of the sewage grinder pump and cause problems down the road.
Items which should not be sent down your garbage disposal include seafood shells, coffee beans, and animal bones. These items can damage the garbage disposal and accumulate in the sewage basin. Also, never send dangerous chemicals down your drain such as paint thinners and antifreeze. Again, these will be held in the sewage basin until they are pumped out, but they can also cause problems at waste water treatment plants also.
One of the biggest offenders for causing problems to a sewage grinder pump is cooking grease. Never send any cooking oil or liquid grease which could harden later after cooling. Many people with traditional sewer lines will send hot grease down the drain and then run hot water for several minutes to flush it from their system. These people have the mindset that once it reaches the street it is not their problem. However, for homes with sewage grinder pumps this grease will accumulate in the basin where it can congeal. This can cause a messy problem later on.
Finding a Submersible Sewage Pump Online
Whether you are a homeowner in search of a submersible sewage pump for your house or you are a manager for a municipal sewage treatment plant searching for a commercial grade sewage pump, there are a variety of choices to find the correct pump for your situation online. More and more people are skipping the traditional trip to a plumbing supply store or local home improvement store in order to search for items they need online. Searching online can often turn up several relevant results and allow easy price comparison before making your purchase. In order to do a correct price comparison there are a few sites you should visit before making your choice.
For individuals searching for commercial great submersible sewage pumps there may not be as many alternatives as there are for homeowners. However, there are many industrial supply manufacturers to be found online. Many of these manufacturers can be contacted directly to get pricing for a new sewage pump. However, many of these manufacturers will only sell through distributors which may carry several different brands. Check many of these different distributors and contact many manufacturers to get the best price.
For homeowners, searching for a new submersible sewage pump can be quite easy. Many of the big home improvement websites will carry a select few pumps. Many of the prices on these pumps can be great even if the selection is quite small. Other sites to check out would be specialty plumbing sites. Many of these types of sites will carry many different brands, but their prices may be higher since they do not have the bargaining power of larger stores. Finally, specialty farm and home stores will often cater to rural buyers and carry a variety of items targeting this market such as sewage pumps. Many of these farm and home stores are large chains and will have prices which can be quite good.
For individuals searching for commercial great submersible sewage pumps there may not be as many alternatives as there are for homeowners. However, there are many industrial supply manufacturers to be found online. Many of these manufacturers can be contacted directly to get pricing for a new sewage pump. However, many of these manufacturers will only sell through distributors which may carry several different brands. Check many of these different distributors and contact many manufacturers to get the best price.
For homeowners, searching for a new submersible sewage pump can be quite easy. Many of the big home improvement websites will carry a select few pumps. Many of the prices on these pumps can be great even if the selection is quite small. Other sites to check out would be specialty plumbing sites. Many of these types of sites will carry many different brands, but their prices may be higher since they do not have the bargaining power of larger stores. Finally, specialty farm and home stores will often cater to rural buyers and carry a variety of items targeting this market such as sewage pumps. Many of these farm and home stores are large chains and will have prices which can be quite good.
Getting a Sewage Pump Installed in Your New House
If you are building a new house you know how many decisions are involved on a daily basis. Colors of paint for walls and stain for the trim are relatively easy choices which will have little effect on the performance of your home in the future. However, there are many larger decisions to be made which require much more in-depth decision making. An item such as a sewage pump is one of these. If your house is being built at the bottom of a hill or is in any way lower than the main sewer lines or septic system then your home will require a sewage pump.
A sewage pump is installed in order to move sewage from an area of low elevation to an area of higher elevation. This sewage system consists of the basin which all drains in the home empty into. Once this basin reaches a certain level, a float will activate a pump which will remove the raw sewage and force it through the main sewer line into the septic system or a municipal sewer system.
If you are having your home built by a general contractor it is a good idea to be able to talk to the plumber they use yourself to be able to discuss what kind of pump they will be installing and what kind of warranties it carries. If you find out the brand in which they will be installing you can easily do some research online to see what kind of reliability this pump offers. If this pump seems to be inferior you may ask them to install a different model.
If you are handling the subcontractors yourself you will want to do plenty of research to find a good plumber. Referrals are the best way to locate a reliable plumber who does quality work. Start by asking other homeowners in the area who has installed their sewage pumps and what kind of work was performed. The local area Chamber of Commerce is also a great way to obtain referrals to trustworthy plumbers. In addition to the chamber of commerce check out local review sites like Atlanta Plumbers that offer unbiased reviews of local companies. Taking the time to do a little research can make a big difference in the long run.
There is little maintenance to be performed on sewage pumps once they are installed. However, much more care must be taken to keep these sewage pumps working properly than a traditional gravity feed sewer system. The only items which should be flushed down a toilet are urine, feces, and toilet paper. Anything else could cause the sewage pump to jam and raw sewage to back up. Also, avoid sending too many table scraps down the drain in the kitchen. Large food items should be composted or thrown in the garbage, and smaller food scraps should be sent through a garbage disposal before being sent on to the sewage pump.
A sewage pump is installed in order to move sewage from an area of low elevation to an area of higher elevation. This sewage system consists of the basin which all drains in the home empty into. Once this basin reaches a certain level, a float will activate a pump which will remove the raw sewage and force it through the main sewer line into the septic system or a municipal sewer system.
If you are having your home built by a general contractor it is a good idea to be able to talk to the plumber they use yourself to be able to discuss what kind of pump they will be installing and what kind of warranties it carries. If you find out the brand in which they will be installing you can easily do some research online to see what kind of reliability this pump offers. If this pump seems to be inferior you may ask them to install a different model.
If you are handling the subcontractors yourself you will want to do plenty of research to find a good plumber. Referrals are the best way to locate a reliable plumber who does quality work. Start by asking other homeowners in the area who has installed their sewage pumps and what kind of work was performed. The local area Chamber of Commerce is also a great way to obtain referrals to trustworthy plumbers. In addition to the chamber of commerce check out local review sites like Atlanta Plumbers that offer unbiased reviews of local companies. Taking the time to do a little research can make a big difference in the long run.
There is little maintenance to be performed on sewage pumps once they are installed. However, much more care must be taken to keep these sewage pumps working properly than a traditional gravity feed sewer system. The only items which should be flushed down a toilet are urine, feces, and toilet paper. Anything else could cause the sewage pump to jam and raw sewage to back up. Also, avoid sending too many table scraps down the drain in the kitchen. Large food items should be composted or thrown in the garbage, and smaller food scraps should be sent through a garbage disposal before being sent on to the sewage pump.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
How to Install Propane Tankless Water Heaters
Are you itching to replace your old water heater with a propane tankless water heater? Then you may have realized how much savings you can generate by opting for propane tankless water heaters. Compared to traditional water heaters, they can save up to 30% in energy costs since hot water is not stored in the water tank for a long time. In a tankless propane heater, hot water goes out of the faucet whenever you need it. You will also not have to worry about setting the water temperature since most of them come with a temperature control function.
In installing a tankless propane water heater, fix the heater first. Using a mounting template, find the anchor holes to put in the mounting hardware. Since the heater can be very heavy, screws should be installed into the studs instead of just using plywood.
Next, put the pipe to the gas supply. Check on the installation guide to determine the right pipe size for the gas supply. Turn off the gas and place the pipe from the heater to the gas supply. Put in a drip pipe to trap rust, and dust in the heater. Make sure there are no leaks in the joints by using water and soap. After this, eliminate compressed air from the pipe before linking it to the heater.
It is now time to install the water line to the system. First, turn off water and place the pipe from the gas supply to the water heater inlet. Place the pipe from the heater outlet into the erstwhile hot water pipe. Get rid of the water line and check if the inlet fiber has been installed before linking it to the heater. Remove the pipe after its first use to remove any debris from the filter.
The final step is installing electricity. Unplug first the water heater, and tap your external electrical circuit for the water heater. Install a receptacle at least 5 feet from the heater. Unplug the heater, place a 22 gauge wire in between the box and heater, and then run the wires to the terminals.
This is a simple guide on how to install propane tankless water heaters. Follow this guide and within minutes, you should be enjoying hot water without paying too much for your electricity consumption.
In installing a tankless propane water heater, fix the heater first. Using a mounting template, find the anchor holes to put in the mounting hardware. Since the heater can be very heavy, screws should be installed into the studs instead of just using plywood.
Next, put the pipe to the gas supply. Check on the installation guide to determine the right pipe size for the gas supply. Turn off the gas and place the pipe from the heater to the gas supply. Put in a drip pipe to trap rust, and dust in the heater. Make sure there are no leaks in the joints by using water and soap. After this, eliminate compressed air from the pipe before linking it to the heater.
It is now time to install the water line to the system. First, turn off water and place the pipe from the gas supply to the water heater inlet. Place the pipe from the heater outlet into the erstwhile hot water pipe. Get rid of the water line and check if the inlet fiber has been installed before linking it to the heater. Remove the pipe after its first use to remove any debris from the filter.
The final step is installing electricity. Unplug first the water heater, and tap your external electrical circuit for the water heater. Install a receptacle at least 5 feet from the heater. Unplug the heater, place a 22 gauge wire in between the box and heater, and then run the wires to the terminals.
This is a simple guide on how to install propane tankless water heaters. Follow this guide and within minutes, you should be enjoying hot water without paying too much for your electricity consumption.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Plumber Reviews
Recently I was talking to a friend of mine named Carson who runs a website that does reviews of Alpharetta plumbing companies, when he gave me some information on how he reviews companies that I thought would be cool to share here in the blog. He primarily searches websites like Kudzu.com, MerchantCircle.com, insiderpages.com, angieslist.com and a few others. He basically takes his time to read at least 50 reviews(if available) on each company and then he tracks down the review writers to verify their experience. I was quite shocked and asked him how successful he is at getting responses from these reviewers. He said that he gets responses better than 50% of the time primarily because he only contacts people who actively use the various platforms where the reviews are posted. His whole goal is to cut through the crap that lots of companies now flood the internet with and make sure that when people read a review they can trust what they read. His reviews are really awesome and he is going to help out a lot of people. Not only does he review plumbers in Alpharetta, he also reviews plumbers in Marietta, and most of the entire metro Atlanta area. If you are looking for a plumber in Atlanta, you will definitely want to check out his site first. Now I've known Carson for quite some time and I asked him why he is doing what he is doing and he gave a rather curious answer. He said something to the effect of "screwing people gets old and he needs to do something to clear his conscience". I thought for a while and said well if that is the case then I will do my best to help you and I promised him that I would send him a little traffic by doing a write-up on his site on this blog. So make sure you check out his site and leave him a comment telling him to keep up the good work.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Plumbing Contractors
Many home-owners across the country find themselves in the unenviable position of needing a plumber to resolve a water or sewage issue that arises in the home. For many families this can be a back-breaking expense. Thankfully there are resources available online for those do-it-yourself types who want to save some money and try to resolve the problem themselves. If you have an odor or flow problem from a bathroom sink it is likely associated with the U trap located just under the sink. Here is a short video that describes the u trap in a little more detail:
There are also lots of great resources for home-owners who do not have that do-it-yourself spirit. If you are hiring a plumber make sure to check out local review sites for plumber ratings and background information. Sites like Atlanta Plumbers offers independent reviews of local plumbing companies. Another great source of reviews are sites like Angieslist.com and MerchantCircle.com . Take some time and do a little reading that could save you big money in the long run.
There are also lots of great resources for home-owners who do not have that do-it-yourself spirit. If you are hiring a plumber make sure to check out local review sites for plumber ratings and background information. Sites like Atlanta Plumbers offers independent reviews of local plumbing companies. Another great source of reviews are sites like Angieslist.com and MerchantCircle.com . Take some time and do a little reading that could save you big money in the long run.
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