Repair Your Plumbing? You Can Do That!

Not to long ago my water heater went out. Just like that you think all is well then whamo a small leak appears. I was faced with a decision, fix it myself or call the plumber. Well after getting several estimates ranging from $1500 to $2500, I decided to do it myself.

It's really not that to hard to repair plumbing. In this article I will give you some pointers to help aid you in this endeavor. And hopefully spare you from the high cost of paying for a plumber. Nothing against plumbers but this project is doable.

Steps it will take:

1) As soon as you realize that the old water heater has to go start draining it. It can take several hours to drain. Remember to turn off the main water valve and open up all of the faucets to eliminate any pressure. if it's a gas unit make sure that you turn off the main gas line in the house and if it is electric turn off the breaker. Think safety first.

2) Try and purchase the same unit. This will prevent you from adding pipe and new valves.

3) Size up the job and disconnect the tank from the water pipes, gas line or the electrical connection. If it's gas you will need to disconnect the flue as well. Save all parts in order to match them up when you purchase your supplies.

4) You will need to have on hand plumbers tape, small gas torch, solder, flux, plumbing sandpaper, pipe cutter, gas tape (to seal gas line) and maybe some pipe glue. Ask the sales person at the hardware store for a more defined list.

Once you have disconnected the tank remove it from your work space. Do a thorough measurement of the remaining pipe for reference when you go to the hardware store. I will be honest with you, you might need to make a few trips back to the store. Once you get the new tank, slide it into place to line up the plumbing.

If you bought the same unit it should line right up, if you were unable, you will need to remove or add length to the existing piping. This may require you to splice together copper with plastic, don't let this scare you the hardware store will have all of the necessary parts.

If you need to add copper pipe make sure that you clean the old and new pipe by using sandpaper, inside and out. If it's not clean the solder will not flow into the joint. Another tip is to not over wrap the mail threaded pipe with tape, this can cause a leak. Twice around should be enough. Also, don't over tighten it.

This may sound complicated but trust me, if I can do it, anyone can. Just take it slow, ask questions from the hardware specialist and go online for more instructions. One last item, if you have a gas unit your county or city may require an inspection. The inspector will verify that the gas connection is right and that the angle of the flue is right. Don't take a chance with gas, make the call to have someone come out and inspect your work.

Your should be able to complete this job for $500 or so and the tools and supplies will be available for when your dishwasher goes out. Good luck.

Dennis Watson - Just helping others succeed.

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Opportunities in Plumbing

An article reveals the wide opportunities awaiting for plumbers in coming years.

When choosing a business you want to start or pursue, the opportunities are huge and there are a wide variety of business models that you should consider before deciding on one.

Discussed below you will find statistics and analysis of the plumbing training as a business opportunity for you. Government economists expect average job growth for plumbers, compared to growth in other careers, through 2014. You should find plenty of work if you choose plumbing, because there won?t be enough job hunters to take all of the open positions.

The average yearly salary for plumbers is about 27K GBP. Keep in mind that apprentices start work at half the salary earned by experienced workers. You can expect to receive raises throughout your training though, often every six months. Interestingly both men and women are suited for the plumbing profession and as the above shows it pays more than various other professions.

The above makes it clear that the plumbing industry and the requirement for plumbers is growing and will grow in the near future. The plumber?s need to be trained for the above and hence plumbing training opens a host of opportunities for you.

Prince Mathew is a freelance writer of Fast Plumb, offers you plumbing training with plumbing franchisee business options. The Fastplumb package has been designed and will enable you to start your own plumbing business with the well-known brand of Fast Plumb. The Fast Plumb franchisees are offered with training from professionals and after the successful completion of the training you are allocated a territory not allocated to anyone else

DIY Plumbing Repair - Down the Drain

One common plumbing problem that often occurs at the most incovenient of times is a clogged drain. Many home owners are tempted to reach for a bottle of their favorite drain cleaner - they are easy to use, supposed to be quick, and you don't have to get your hands dirty. The problem with quick fixes - as with many things in life - is that the quick fix may not be the best.

Most drain cleaners these days will not damage your plumbing when properly used. The key is to make sure that you use them properly. If your home has a septic system, make sure that any cleaner specifies it is safe for use in septic systems. Different types of drain clog removers may target different types of problems and have different instructions, make sure you follow them to get the maximum effectiveness.

Sometimes a liquid cleaner will not be enough to take care of the problem. A number of years ago we received a lesson in what not to put down your food disposal - cantelope rinds. The disposal had no problem grinding them up, but a few feet down the drain they re-assembled into am impassable clog.

The first attemps was the faithful old plunger. A plunger works on the concept of hydralic pressure (simply put, you cannot compress a liquid) to move the blockage. The problem with this approach in a kitchen or bathroom sink is that the drain may not be the only outlet - there are often multiple drains and/or overflow connections which make a plunger useless in these cases

The next step was to try and remove the sink trap. Once you get to this phase, you need to make sure you have a bucket and a few towels handy. If you had previously attempted to clear the clog using a chemical drain cleaner you need to be careful here as there may still be residew in the sink, pipes, or trap. Before removing the trap, make sure to drain as much of the sink water as you can.

Place the bucket under the trap and loosen the connection to the portion of the pipe leading down from the sink to the trap. By opening the down facing segment of the pipe first you should be able to confine the draining water to the bucket - if you remove the horizontal portion first you are likely to make quite a mess as the water drains in that direction. If the remainder of the water drains from the sink, you know your clog if further down the line. If the water does not drain, then you need to check the segment between the trap and the sink for obstruction. Usually a screwdriver or length of bent clothes hanger is sufficient to check and clear any blockages found.

Next check to see if there are any obstructions in the removed trap. Either take it to another sink and see if water flows through it unobstructed or use a length of clothes hanger to probe for (and remove) any blockage. If you found something blocking the trap, you should be all set. Re-install the trap and run the water. If you found no obstruction, it is time to search further.

So the sink and the trap are clear, what next?

This is where you may need tools that you might not have handy but it is definitly a job for the correct tool. Don't try to explore the pipe with anything that might potentially be dropped, break, or otherwise become lodged in your plumbing - the idea is to correct the problem, not cause bigger problems. The correct tool for the job at this time is usually a plumbers auger (also called a snake). This is a long, flexible, springlike contraption that is "snaked" down into the pipe. You can purchase a small, basic plumbers snake at any home superstore or plumbing supply store and they are fairly inexpensive (another example of a tool that pays for itself the first time you can use it instead of calling a plumber).

Push the auger into the pipe until you encounter a blockage. If you are using a manual auger, you may need to twist it (they usually have set screw and handle to help) to get around turns in the pipe. Once it reaches the clog, you twist it to "auger into" the blocking substance. If you have a fibrous clog, you will pull the auger back along with a portion of the clog - repeating as many times as necessary to remove it. For softer clogs (like grease) you may just force the auger through the clog and rely on water pressure later to help continue to remove the loosened clog.

If you are unsure that you have cleared the clog completely and you want to check before you re-assemble everything use a hose to run some water down the pipe. Run the water SLOWLY - you don't want to find out the hard way that the clog is still there. Keep your bucket underneath the pipe while testing. If it is cleared, re-assemble your sink/trap and run your water for a while - make sure that your drain is working normally - if it is slow, you may still have a partial blockage.

One other potential solution is the "as seen on tv" water blaster variety of drain clearers. These gadgets are usually very inexpensive and typically consist of a small rubber nozzle with a hose fitting on one end. The concept is simple, you stick the nozzle into the drain, hook it up to a hose, and turn on the water. The water pressure first makes the nozzle swell to fill the drain or pipe opening and seal/hold it in place. Then the nozzle forces water into the pipe hopefully clearing the block by building up pressure behind it. If you listen, you will hear the clog clear and water flow rapidly down the pipes.

A couple problems to be aware of with these systems: If you have PVC drain fittings (as many sinks do), you better make sure you connections are good - if there are any minor leaks or loose fittings you are likely to end up with a sprinkler system under your sink. From personal experience there is one other problem you may run into. When you turn off the hose, the pressure that previously swelled the nozzle to hold it in place is gone - however there is still water and pressure in both the line and the nozzle. The results similiar to shaking up a soda bottle and removing the cap - it makes a great funny story to tell you friends in hindsight, but it's not quite so funny when you are mopping up the kitchen.

Finally, if none of the above have worked, it is time to call in the professionals. As I have noted in previous articles, a good contractor is worth every penny they charge you. Most will not only help you out with your problem but will also suggest how you can prevent it in the future and if necessary point out problems that need to be addressed.

Ray Breitenbach writes for Simple Home Repairs. Please visit for more information on how to perform you own basic home repairs

DIY Bathroom Plumbing - Installing a New Showerhead

Of all the home plumbing repairs you could tackle, the replacement of an old showerhead with a new one is probably the easiest. A shower plumbing project is a good starter project for a number of reasons. No special tools are required, the necessary parts are pretty close to one size fits all, and if you do make a mistake and have a leak, the only thing that gets wet is your shower/bathtub. This is the perfect project for the novice home repair handyman to start with and can usually be completed in well under an hour.

The first step is to decide what type of shower head you want to replace. While most shower fixtures connect to a standard size pipe thread, you must make sure you have enough clearance for your new showerhead. If the stem (the portion of the pipe from the wall to the existing shower head) is short or close to the ceiling you will want to check before purchasing a large fixture.

The Tools You Need - For this project, you will need a wrench or pliers and some teflon tape. Depending upon the age of your existing fixture, you may also need to have a pipe wrench on hand as well. You may also want to have something available protect your fixture from the jaws of the wrench or pliers (a folded rag or piece of rubber from an inner tube work well)

Remove the Old Showerhead - If you have an older unit you probably have some rust, oxidation, or lime buildup that may make removal difficult. If the fixture does not readily unscrew, use two sets of pliers/wrenches (with the jaws of each protected as indicated above), one set on the stem and the other on the fixture. Apply equal pressure to both sides to until the showerhead starts to move. Be careful not to apply too much force as you do not want to break either the stem or existing showerhead. Once the shower head starts to turn you should be able to remove it by hand.

Clean and prepare the stem pipe - A little preparation here could save you quite a bit of time later if you decide to replace the showerhead again. Clean the threads of the stem of any rust or lime and apply teflon tape to the threads. This will help the new showerhead install easily, provide a good seal, and make it easier in the future if you ever have to replace the shower head again.

Install the New Shower - If you selected a simple replacement showerhead all that remains to be done is to screw the new fixture onto the prepared pipe stem. Make sure not to over-tighten when you are installing this - hand tight plus a quarter or half turn is probably all you need. If you have purchased a more sophisticated fixture like a shower massage wand you may have a few pieces to install. Make sure that you apply teflon tape to all threaded connections (unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer) to ensure a good seal.

Test It - Before putting your tools away and jumping in the shower take a few minutes to make sure the job is done. Turn on the water and check each of the connections for leaks. If you find any, usually they will be fixed by tightening the connection another quarter or half turn. If this does not address the problem you may need to check for a missing or worn washer.

Ray Breitenbach writes for Simple Home Repairs. Please visit for more information on how to perform you own basic home repairs

DIY Plumbing Repair - You Have Homeowners Insurance, Use It!

Since most home owners insurance policies don't cover the cost of repairs few people think to check with them when plumbing problems occur. Although they may not cover the repair, they will usually cover the value of damaged property including cleaning up after the repair. The scope of this type of project is typically not a diy plumbing repair project so you will want to find any way you can to help pay for it.

A few years ago I had the misfortune of finding water seeping through a wall in my basement one spring. First this was blamed on a very wet season. Next, when dry weather came around and the leak was still there a basement waterproofing contractor was called in. It was no suprise when this contractor informed me that I had ground water and needed their expensive services. Since the company had a vested interest in me believing this they did not seem to feel the need to offer any other possible explanation. Based on the fact that the remaining 95% of the basement walls had no such problem a third opinion was in order.

Based on the proximity of the leak to the primary kitchen drain pipes a third contractor was called. After a short examination, the plumbing contractor was able to determine that the kitchen drain pipe was leaking (not where we could access it easily of course but behind a cinder block wall under a concrete slab).

The plumbing contractor then made an unexpected suggestion - call my insurance company before starting the repair. That was when he explained that the company would not pay for the repair, but they would pay for the cost of jack hammering up my living room, hall, and/or office floor to find the leak and cleaning up afterwards. He was also able to suggest an alternative solution that was cleaner and much less expensive and present it to the insurance company.

Two repair scenarios were proposed.

The first project would involved having the plumbing contractor find the leak under the living room slab, repair the drain pipe, and then replace the concrete and flooring to clean up after the project. As would be expected the estimate for this repair was on the high side ($4000+ by the time all the cleanup work would have been completed).

The second repair was considerably less intrusive - they would cap off the existing drain line (kitchen only) and re-route it through the joist's in the basement and re-connect it to the main line outside the house. The only "heavy" work in this proposal was cutting a 6 inch hole in the exterior wall and digging a trench to run the new pipe to be reconnected. The remainder of the work amounted to a fairly simple plumbing repair. The net cost for this repair was about half the first proposal

With both of these proposals on hand, the insurance company had no problem in justifying payment for the FULL SECOND OPTION (less deductable of course). The insurance company saved money, the home owner saved money, and the repair was accomplished within 2 days with a minimum of cleanup required.

This entire project demonstrated the value of a good plumbing contractor. They were able to quickly identify the problem, propose multiple solutions, and help justify the payment by the insurance company.

This repair also demonstrated the value of a insurance company. The insurance company was willing to accept and pay for an alternative solution as well as inform the home owner of all the expenses that should be recorded for reimbursement.

Ray Breitenbach writes for SimpleHomeRepairs. Please visit for more information on how to perform you own basic home repairs

Cleaning or Plumbing: You Make the Call

Most men feel that they cannot escape spring cleaning. It shouldn't be like that though. We have rights too!
As we gradually become accustomed to the fact that the spring season is upon us, we men are getting that twitch. It is the same twitch that plagues us every year when the women start mentioning spring cleaning and we start making excuses. More often than not, however, our excuses dont work and we get sucked into the frenzy like a torpedo in a giant toilet.

Now, when I say we, I am of course referring to those men that are bound to a woman. Being that I live alone, spring cleaning consists of washing my sheets. And I don't event do that myself. The people at the Laundromat are happy enough to do it in exchange for a few dollars. But that is not the point. We (again, not me) dont use Laundromats. We have our (same implication) sheets cleaned at home.

Anyways, a torpedo in a toilet is bad news. Id call a plumber. But you shouldnt! This is your chance to evade spring cleaning! You will become a plumber this spring! While everyone is making things nice and pretty, you will learn about sewage and pipes. Lead pipes! Which poison your water! Boy, isnt this exciting?

Ok, the first thing you need to know about plumbing is how water works. Water is usually a clear, odorless substance, primarily a liquid, which flows freely. However, as a plumber, this is not the water you will see. The water we will learn about is plumbing water, a dark, dirty, smelly goo, that must be forced through pipes by means of plungers and snakes (mechanical plumbers snakes, that is well deal with the other kind soon).

When dealing with water, you always want to wear gloves. I suggest strong rubber gloves with a good grip. These make it easier to remove the larger, solid pieces of water. A good beginners' plumbing exercise is to take a large bucket of plumbing water, then with your gloves remove as many solid pieces as you can. If you are good enough, you will be able to suck this water through a drinking straw. Personally, I wouldn't, though. It's just not my taste.

The next thing you must learn about is pipes. Pipes are what get clogged in order to prevent water from reaching its destination. But before you start ripping out all the pipes in your house, let me remind you that pipes also prevent water from reaching unwanted destinations, such as your brand new sofa. There is no need to practice any exercises with pipes, as the drinking straw in the previous exercise should have taught you all you need to know.

Now we come to the most crucial part of our crash-course on plumbing: Stuffed toilets. This is an area of great mystery, mainly because there is no way to know what the toilet is stuffed with. There are two types of stuffed toilets, your slow-flusher and your no-flusher. The latter one is also known as the up-chucker. In the case of a slow-flusher, all thats required is a temporary fix. This can be accomplished quite simply by plunging the toilet with a plunger (rubber end down) several times.

After several fixes of a slow-flusher ($149 per incident), the toilet will most likely regress to a no-flusher. This is probably one of the most traumatic experiences for a toilet owner, and as a professional plumber, you should calm everyone down by bending over the toilet and allowing the back of your pants to drop several inches. A no-flusher can have two stages. The first stage, known as Flush One is when the water level in the toilet reaches the top of the bowl and does not fall. Not all no-flushers enter this stage; some go straight to the next stage, known as The Over-Abundance. This is when all the water in the bowl spills out over the bathroom floor, creating quite a mess (if your wife or girlfriend is still doing spring cleaning, invite them in to take care of this). In any case, your job is now to get the water back where it belongs, namely, in the pipes. This is where the plumbers snake comes in handy. Lower the coil into the toilet, turn the handle several times, and pull it out. What happens? Send me an email letting me know I have never tried this.

About the Author

Aaron currently works as a software/web developer and writes in his free time. He also runs a growing web-based discussion forum at http://www.chitchatforums.com. His personal work is on display at http://www.spetnik.com.

Looking for a Nice Quiet House? Better Check the Plumbing

(ARA) - With all the environmental noise in our high-tech society, its little wonder that peace and quiet have become highly prized luxuries. Noise ordinances are regularly sought and passed to control everything from the volume of recreational watercraft to the backfire of car engines. In most neighborhoods, residents are restricted from making noise or playing stereos loudly before 8 a.m. or after 10 p.m. as a courtesy to other neighbors. There is even a Noise Pollution Clearinghouse that exists on the Internet to help reduce noise pollution and create an awareness of its various sources.

But noise isnt restricted to the great outdoors. Inside, there are equally as many sources of noise disturbance, including squeaky floors or doors, rattling windows, a dripping faucet or a toilet that continues to run. Manufacturers have invested heavily into technologies that make todays dishwashers, washing machines and even refrigerators much quieter. Homeowners routinely pay extra for additional soundproofing procedures and insulation between living spaces.

With all the noise to deal with, its easy to overlook one primary source -- the homes plumbing system. Plumbing pipe can be the source of two types of noise -- the sound of water flowing through the pipes and what is commonly referred to as water hammer, the banging or knocking sound thats heard within copper piping systems due to pressure surges that occur, for example, when a shower is turned off suddenly or when a washing machine changes cycles. A shock wave results as the fluid inside the pipe decelerates sharply, causing the pressure to rise and the fluid to compress.

Unfortunately for homeowners, traditional copper pipe is rigid and, therefore, not capable of expanding. Compounding the problem, copper has very poor insulating properties; consequently, any noise in the system is transmitted throughout the home. An alternative material, CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride), is not only less rigid than copper, it also has superior insulating properties.

In an effort to determine how much noise results and is transmitted in metallic pipe and how much noise could be reduced with the installation of a CPVC piping system that offers superior insulating qualities, NSF International, a well recognized, independent testing lab, conducted testing designed to compare noise levels between FlowGuard Gold CPVC pipe and copper pipe.

These tests documented the noise level (average of three tests) for the FlowGuard Gold 3/4 inch pipe at 35.9 dBA versus 55.4 for the 3/4 inch Type M Rigid copper pipe. To put the 19.5 dBA sound level difference between the two pipes in perspective, it was concluded by NSF that the copper pipe was four times louder (as the human ear interprets sound level) than the FlowGuard Gold CPVC pipe.

To compare the difference another way, consider that the human whisper at 25 dBA approximates the noise level of water running through a FlowGuard Gold pipe, versus a washing machine at 65 dBA, which is closer to the level of noise of water flowing through a copper pipe.

Other common noise levels register as follows:

* Rustle of leaves - less than 20 decibels

* Normal human conversation - between 60 and 70 decibels

* Busy street traffic - between 70 and 80 decibels

* Locomotive - approximately 90 decibels

* Jack hammer - approximately 100 decibels

* Rocket ship - between 110 and 120 decibels

In addition to its quieter operation, FlowGuard Gold CPVC pipe has been gaining in popularity and is being installed in more homes for other reasons, as well. The foremost reason is reliability. Unlike copper which is subject to corrosion and pinhole leaks that can lead to premature failure, CPVC pipe will never pit or corrode. This also means it will never leach harmful metals into the homes drinking water. In addition, it will never scale like copper, which allows it to retain full water-carrying capacity. And, its easier and safer to install because it utilizes an innovative, one-step solvent cement bond which does not require a torch for soldering.

To learn more how the selection of the right plumbing product can minimize noise in your home, as well as the many other benefits of CPVC plumbing, visit www.flowguardgold.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

Building a New Home? Don't Take Plumbing for Granted

Today there are alternatives to metallic systems

(ARA) - Building a new home means having choices and making decisions. So if you're planning to build a new home, be prepared to spend an endless number of hours looking at options and making final selections.

When it comes to cabinets, faucets, light fixtures and floor coverings, everyone expects a lot of choices -- different styles, colors, finishes, price ranges, etc. Even windows come in different shapes, sizes and energy efficiencies.

Yet, when it comes to something as important as the home's plumbing, most people don't ask any questions. They assume they don't have a choice. For many generations, metal (in the form of galvanized steel or copper) was the only material available. Look in the basement of any home built before the Kennedy era and it's unlikely you'll see anything but metallic pipes.

Today is a different story as a host of alternative materials -- many of which are plastic -- now garner significant market shares.

Why has plastic gained such popularity? Metal has demonstrated a number of pitfalls through the years that have been documented by numerous studies and lawsuits. Pinhole leaks and premature system failures, caused by metal's natural tendency to pit, corrode and scale, have opened the door for more reliable, virtually maintenance-free systems.

Of these, CPVC (post-chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) plumbing systems, which have 40 years of proven experience, are the most popular. CPVC pipe and fittings, such as those used in FlowGuard Gold CPVC plumbing systems, offer a number of benefits over metallic systems. Primarily, they never pit, scale or corrode, which eliminates the risk of premature failures and costly re-piping, in addition to possible property damage.

FlowGuard Gold CPVC systems are also highly energy efficient with natural insulating properties that keep hot water hotter and cold water colder than metallic systems. In addition, condensation, which is a common problem with metallic pipes that can cause drip damage to walls and foundation, is virtually eliminated.

As water quality becomes a significant concern in this country, CPVC piping has gained high marks for its ability to maintain water quality. There is no leaching or metal contamination into the water supply, so there are no related health concerns. And without pitting or corrosion, CPVC systems are able to maintain full water carrying capacity throughout their entire life. If you've ever looked inside a piece of old copper pipe, you've probably seen a thick layer of hard minerals. These minerals can dramatically reduce the diameter of the pipe, which reduces water flow and water pressure, and can inhibit the efficiency of many water-using appliances. Eventually, homeowners with corroded pipes must completely re-pipe their home at an average cost of $6,000.

Through the years, many homeowners have come to accept water hammer (or banging pipes) in their homes, which is typical of metallic systems. CPVC systems, on the other hand, resist water hammer. They also minimize water flow noise, which has been proven by independent testing laboratories to be four times louder in copper pipes.

Although CPVC systems are most often used in new construction, they are also compatible with other plumbing systems used in remodeling projects, the addition of a guest bathroom, or the replacement of a failed copper system.

For more information on the benefits of CPVC plumbing systems, visit www.flowguardgold.com or call (888)234-2436 (Ext. 7393) to locate a FlowGuard Gold professional near you.

Courtesy ARA Content, www.ARAcontent.com; e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com

The Plumber's Gift

The books never say one thing; they never say that creating a living from doing what one loves often seems like taking the easy way out. We're taught from elementary school on to really work hard and put our noses to the grindstone to get anywhere in life. We're told not to "cheat" or be lazy, not finish our work too early or too easily, not get ahead of the rest of the class. We're told not to let "the team" (the team being whoever reaps the most benefit) down, to get out and sell those Girl Scout cookies, that gift wrap or those candy bars.

They never say that, when people ask how much we'd charge to do a thing we love and are naturally good at just for them, it's really logical given our upbringing to think, "Ah, that's a piece of cake!" and lowball the price in order to play fair. It feels sneaky somehow, as though we'd be in danger of attempting actual fraud, to charge them a fee which would provide real profit. In our minds and hearts, we know it's an easy task and because it's so easy, we wind up with an amount that doesn't begin to pay our expenses. We put the needs of the other person first as we were so thoroughly taught to do and allow others to plumb our skills to their advantage, not to our own.

As little girls we were expected to help Mommy cook, clean and watch children. As teenagers, we were either paid a token amount for babysitting or, as I was, paid by an uneven sort of barter system. (I often watched up to 7 of my siblings at a time in exchange for fabric to sew clothes from or for my freedom on Saturday nights. Sometimes, my 6 cousins were added into the total too!) At the time, it was the norm. Every one of my friends babysat for money or time to themselves. Our mothers did not teach us how to create lucrative businesses out of using our gifts and talents. How could they have? We were being groomed for a future life like theirs, not for becoming entrepreneurs who work from a home office.

As grown up girls we've learned to support ourselves by going off to work every day; fitting into the corporate or academic worlds, thinking we have "made it" but still coming home to all the domestic tasks that sit and wait for us. The braver or luckier of us have managed to create businesses that allow us to work from our home offices or studios, scarcely daring to hope or believe that we are powerful, magical, or lucky enough to make it work. We wave our magic wands of talent frantically over our business plans while muttering prayers to the Angels and the Goddess to watch over us and protect us and make it all profitable.

But then, the awful thoughts come creeping again. "Well, I did do that work while wearing my bathrobe." Or "I did that at the same time I was (pick one) doing the laundry, rocking the baby, driving to the post office, etc. how could I really charge them so much for that?"

We've all probably worked with more than one woman who held a job similar to ours who told anybody within earshot how hard she worked, how much effort it took to achieve an assigned task, how many papers she took home to complete and how late into the night her candle burned. Would we choose to become like her (if only in our own mind) in order to justify the fee we charge?

Recently, I observed my plumbers as they replaced the pipes for both water and gas in almost my entire house. At no time did they sweat. At no time did they grunt or groan with physical exertion. At no time did they move with the speed displayed by almost every other contractor I've seen; certainly not with the speed of a waitress or cleaning lady or nurse or school teacher.

I observed them submit their estimate, which gave me heart palpitations and then, their bill, which made me catch my breath and gave me heart palpitations again. Did they display any signs of guilt at the huge sum because their job was easy? Did they lowball the fee because they enjoyed their work? Did they feel odd because they came late and left early? Did their voices waiver and their gazes wander about the room as they spoke?

Not on your life. They looked me in the eye and spoke slowly and calmly. In fact, attached to the bill was a paper attesting to 20 reasons why it was fair to charge what they did. The list, complete with decorative icons, included their technical education, work to stock the truck, travel to the job site, office expenses, licenses, taxes and all the rest.

Certainly, it could be fairly argued that anybody working has similar expenses.

Believe me, my plumbing is now beautiful, is in excellent shape, the gas leaks are gone and the house is no longer in danger of exploding when I light a candle while doing an Angel Reading. I have, curiously enough, relaxed as I can now stop prowling the house looking for the source of "that awful smell." I am happy with the work they did.

And I am grateful that they left me with their gift of showing me how to calmly value my work to a greater extent. I know now that I do not have to turn my work into something I perceive to be difficult to do in order to allow myself to value it more highly. The work I do is of high value precisely because it is simple for me to do yet it does not mean that anybody else can do it as well or in a similar manner. If it's a "cinch" to do, it means it's coming from the depth of who I am and who I am is highly valuable.

Work that's traditionally undervalued on the pay scale is typically the work that's perceived as being simple, something "anybody" can do. Therefore, the trick to increase our incomes is to do work that's easy but perceived by others to be impossible to do for themselves and also highly in demand. The plumbers knew I didn't have a clue about how to fix a gas leak and they took that fact all the way to the bank. Gas leaks must be fixed and that's that. I obviously place a high value on not being blown to bits.

What fun to use ability do you have that you can offer to the rest of the world? What can you do that others cannot or don't have time to do? What have you discounted and perhaps not even recognized that is actually a marketable skill? Pretend you're a plumber and give it some thought!

Catherine M. Kasper.

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Spirituality - Our Plumber Angels - Lessons on the Mountain

On a clear November day my wife and I set out to explore real estate in the mountains east of Jackson, Wyoming. We dropped our youngest daughter, then fourteen, with our oldest daughter who was in college a few hours away. It was the Monday before Thanksgiving and we planned on returning Wednesday night to spend the holiday with our daughters.

In our rented SUV and a suitcase of clothes that reflected our Texas lifestyle, we headed out of Jackson and down to Pinedale. I had recently left my corporate job to strike out on my own. Since I traveled with my consulting, we thought we?d find a place to live that we liked, it would be the first home location we had chosen since getting married thirty years before.

At the time our spiritual lives were in some upheaval and we yearned for a new start. Our daughter had been raped, then attempted suicide and we were just finishing some lengthy counseling over the ordeal and were trying to get the train of our lives back on track.

Our first stop in Pinedale revealed a cute little town of a couple thousand nice, friendly people, with moose grazing on the outskirts of town. We looked at one house and when the folks told my wife they went shopping once a month in Salt Lake, some four hours away, that was the end of that. We had a quick lunch in Pinedale and didn?t bother to tell our kids we had changed plans. Instead of heading further east and around the mountain back to Jackson we were heading south and west to Star Valley and the town of Afton.

As we headed south towards Rock Springs I could see from the map this was going to be a five hour drive down and around. I happened to see a road on the map about an hour south that headed west and over the mountain and dropped right down into Afton. It went right through the Bridger-Teton National Forest. It was a gorgeous fall day, so I ignored the two dotted map lines that was the outline of the road I?d picked, and we headed up the mountain. My wife immediately said, ?I have a bad feeling about this.?

Ignoring her feeling I plowed ahead. Three more times she would say, ?Ed, I have a bad feeling about this.? Four hours later, high in the mountains and deep in the forest we stopped at a ?T? in the road. Before us was two wooden Forest Service signs, with arrows pointing in opposite directions that read ? Afton 50 miles ? Pinedale 50 miles. While I didn?t admit it at the time I knew we were in deep trouble, it was 4 p.m. and about to get dark.

Instead of doing what my wife strongly suggested I plowed ahead towards Afton and one hour later, on a steep incline, we were stuck in three feet of snow. We knew we weren?t getting out anytime soon, much less that night. We had no cell phone, a few extra T-shirts, a Hershey bar, two diet sodas and a half tank of gas in our now buried SUV.

Dark surrounded us as my wife quietly wept next to me. We debated our next course of action as she humbled me in prayer. A former atheist turned Christian, I was still struggling with the spiritual side of my life since my daughters problems. I resorted to the macho, Marine Corp side. I was a Marine sniper for two-years in Vietnam and just looked on this as an adventure at first, an adrenaline rush, surely we?d get out of this.

The car was aimed up a small path heading to the top of the mountain. As I sat there in the black of night looking at the star filled sky, a plane went over. It was then it hit me, with my wife finally sleeping in the seat next to me, that we were in deep water and that I alone was not getting us out of this one. I had certainly been stupid enough to ignore my wife?s admonitions and get us stuck though.

We would later learn that we were fifty-seven miles from Pinedale and nearly ten-thousand feet up in the forest. We endured the night, cold and lonely and decided to walk to safety at first light. We were in our early fifties and not in great shape. Our clothes were light leather jackets and sneakers for shows. We were not equipped for the walk we were about to endure.

During the night my wife led us in prayer often. It was sometime in the early morning hours when I humbled myself and cried out to my Lord and Savior. I cried out to Him as never before and after some time could feel the warmth of His Spirit wash over me. I knew that somehow we would be rescued.

At first light we were off, heading down the mountain, committing to each other we would somehow walk for twenty-four hours if necessary to see our children. We left the SUV at seven a.m. and it began to snow. We walked patiently, feeling amazingly good, and reached the wooden signs we?d seen the day before. The signs were seven miles from our vehicle. We?d made the trek in about two and a half hours ? we knew we had help because we could not walk that fast on flat ground, let alone the snow that was increasing steadily.

We walked and prayed and walked and prayed and my wife grew weaker. I walked and prayed as I walked and the snow was getting deeper and coming down heavy. We stopped on one occasion to pray and it was two p.m. We?d been walking for seven long hours in the snow, the wind was picking up. As we started out again I noticed the light in my wife?s eyes wasn?t as bright and committed as it had been ? I knew we could not make the night.

As I walked trudging in the heavy snow across a high plateau at around seven thousand feet, I prayed as I had never prayed before. I prayed Lord, we have done all that we can. My wife is struggling ? we don?t want to die. Lord please provide us a miracle and provide it now. By three p.m. the snow was blinding. As I walked, looking ahead I thought I saw a small speck in the snow. What could it be? I was sure it was a mirage. I didn?t say anything.

We kept walking and soon a truck appeared. We waved excitedly as if they wouldn?t se us, the only two people in miles. The two men inside looked like they were right off a Marlboro commercial. They were plumbers heading to close down a new log house they?d been working on all summer. The man on the passenger side rolled down his window and said, ?I hope you two know you have someone walking with you out here today!? Indeed we did. He went on to explain they were supposed to be in and out by ten in the morning but were held up in town by an architect working on the house and the were running late.

We found out that the snow we were enduring was as they said up there the snow that shuts the mountain down. The elk had come down that night and now one would get up there until spring. We had walked seventeen miles when our Plumber Angels rescued us. The Lord had provided us with the miracle we asked for and saved us to see our children. He had rescued me from my own stubbornness and stupidity. He had taught me humility and that indeed He answers our prayers.

Ed Kugler is a former Marine sniper with two consecutive tours in the Vietnam War. He is also a former atheist and now a Christian. He as been changing for a lifetime. He is a recovering alcoholic, successful business leader who made it to VP of Compaq Computer with no college degree, flunked high school English and has written six books. He is the father of three, grandfather of three and has been married to the same woman for thirty-eight years and counting. http://www.lulu.com/nomorebsbooks and http://www.nomorebs.com

Nintendo's Plumber Mario - A Short History of His Major Accomplishments

In the beginning there was Pong. The masses were intrigued, poking and prodding at Pong in wonder, seeing what might be the future but was probably a fad. Pong was interesting, but Pong was soon forgotten. Until Pacman, and Space Invaders, and Caterpillar, and all the original quarter chomping cabinet games of old. The arcade game was born of ingenuity and the disposable income of an increasingly stagnant generation with money to burn.

Nintendo?s success in video games was born of a desire to cash in on these experiences, seeing the success of Space Invaders and Asteroids by companies like Taito and Atari. Nintendo?s prior history, nearly 100 years old in Japan, involved making household toys and playing cards. They saw electronic games as a major new market and were intent on being apart of it. The first product was Radarscope, pandering to the shoot and fly by action of existing games in the marketplace.

It was a massive failure and so Nintendo turned to Shigeru Miyamoto to craft something special that would appeal. It was Miyamoto who, after taking ideas from shows like Popeye (and a license that fell through for Nintendo) and utilizing the everyman hero, crafted Donkey Kong. Donkey Kong was released to eager quarter heavy pockets and Nintendo of America made nearly 100 million dollars in the first year alone.

Donkey Kong did many things differently that made it successful. Not only did it stray from the usual shoot-em up concepts of previous games, it introduced levity and light hearted music to the industry that it hadn?t yet seen, with actual characters and a villain. Kids nationwide were willing to overlook the mistranslation of whatever it was the Japanese company was trying to call their barrel throwing ape, and sucked the game up eagerly. (There are theories that it was originally Monkey Kong, Kong for King Kong, and was misspelled somewhere along the way?doesn?t really matter at this point though does it?)

And Mario? If you can?t see the parallels to the Popeye license in the game, you?re not paying much attention. A plucky working man must fight an apelike (or an ape) to retrieve his lady love, displaying super human strength. Mario was yet to be named in his earliest outing, and as he wielded his hammer of justice, he found fans the world over. Ironically, the name of Nintendo?s mascot was originally Jumpman, a surprisingly practical name, no? There?s a story that the character?s name was changed because of his similarity in appearance to Nintendo of America acquaintance Mario Segale. Whatever route he took to his name, the Mario we see and love today is the same one from 1981, short overalled, Italian and mustachioed.

In 1983, Mario returned in his own adventure. After someone pointed out that he looked more like a plumber than a carpenter, his profession was accordingly changed and Mario as we know him today was born. Luigi also made his first appearance here as Mario?s brother and rival in jumping dumping and taking out koopas, goombas, and other bad guys for maximum points. The original arcade Mario Bros. showed up in arcades hot off the heels of Donkey Kong?s success, but didn?t have quite the same success itself. It was in fact a stage in which video gaming itself was dying. Atari?s home consoles were overpriced and not producing and the idea of arcade gaming was being segwayed in favor of these at home gaming attempts. Companies bankrupted and nothing was seen for almost 2 years as a result.

It was Nintendo itself that would successfully breach the barrier between the arcade and the living room again, single handedly reviving the dying industry and saving video gaming as we know it.

With the launch of the Famicom in Japan in 1983, Nintendo executives decided that they needed a killer piece of software to sell consoles. They turned back to Miyamoto and his goofy plumber for a new start and he delivered. Released in 1985, Super Mario Bros. was a revolution in home gaming. It redefined the technology in home gaming at the time and created the Mushroom Kingdom as we still know it. The goofy ideas that floated Donkey Kong and Mario Bros a few years before were released in earnest in Super Mario Bros and born was the mushroom chomping, pipe warping antics of Mario and his brother Luigi. The invention of the platforming genre as well as the lengthy at home, sit down gamin console made Super Mario Bros one of the top selling games of all time, sending Japan and the US into Mario madness, creating an atmosphere willing to accept and support Nintendo no matter what. The video gaming age was not dead, it was just born. And Mario led the way.

Super Mario Bros 2 was born as a direct sequel to the first game with an entire new batch of levels, poison mushrooms and wind gusts. The game never saw release in the US though as it was considered too hard for fickle US gamers. The game did eventually see release in 1993 in the SNES Mario All-Star Collection as Lost Levels.

The game Americans know as Super Mario Bros 2 is in fact a completely different game that Nintendo acquired the rights to and inserted Mario and friends into. The result is a game that didn?t quite match up with any of the other Mario games. The game, while totally different from the actual Mario games was very popular in the US and introduced a variety of new features such as forward and backward scrolling on screen and greater freedom of movement. Plus the really cool floating princess feature. Likewise, the game was released in Japan as Super Mario Bros. USA.

And then there was 3. Super Mario Bros 3 was the most anticipated game of 1990, with the prerelease buzz enhanced even more by events like The Wizard (a video game centric film) in which the game was highlighted in a gaming contest before it had even been released. The game itself eventually became the best selling game of all time that wasn?t packaged with a console with 17 million copies sold. It introduced the map format, as well as the introduction of the suits that changed Mario?s powers to match certain conditions, and the epic boss battles throughout the game. The final world was huge and Bowser a step above and beyond the villains thus far.

In 1990, as Nintendo was preparing to release the Super Famicom, they looked to Miyamoto one more time for an epic gaming experience that would sell consoles and show off the power of their new console. He gave to them Super Mario World. Mario World took the formula created in Super Mario Bros 3 and enhanced on it in as many ways as it could. The introduction of Yoshi was hailed by many as genius and the inclusion of new methods to exit levels and unlock secret levels. Mario World held within it 72 levels, and 96 exits, many of those levels with multiple exits. The worlds all varied vastly from each other, offering sky exits, times when flying was necessary and when Yoshi was necessary, and the ever popular ghost houses with their multiple exits.

After the success of Donkey Kong Country, Nintendo set for itself new graphical requirements and Miyamoto?s sequel to Super Mario World was reworked into Super Mario World 2: Yoshi?s Island. Considered by many to be one of the greatest (if not most popular) platform games ever made, it follows the adventures of Yoshi as he carries baby Mario around on his back in his quest to revive Mario to adulthood. The game introduced throwing attacks, jumping, floating, and flying, ramming, and even turn into a helicopter.

But, it was only a precursor to the next Mario release. Since Mario World 2 was released in 1995 only a year before the release of the Nintendo 64 it suffered the dreaded late console life shuffle and was mainly ignored. However, Nintendo came out swinging once again with a masterpiece technical demo to show off everything their newest console could do. Mario 64 was the first fully 3D realized game, and single handedly invented the genre as we know it today. With the introduction of the analog stick and non-linear play, players were given the option to choose which parts of the game they completed and how they did it. The game was a monstrous success and held every game even slightly similar up for closer inspection. Unfortunately for Mario fans everywhere, Mario 64 is considered the last true entry in the series as there has only been one Mario game since for a console, the Gamecube?s disappointing Mario Sunshine.

Mario Sunshine was an experiment in moving away from the normal aspects of the game. Mario and friends are on a vacation and run across a graffiti ridden island which Mario is given a water pack to clean up. It?s a wonderfully designed, fun enough game, but it fails only because it forgets what makes Mario Mario. The game itself followed the same design as Mario 64, with Mario trying to get all 120 shine sprites and clean the island of Del Fino, but somehow didn?t strike the same chord as each of its forerunners.

Mario Galaxy is now in development for the Nintendo Wii console, a game which looks to revolutionize once more the entire genre through use of the Wii Remote. The details are still sketchy, but the basic idea is that Mario is in outerspace, able to jump farther than ever before, as he attempts to rescue the princess. Sounds familiar, yeah? We?ll see how this one turns out.

Mario has found success in handhelds, television shows, movies, books, and a hundred different spin off games like Mario Kart, too numerous to list all of here. But as you can see, just from the main sequence games released on the major Nintendo consoles, Mario?s impact has been monumental, literally shaping the face of video gaming for 25 years.

I'm a self avowed unemployed writer, working on semi-constant basis to try and overcome the need to go and work a real job. I've written more than 200 articles and reviews and am constantly scouring the internet for any and all excuses and methods to make myself less dependent on corporate pay days. Visit my website at TheChatfield.com

Plumbers and their Mates

Plumbers today are usually far too busy to take time out of their busy work schedule to learn new marketing methods. Yet when a quiet time comes, they often don?t know how to advertise their services better.

Or how to market their capabilities better and put themselves on the tendering lists for those bigger and sometimes more profitable jobs.

Yet on a jobsite, they usually have a radio on and are listening to either a talk-back programme or music. Yet they could be listening to audio books to learn while they earn.

Up until recently, audio books comprised of a broad subject range have not been available. But now they can all be downloaded off the Internet and listened to at their leisure or while earning.

When a Plumbers work quietens down, they usually approach their mates. This has worked well and will continue to work well for the foreseeable future. But they aren?t always the best paying work a plumber could be doing.

Yet if he was to learn a few new methods and ideas, a plumber could be joint venturing on a range of much bigger jobs. It all comes down to ?know-how?.

There are some books that have been read for the past 60 years and are just as applicable today as when they were first released. This ?evergreen? book subject is still as applicable today because people haven?t changed.

To market well, a Plumber needs to have a very broad understanding of people and what makes them tick. He needs to know so much more than just ?how-to? Plumb well.

So now he can listen to an audio book to learn more as he earns. Marketing info has never been as available as it is today.

http://www.books-that-talk.spokennetwork.com From Huckleberry Finn to Hanoi ~ Audiobooks are here for you to Enjoy!

Your Home Project ? Educating Yourself On Plumber Rates

As any homeowner will attest, calling in a plumber is usually done when there remains little other choice. A thrifty do-it-yourselfer will often try to fix the offending leak, flood, or jiggle in an effort to save money. But when a truly complicated problem arises or the effort at self-plumbing proves fruitless, it becomes necessary to call in the experts. And, subsequently, it becomes necessary to quickly and thoroughly educate yourself on the most current plumber rates.

Jumping headfirst into hiring the first plumber you come across in the yellow pages could easily yield disastrous results. Taking the extra steps to research plumber rates will put you in control of your situation; you?ll know what to expect and therefore know what to seek out in terms of reputable plumbers.

When researching plumber rates there are a variety of sources towards which to turn. The Internet, as always, is a valuable source of information on a variety of topics. Simply do a search for plumber rates in your area and you?ll quickly learn the lay of the land. Further, there are often chat forums where you can access customers who have likely been in your situation at one time or another. Additionally, you can often speak with professional plumbers themselves to learn the current plumber rates for a reputable service.

However, the most invaluable source for learning plumber rates in your area is the people with whom you share a community. Turn to your neighbors, friends, and friends of friends to find the most reputable and trustworthy plumbers in your area. This will also grant you the most up-to-date information about plumber rates.

One important thing to keep in mind is that low plumber rates may not always save you money in the end. More experienced plumbers will often charge plumber rates that match their level of experience. Trying to cut corners by hiring a plumber based solely on their low plumber rates may result in more trouble than it?s worth. A cheaply priced plumber may undercut his competition but there may be a reason for his prices.

However, when hiring an experienced, reputable plumber you can often bring prices down by offering to supply materials yourself. In this way, you are paying only for labor. Keep in mind, however, that there?s risk associated with this as flawed materials will not be guaranteed by the hired plumber.

Ultimately, it may make the most sense to find the best plumber you can find and pay the associated plumber rates. As is often the case, you get what you pay for. So choose wisely.

For easy to understand, in depth information about plumbing visit our ezGuide 2 Plumbing

Essential Plumber Tools For The Do-It-Yourself Plumber

In the journey of homeownership, there will undoubtedly come a time when a professional plumber must be called in to address repairs that are simply out of the average homeowner?s comfort zone. However, just as often there will occur those simple plumbing repairs that do not necessarily require the attention of a professional. For those of us who wish to tackle these repairs, it is essential to have certain fundamental plumber tools on hand in order to successfully complete the project.

There are several basic plumber tools that should be included as staples in the average household.

One plumber tool that is absolutely necessary in the common tool kit is called the plumber?s pliers. This particular plier ? also often referred to as channel lock pliers or water pump pliers ? is used to steadily hold a pipe in place while making a repair. Its serrated teeth make it an invaluable tool.

The pipe wrench is used to tighten pipes. The unique design of this plumber tool lends itself to tackling the most common of plumbing projects with ease of handling.

Another plumber tool of the utmost importance is a basin wrench which allows the at-home plumber to manipulate nuts and bolts underneath a sink. Because of the awkward positioning of this job, the basin wrench can be extraordinarily useful.

Additionally, an open-end wrench allows you to maneuver under a leak; you can tighten the bolts you need to tighten without losing your grasp. There are open-end wrenches of varying sizes; be sure to have several choices in your collection.

Be sure to also include pipe cleaning tools, tape, nuts and bolts of all sizes, and even a pipe cutter. If you are unsure about what to include as part of your essential plumber tools, visit your local home improvement store where you?ll likely find knowledgeable employees who will be happy to help.

Additionally, the Internet can be a valuable resource in gathering information about fundamental plumber tools. Do some research in advance to be sure to arm yourself with the most appropriate plumber tools for your tool kit.

Once complete your kit of plumber tools will prepare you for any at-home plumbing emergency. With proper preparation you can either perform a temporary fix until a plumber can arrive or simply repair it yourself. The rewards will be significant savings and the priceless feeling of self-satisfaction.

For easy to understand, in depth information about plumbing visit our ezGuide 2 Plumbing.

Finding a Plumber

Know when it's time to call a professional

Plumbing repairs in your home are a big job. When you feel like screaming at the pipes and fixtures in your home, it?s time to call a professionally licensed plumber. The right plumbing services can really take a lot of stress out of your life. With your home's plumbing working again, you?ll wonder why you didn?t have the work done sooner.

Everyone deserves good plumbing in their home. Whether you have a big family, or you live alone, top residential plumbing is absolutely a necessity. A qualified plumber can get yours working again and restore your peace of mind. The right plumbing company will work efficiently and skillfully to make your life easier.

Plumbing for commercial real estate

If you are in the commercial real estate business, then plumbing is probably on your list. Whether you are looking to put pipes in your new construction home or re-do the plumbing in an older commercial office building, a certified plumber is essential. The executives that will work in your building will be grateful you hired a professional and got the job done right the first time.

Don't be overwhelmed by plumbing problems - a professional can come to the rescue

Every home owner experiences special situations and problems with their plumbing from time to time. Things like regular drain cleaning, fixing leaks, and tackling noisy pipe problems can be extremely frustrating. Don?t let these problems overwhelm you. One of the many wonderful certified plumbers is available to come to your rescue.

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Your Home Project - Educating Yourself On Plumber Rates

As any homeowner will attest, calling in a plumber is usually done when there remains little other choice. A thrifty do-it-yourselfer will often try to fix the offending leak, flood, or jiggle in an effort to save money. But when a truly complicated problem arises or the effort at self-plumbing proves fruitless, it becomes necessary to call in the experts. And, subsequently, it becomes necessary to quickly and thoroughly educate yourself on the most current plumber rates.

Jumping headfirst into hiring the first plumber you come across in the yellow pages could easily yield disastrous results. Taking the extra steps to research plumber rates will put you in control of your situation; you?ll know what to expect and therefore know what to seek out in terms of reputable plumbers.

When researching plumber rates there are a variety of sources towards which to turn. The Internet, as always, is a valuable source of information on a variety of topics. Simply do a search for plumber rates in your area and you?ll quickly learn the lay of the land. Further, there are often chat forums where you can access customers who have likely been in your situation at one time or another. Additionally, you can often speak with professional plumbers themselves to learn the current plumber rates for a reputable service.

However, the most invaluable source for learning plumber rates in your area is the people with whom you share a community. Turn to your neighbors, friends, and friends of friends to find the most reputable and trustworthy plumbers in your area. This will also grant you the most up-to-date information about plumber rates.

One important thing to keep in mind is that low plumber rates may not always save you money in the end. More experienced plumbers will often charge plumber rates that match their level of experience. Trying to cut corners by hiring a plumber based solely on their low plumber rates may result in more trouble than it?s worth. A cheaply priced plumber may undercut his competition but there may be a reason for his prices.

However, when hiring an experienced, reputable plumber you can often bring prices down by offering to supply materials yourself. In this way, you are paying only for labor. Keep in mind, however, that there?s risk associated with this as flawed materials will not be guaranteed by the hired plumber.

Ultimately, it may make the most sense to find the best plumber you can find and pay the associated plumber rates. As is often the case, you get what you pay for. So choose wisely.

For easy to understand, in depth information about plumbing visit our ezGuide 2 Plumbing.

Basic Plumber Tools To Keep Around

You never know what kind of emergency might pop up unexpectedly around the house. That?s why everyone has some basic tools in the home to be prepared. For the same reason, it is important to keep around some basic plumber tools for any of those minor repairs you may need to do. You don?t have to be an expert on plumbing, but you need to know basic repairs to at least hold off until the expert shows up.

Items To Keep In Your Plumber Tools Kit

The most commonly used of the plumber tools are the water-pump pliers. Sometimes these are also called plumber?s pliers or even channel-lock pliers. The serrated teeth on the pliers help you hold on tight to the pipe. The are necessary because any other tool would make it near impossible to hold on well to the pipe.

Another of the plumber tools that needs to be available is the adjustable open-end wrench. This tool can sometimes be all you need when there is a leak, because the problem could just be a loose nut-bolt. So the job of the adjustable open-end wrench is to tighten any loose nut-bolts. Since the nut-bolts can be various sizes, you will need a few different sizes of the adjustable open-end wrench to accommodate them.

Tightening the pipe can be done using a pipe wrench. Keeping this with your plumber tools is nice because the pipe wrench can place a lot of pressure on the pipe without changing the pipe?s shape. Without this tool, you could end up damaging the pipe and creating an even bigger problem. Since one of the main reasons for owning plumber tools is to save money by doing it yourself, making a bigger mess would defeat the purpose and cause you to pay a lot for someone to come in and make repairs.

If you have ever tried to loosen or tighten nuts and bolts under a sink, you know how difficult it can be. That?s why you will need to add a basin wrench to your plumber tools. The basin wrench makes it easier to loosen and tighten nuts and bolts because of its convenient shape.

If you are looking to do more than minor repairs, you will want to consider having a pipe cutter, reaper, and emery cloth in the mix of your plumber tools. A pipe cutter can make precise cuts in the pipe, while a reamer can get rid of the residue in the pipe. Then you can use the emery cloth to clean the pipe. Just make sure that if you plan to do these repairs, you follow directions to the letter and follow all safety rules.

Other helpful things to add to the plumber tools kit are washers, threads, pipe cleaning tools, joint compound, Teflon tape, nuts and bolts, etc. After you have combined all the plumber tools mentioned in this article, you will have spend about $100-200. This isn?t bad for a home owner, especially considering the money you can save by doing your own repairs.

Mike Walker is SEO of plumbinggreat.com, his goal is to give latest Plumbing info including plumbing contractor and diy. Learn and print all about plumbing, from plumbing contractor to DIY.

5 Ways To Get The Most Bang For Your Buck When Hiring A Plumber

For just about any homeowner the day will come when you need to hire a plumber, and it can be quite a costly phone call to make. There are ways, however, to get the most bang for your buck out of your plumbing.

1 - Reduce the risk

One approach to reducing plumbing costs is to avoid them before they happen. Among the most routine of plumbing calls are those pertaining to drain problems and frozen pops. Lots of houses have a drain or two that is a troublemaker while the rest are fine. Kitchen sinks commonly have a grease buildup in them. Counter this by being careful about what is poured down the drain and occasionally running some boiling hot soapy water down the kitchen sink. Hair in bathroom sinks is another common problem. If your bathroom sink doesn't have any sort of screened drain cover, invest in one and clean it off regularly. Frozen pipes the problem? If your water pipes aren't all connected to a heated portion of your house then make certain that you have these pipes insulated well. If it's late into the season and outdoor water isn't going to be used anymore, then disconnect any outdoor water connections.

2- Buy your own materials

One high-profit area of plumbing is the sale of hardware and fixtures. If you already know what the problem is or you know what your plumber is going to be replacing, then do some price-comparison shopping and purchase the items that will be needed ahead of time. It may be worth your while to make sure that the products you buy are of good quality and your plumber knows how to work with the brand, make, or model of fixture/hardware that you've purchased.

3 - Know your enemy to save chargeable time

No, the plumber isn't your enemy, plumbing problems are the enemy. Make a checklist of anything in your house that leaks, is clogged, or needs plumber attention. When the plumber arrives have him fix everything that is in need of repair at once rather than piecemeal repairing things when they get really bad and requiring multiple trips from the plumber. This will also help the problem get work done more quickly since they will spend less time hunting and diagnosing problem areas of your residence.

4 - Shop around for the best quality rates

Often times the only criteria people use for selecting a plumber to hire is their hourly rate. While saving money on the hourly rate can be helpful, use common sense and make sure that the plumber you hire is qualified and insured. Ask how the hourly rate is calculated. If a plumber offers you a good rate, but they are far away from you and charge for driving time, it may work out to be easier on the wallet to hire a plumber that is closer to your home.

5 - Use water-saving fixtures

Whether your residence makes use of a local sewer system or utilizes a cesspool, lowering water usage will do much to lower long-term plumbing related costs for you. If you have a sink or faucet that is old and uses a lot water, consider replacing it entirely rather than repairing it. The less water you are passing the less you will be charged for water and the less wear and tear your water disposal system will take.

Aaron is a writer for Find Plumbers at PlumberSpot.com

Saving Money And Time With American Plumber Products

American Plumber is a company that makes a professional plumbing system. Their products can cut down on your need for frequent plumber calls. The system runs at all times making sure all is functioning well, often without human involvement. This can be a major time and money saver in regard to the plumber's involvement.

Among the many renowned products produced by American Plumber are many kitchen and bathroom water treatment systems, water filtration systems, piping, and other water delivery needs. They basically help you, the customer save money on your long-term plumbing investment while preventing you many additional expenses associated with frequent plumber calls.

Some of their most well-known products are their water filtration and treatment systems. One of the most famous is their under the sink reverse osmosis system. It's received numerous awards and is proven to help do away with piping congestion among other troubles. Reverse osmosis is one of the higher end water treatment systems, and American Plumber has put themselves ahead in this market.

The American Plumber water filter is another very popular product and is made by professional water filter makers such as Pentek and Culligan. The systems differ from many found in the water filter market in several ways. These water filter systems carry extended support for replacement filters and other parts. The filter system is available in under sink, countertop, and central full house configurations.

Today more than ever, people are finding the need for additional products that improve the quality of their water. With the many contaminants, natural mineral excesses, and other water problems, water treatment and filtration systems are showing up everywhere.

American Plumber's product line also offers alternatives to conventional plumbing solutions that often require a lot more maintenance. Plumbing calls can become quite expensive, especially when failures occur during off hours, weekends, and especially holidays. Whether the charges are hourly, or per job, they can add up over time.

In modern times, many are forced to do a lot more themselves, and with conventional plumbing, this can become quite a tedious task as well. The products of American Plumbing can provide a sound system that cuts out piping congestion and minimizes the potential for leaks and the problems that go with them. Once in place there isn't much to be done, and the plumber can be left to sleep late at night.

It's easy to say American Plumber can give you peace of mind at all times with less worry about your plumbing. Even when you do need to call a plumber things should be more standardized, and easier to deal with. That means a smaller bill if they ever have to be called.

In the end, if you spend less time and money on your plumbing; you definitely have more resources to deal with other things. With better potential health from good water and rest as it functions fine on its own; you definitely want to have a good look at the systems and products from American Plumber.

You can learn much more about plumbing by visiting the House Plumbing Site which provides comprehensive and up to date help and advice on all plumbing issues. Clive thoroughly recommends this site so make sure you check it out today here: - http://www.houseplumbingsite.com

Is Your Tap Still Dripping? Then Call Your Plumber Now

If you have a dripping tap now, just think how bad it?s likely to be after the holiday break. Apart from that, think of the environment. Water is the one thing in life we can?t live without.

We can all survive all the other inconveniences for a surprisingly long time; but water isn?t one of them.

Every drip that runs down the drain, unused and unwanted, is like a nail into your coffin. Here in Australia, we are suffering a prolonged and worsening drought.

The City of Brisbane is now on severe water restrictions where people can?t even water their pot plants unless they have saved the water in a bucket or from their washing machines.

You know when you go to have a shower and you have to let the water run until the temperature gets to the right warmth? Well, it?s this water that is now watering pot-plants in Brisbane homes.

If you think that?s crook ~ just wait and watch what will be happening if we don?t get the rain next March-April. Many people will be leaving the city in droves; hordes of people having to leave their homes. Just think of what is likely to happen to the Real Estate prices?

Just thinking about worst case scenarios right now gives me the shivers!

And you want to know the worst truth? Brisbane is not the only city in Australia this is happening to. All around the Country, North to South, East to West ~ there?s a water crisis.

Australia and the United States have roughly the same land-mass. If you can imagine a water shortage from the Canadian border to the Mexican border, from Boston to Seattle, Miami to San Diego and everywhere in between, then you can get some idea of the affected area.

And some people still have dripping Taps! I shudder to think of the outcry they will raise when it finally dawns that hey ~ where did all the water go?

OK, apart from that if you don?t live in Australia, and you aren?t currently suffering a drought; but are your Taps still dripping? Or do you have a toilet that constantly runs?

If so, don?t you think a Plumber might be a good investment about now before the extended family arrives for the holidays and increases demand on your facilities?

It?s not going to get any better when there is a heavier load put on the services; and if you have to call a Plumber out over the Christmas / New Year break because you didn?t get the problem fixed before the holidays started ~ don?t you think he should be entitled to charge an exorbitant charge for his services?

Or will you complain if s/he does? Hardly fair, Um? I mean, how would you feel about having your Christmas dinner spoilt by being called to someone?s crisis because they couldn?t be bothered to have something fixed prior to the holidays? Believe me, I?d be charging for every mouthful of Turkey missed.

Love and respect your environment enough to care for it and about it. Plumbers do a mighty job in protecting the only thing you can?t live without.

http://www.constructingprofits.com Showing contractors how to make more money ~ working less hours!

Ten Ways to Save Water With Your Plumber's Approval

1. Fix all Dripping taps and running toilets

2. Don?t turn taps on full bore when you just want to rinse hands ~ use the sink plug

3. Don?t take long showers. If you want to enjoy the peace that water gives, run a bath half full and enjoy the soak with a clear conscience.

4. Don?t let the tap run when you clean your teeth. Just turn it on when needed

5. Make sure you have a water-limiting shower head.

6. If you have Teenagers, put them on an agreed timer so they appreciate why it has to be so ~otherwise threaten them with bathing in the same tub AFTER their brother/sister has had their bath!

7. When having a shower, if you have to let the water run then catch it in a bucket so it can be delivered to pot-plants/garden.

8. If you catch the ?grey water? from your washing machine you can water plants and shrubs~ so be careful of what you wash clothes in. Do you really need to bleach your clothes? Ummmm?..really?

9. Use plugs to limit the amount of water needed everywhere. Only do the dishes when you have enough dirty dishes to warrant a sink-full. Only put the dishwasher on when it?s full of dirty dishes. Don?t do half-loads.

10. If you decide to do the laundry, make sure you only use the amount of water needed to wash the size of the load.

The important thing is to THINK before automatically doing jobs involving water. Make your Plumber proud and help save lives~ the way things are heading, it could well be your own.

http://www.constructingprofits.com

Showing contractors how to make more money ~ working less hours!

Top Ten Reasons To Be A Plumber

Have you ever been told you need a college degree if you want a high paying career?

Do you know over 25% of all college graduates work in jobs that don't require a degree?

Do you know you don?t have to go to college to get a great job or a great salary?

It?s true, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; eight of the top ten fastest growing occupations do not require a bachelor?s degree.

One of the hottest job opportunities right now is plumber. Here are the top ten reasons why you should pursue a career in plumbing:

1. It?s a hot opportunity- Human resource issues are a serious threat to the plumbing industry. There is an ongoing shortage of skilled workers and the coming wave of Baby Boomer retirements will cause the current large problem to explode into a gigantic one.
2. The great pay- Plumbers are one of the highest paid construction occupations. Pay rates of $20-25 per hour are common. And depending on your location, you can earn up to $35 per hour and more.
3. Awesome benefits- The competition for quality plumbers is causing employers to put together amazing benefit packages including; paid vacations, retirement, and medical coverage including dental and vision insurance. If you join a union, the benefits are even better.
4. Incredible training opportunities- Most people enter the plumbing trade through an accredited apprenticeship program. By training as an apprentice you?ll earn a living wage, train with a seasoned veteran, and depending on the program you join you can earn college credit for the classes you take and the work experience you gain.
5. Employment stability- Employment of plumbers is less sensitive to changes in economic conditions than other construction trades. When construction activity declines; maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement of existing systems provide many jobs for plumbers.
6. Job advancement- Starting out as an apprentice and then reaching journeyman status you can accelerate your career by becoming a foreman, general foreman or even a piping superintendent. With additional training you could move into construction management or building inspection.
7. Create something that lasts- Plumbers help build homes, offices, hospitals, factories and sports facilities. You can be a part of something that lasts for generations.
8. Never be bored as a plumber- As a plumber you can work with gas piping, medical gas, water supply, waste water treatment, vacuum piping, underground utilities, residential service, residential and commercial construction? the possibilities are endless.
9. Make lifetime friendships- The construction community is a close knit group that serves and protects its members better than almost any group. Working as a plumber, you?ll make lasting friendships with other plumbers as well as members of other trades you work closely with.
10. Recognition- Get the recognition you deserve by doing quality work in the plumbing trade.

If this article has helped you and you think a plumbing career is the right fit for you, then visit the www.escoweb.com for more information.

J.K. Stephenson helps people find jobs that pay more than $20 per hour. Visit http://www.escoweb.com to learn more.

Water Problem At 3AM: Call A 24 Hour Plumber

When you get woke up at the early hour of 3AM, There's no water! this is the time many often first consider a plumber at all. It seems many problems show there heads at of all times: when you are asleep! Of course a 24 hour plumber doesn't come to mind immediately. Often what comes to mind is What? You may get further elaboration, such as the basement is flooding, or maybe it's just no hot water.

Regardless you probably leap to your feet and go investigate a little further. And then you need to assess the situation, and as of now, you may be thinking you need a 24 hour plumber.

What's the problem? Is it a water supply problem, a leak, or maybe the hot water heater is providing 30 or 40 gallons of cold water? What can you do at an hour like 3AM? The choices are limited as you can either fix it (if you know how) in an hour or two, or you can call a plumber, however not all plumbers are available. Many are home asleep not to be bothered. You may now need to consider a 24 hour plumber.

While known simple things may be able to wait till daytime, how often do we get that lucky? It's very possible you now need to call a 24 hour plumber. You will want to consider a few things, and if you aren't really in this situation right now, you might want to consider looking over your plumbing to be sure it's sound and won't introduce itself to you this way at 3 in the morning.

The 24 hour plumber remains on call at late times in the 24 hours of a day, why? Because there is less competition, and of course they can charge a lot more for the 24 hour convenience. It's quite possible that they will charge double that on weekends, and maybe even triple on holidays. If your fix is quick you might get lucky on an hour minimum charge, though maybe you won't.

Of course in the middle of a plumbing emergency, you may have no choice but to flip through the yellow pages to find a 24 hour plumber. Depending on the area you live in, you will have varying numbers of choices. If it's not too urgent (downstairs furniture already floating upstairs) you might be able to do some quick shopping for the best price.

One way to avoid such costly repairs is to be on top of your plumbing in the first place. Many today take the do it yourself approach as well to keep things up and less likely to wake them up at the wee hours of a holiday on a weekend. At the same time knowing your choices in advance may at least help you contain the bills a little in the event you aren't able to avoid the need for a 24 hour plumber.

In the end, you will find that plumbing can be a fun thing when you are using it as expected or a major headache when you are unable to use it. Today might be a great day to prepare for a 24 hour plumber.

You can learn much more about finding an emergency plumber by visiting the House Plumbing Site which provides comprehensive and up to date help and advice on all plumbing issues. Clive thoroughly recommends this site so make sure you check it out today here: - http://www.houseplumbingsite.com

The plumber will find out sooner or later. Help them out and you will come out ahead!

You see your little one send something down the pipe!! It gets clogged and you try all kinds of different ways to solve the situation. You call the professionals. When the plumber arrives he/she asks if you know anything about what happened. You have a choice to make.

Now I ask you, Do you think they are going to find out anyhow what happened? If you tell them up front, Is it a better experience for you?

Believe it or not selling a home is just like plumbing. Professional Realtors sometimes are called in to fix things that not working. They come in, get down right smelly and dirty and at the end of the day the job is done! Is up to the client if they want to help the plumber by disclosing what they know. One thing is for sure, the professional is going to find out sooner or later the real reason why the thing is not working right. Knowing up front will make it better for the client not necessarily to the professional. He/she is going to do their job period.

As an active Investing Realtor I get to see and hear a lot of sellers. As of now, just in case we have not known, it is a buyer's market. That means that buyers pretty much get what they want. That is bad news for you if you are trying to sell your home.

Can I help focus your thinking about you are trying to do? * Why are you selling? * How much money do you really need? * How soon do you need to move to another place? * What is the average day on the market for homes in your area? * How much are Realtors getting paid at the end of the day to move your home? (For me it is one of the most critical questions you need to answer truthfully.)

The answers will bring up the real situation that you are in. I ask, can you live with the worst case scenario if you sell the house today? When I go to sell one of my properties all I really look at is the money that I will collect for me and my family the day of closing. You have to do the same.

Real estate is done in black and white and in a sheet of paper. No buyer or buyer's agent is going to get fooled by me or you trying to get them to see that they are getting a "plasma tv" or a years worth of association paid up front. My question is why not just lower the price and give THEM a true bottom line so they also know at the end of the day how much is going to cost them to buy.

About the only thing you can do is the old tried and true thing that "spruce" up a home. If you have no ideas on what do go to: http://www.IsellOrlandoHouses.com and get the reports on what to do to make your home more marketable.

Tulio Troche is a local Investing Realtor in central Florida. When ever he is not with his family he spends his time looking at the real estate market and getting his share of it. His latest quote: "One never owns enough real estate"

Tulio Troche, GRI Broker Associate Exit Real Estate Professionals 11555 Lake Underhill Rd. Orlando, FL 32825 407.581.7470 Tulio@TulioTroche.com www.IsellOrlandoHouses.com

Tulio Troche, GRI Broker Associate. Investing Realtor in Central Florida helping out some selected families to buy or sell homes

What Tools Do You Need As A Do-It-Yourself Plumber?

If you want to be a do-it-yourself plumber, make sure that you have following tools available to you.

Wrenches

There are many types of wrenches, but the two main types that will prove very handy for you as a do-it-yourself plumber are: adjustable wrenches and pipe wrenches.

Adjustable Wrenches

You can open or close adjustable wrenches to fit nuts, bolts of several sizes and fittings that have flat sides. You can find different sizes of adjustable wrenches that may range from 4" to 2' long. However, you, being a do-it-yourself plumber, can do with 10" to 12" handle only. They are good general-purpose-size wrenches. When you are using an adjustable wrench, make sure you have positioned it in such a way that the force applies against the fixed jaw.

Pipe Wrenches

Pipe wrenches are useful when it comes to gripping and turning threaded pipes and pipe fittings. Their adjustable and toothed jaws are specially designed for the purpose. These wrenches are available in various sizes that can range from 12" to 18" in length. Larger wrenches are suitable to fit larger pipes. In pipe wrenches also, make sure while using it, you are applying the force against the permanent jaw, and not the adjustable one.

Pliers

A do-it-yourself plumber must have the following pliers available to him/her.

Rib-joint Pliers

These tools are very handy when it comes to turning pipes, nuts, and fittings. You can adjust the size of its jaw by sliding the pivot along the slot and engaging it at various positions. This way, you can use it to firmly grip objects of various sizes.

Locking Pliers

You can use these pliers for clamping actions. You can use these tools to lock a bolt or a pipe. You can also adjust the size of the grip by using the knurled screw mounted in one handle.

Screwdrivers

Screwdrivers are multipurpose tools. Whether it is changing faucet washers or dissembling plumbing related appliances, these tools come in handy. You must have various sizes and types of screwdrivers available to you. It is better if you have two or three sizes of each standard. If you have a 4-in-1 driver, it can be very useful for you. Make sure that the drivers fit closely in the screw's head, otherwise both the screw and the tip of the driver can be mangled.

Pipe Cutters

A few types of pipe cutters are also very handy for the purpose. There are pipe cutters that you can use to cut copper or steel pipes. Their sharp cutting wheels and adjustable jaw are specially designed for such purposes. Another type is a plastic tubing cutter that you can use to cut rigid and flexible plastic tubing like sprinkle pipes.

Measuring Tape

Sometimes, you need to measure runs of pipe. In such cases, measuring tapes come very handy. When it comes to measuring tapes, a retractable steel tape is the best choice for you. Moreover, it is better if you have a 25-footer measure tape, as you can easily extend its blade for several feet without any support.

Drain Clearing Plumbing Tools

When you face the problem of clogged drains, drain-clearing tools can be very useful for you. Some of the drain-clearing tools include drain augers, toilet augers, hydraulic blow bags, and toilet and sink plungers, etc.

These tools are essential for do-it-yourself plumbing jobs. They are very useful and can make your work much easier.

Owen Walcher writes for the a Find A Plumber Site which provides plumbing tips to consumer and helps people find quality plumbers in California.

Top Ten Reasons For Becoming A Plumber

Have you ever been told you need a college degree if you want a high paying career?

Do you know over 25% of all college graduates work in jobs that don't require a degree?

Do you know you don?t have to go to college to get a great job or a great salary?

It?s true, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics; eight of the top ten fastest growing occupations do not require a bachelor?s degree.

One of the hottest job opportunities right now is plumber. Here are the top ten reasons why you should pursue a career in plumbing:

1. It?s a hot opportunity- Human resource issues are a serious threat to the plumbing industry. There is an ongoing shortage of skilled workers and the coming wave of Baby Boomer retirements will cause the current large problem to explode into a gigantic one.

2. The great pay- Plumbers are one of the highest paid construction occupations. Pay rates of $20-25 per hour are common. And depending on your
location, you can earn up to $35 per hour and more.

3. Awesome benefits- The competition for quality plumbers is causing employers to put together amazing benefit packages including; paid vacations, retirement, and medical coverage including dental and vision insurance. If you join a union, the benefits are even better.

4. Incredible training opportunities- Most people enter the plumbing trade through an accredited apprenticeship program. By training as an apprentice you?ll earn a living wage, train with a seasoned veteran, and depending on the program you join you can earn college credit for the classes you take and the work experience you gain.

5. Employment stability- Employment of plumbers is less sensitive to changes in economic conditions than other construction trades. When construction activity declines; maintenance, rehabilitation and replacement of existing systems provide many jobs for plumbers.

6. Job advancement- Starting out as an apprentice and then reaching journeyman status you can accelerate your career by becoming a foreman, general foreman or even a piping superintendent. With additional training you could move into construction management or building inspection.

7. Create something that lasts- Plumbers help build homes, offices, hospitals, factories and sports facilities. You can be a part of something that lasts for generations.

8. Never be bored as a plumber- As a plumber you can work with gas piping, medical gas, water supply, waste water treatment, vacuum piping, underground utilities, residential service, residential and commercial construction? the possibilities are endless.

9. Make lifetime friendships- The construction community is a close knit group that serves and protects its members better than almost any group. Working as a plumber, you?ll make lasting friendships with other plumbers as well as members of other trades you work closely with.

10. Recognition- Get the recognition you deserve by doing quality work in the plumbing trade.

If this article has helped you and you think a plumbing career is the right fit for you, then visit the www.escoweb.com for more information.

J.K. Stephenson helps people find jobs that pay more than $20 per hour. Visit www.escoweb.com for more information