Plumbing Jobs Individuals Can Do

In order to determine the market value of a home, experts and buyers alike will form their opinions around two very important rooms; the kitchen and the bathrooms. As this is commonly known, many people will choose to do a remodeling project on these rooms in order to increase the value of their home. To accomplish the project, there are inevitably going to be some jobs which involve a degree of plumbing expertise. If you are a do it yourself type of person, then it is important to realize that plumbing is not an area that can be glossed over. The proper installation of piping and the individual faucet alike are imperative in order to save time and money in the future. In order to determine what you will be able to handle on your own during the project, make sure that you are aware of the different tasks that the plumbing on the project will entail.

Most do it yourselves do not have a problem when it comes to admitting that plumbing is an area in which their knowledge is limited. While the job may seem hard to understand, the fact is that there are a lot of plumbing jobs that a novice can undertake with confidence that he will be successful. There are many resources available to those who want to try a task on their own, including sources found in books, magazines, and on the Internet. Most of the really good sources will not only include step by step instructions but also clear diagrams on the procedures. Some tasks, such as putting in a new faucet or a tap, are easy enough to do on your own. Other more involved tasks, like replacing a lot of pipes or extending pipe systems, will require the help of trained professionals.

One way to decide what you can undertake yourself and what you will need a pro for is to create a detailed plan before commencing the project. This will help you decide which areas you will need help in, and when that help will be needed. You can also use this plan to set up a schedule in advance with the plumber who you want to do the work.

Good plumbing is a crucial element in the value of your home. It will not necessarily add equity, since plumbing is invisible and sadly what people care about is only what they can see. However, bad plumbing will definitely work to decrease the value of your home in the case of a breakdown. If you have doubts about your capabilities on a project, make sure that you are not afraid to call a plumber.

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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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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

DIY Bathroom Plumbing - Sewer and Septic Odor

One common problem many homeowners run into is a sewer or septic odor in their bathroom. It may not be strong, it may not be constant, and it may only occur occasionally but it can be annoying and/or embarrassing when it does happen. Often the first inclination of the homeowner is to attempt to use a cleaner or deodorizing agent to stop the odor. While this may mask the problem, it usually will not address it. One important note for homeowners with septic systems - be careful of what chemicals you put down your drains - bleach and other cleaners can harm the normal operation of your septic system - check with a professional first.

Every drain in your home plumbing system should have a trap installed as part of the line. This is simply a curved section of pipe that "traps" water in it. If you look under your sink you should see an example of a trap. This will usually be a straight portion of pipe from the sink connected to a curved section that dips down and then back up before connecting to another horizontal section where the water exits. If you were to look inside your wall you would see a "T" section where the pipe goes down to your septic/sewer and up to an external vent.

The purpose of the trap is not to capture jewelry or other object dropped down the drain as many think but to hold water to prevent sewer/septic gas (and odor) from entering your bathroom. Every time you use the sink, shower, or tub some water collects in the trap blocking the gases and odor. If a component of your bathroom is not used frequently (i.e, the bath in a guest bathroom) then the water can evaporate and allow some gases to escape back into the bathroom. The good news is that this is very simple to prevent and/or fix. The solution: pour water down the drain. If you keep the trap full of water by running the water periodically you should not have any problems with odor. If this was the cause of your problem then the odor should dissipate in a short period of time once there is water in the trap.

Another possible cause for odor is the build up of slime, mold, hair, etc in the tailpiece (the portion of pipe that comes out the bottom of your sink) or overflow of your sink. The popup stopper in many bathroom sinks and tubs can also build up this "gunk". Use a small flashlight to check and see if you do have any buildup. If you do, clean the buildup out (remember to use a cleaner that is safe for your sewer or septic system) and see if that addresses your odor problem.

If the odor persists, it could indicate a more serious problem and you may want to consult a professional - they will have the tools to correctly diagnose and fix your problem.

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

Use Caution When Using A Plumber Torch

A plumber torch is one of the most important tools he uses on the job. Usually consisting of a small tank of propane with a gas control nozzle attached, the torch is essential to many of the tasks he has to perform. For some jobs requiring work in close quarters, a larger tank of gas with the control nozzle attached to a set of flexible hoses is used.

Most of the plumbing being installed in today’s homes is made from PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) material. Special adhesive (plumbers tape) is used to make joints that melts the surface of pieces being fit together to create a watertight seal. Not long ago, most home plumbing consisted of copper piping, which was put together with solder and a plumber torch. A good plumber needed to know not only how to fasten all these pieces of pipe together properly, but also how to do it without wrecking the rest of the water pipe system.

With plenty of experience, some plumbers are able to claim that they can make the solder they work with run uphill. Using his torch to make the top of the pipe hotter than the rest, the plumber can actually get the melted solder to flow towards the hottest part of the joint, thus causing the solder to indeed flow uphill to the other pipe and make the seal.

The Dangers Of Using A Plumber Torch

When using a plumber torch near flammable materials such as interior walls or floors, it is very important to take extreme care not to allow the flame to come into any long-term contact with the materials. Your water emergency will seem like a day in the park compared to a real fire emergency!

In the winter months, some homes develop frozen water lines that a plumber torch can help to thaw out. The plumber will usually start working the flame of his torch from the joint nearest the tap and work his way along the frozen pipe thawing the freeze. The tap is opened fully to allow the melting ice to flow towards that opening. If the thawing procedure is attempted without first opening the tap, the resulting steam build-up could easily cause the pipe or the joints to burst.

If you find yourself with older piping and fittings, you may decide to replace them, which does not cost that much or use a plumber torch and fit the existing piping. You might find the expense well worth changing to PVC piping and getting rid of the old piping in the home.

You can also find more info on Plumber Contractor and Plumbing Repair. i-plumbing.com is a comprehensive resource to known about plumbing.

Call A Plumber To Help You Out

When you own your own home it is key to know when it’s time to let a professional step in and take care of your repairs for you. This doesn’t mean that you can’t hack it alone, it just means that you might need a little more expertise than you have time to learn about. Don’t try to kill yourself over a broken pipe or a leaky toilet. Call a plumber to get help for your plumbing needs. Since many times plumbers can be very expensive, make sure you only call one if you are 100% sure that you need one. You should also make sure that you follow these money-saving tips when hiring a plumber.

A lot of people call the cheapest plumber first, which could seem like the best thing to do. This is not always the best choice, because it can be difficult to truly compare people’s hourly rates. Different plumbers have different skill levels and also charge differently. For instance some plumbers may charge you for the time it takes them to drive to your house. Others may charge you by the minute and others by the whole hour. Some can bill you by quarter of an hour or even by half an hour.

You should pick a plumber based on their reputation and level of service. See if you can check their references if you can’t get a recommendation from a friend. You should ask your family and friends first and foremost if they know of a good plumber to recommend to you. You want to make sure you will get someone competent who will fix your pipes right the first time.

To save money on hiring a plumber, than make sure that you never need one to begin with. This means that you should try to avoid common household mistakes that cause you to need a plumber. This usually means avoiding drain issues.

One of the most common problems that plumbers deal with are grease clogs. You can try lots of different ways to try to keep your drains clean. Usually putting some hot water and vinegar down your drain every day can keep them clean. You can also pour it down and let it set for 20 minutes or so and then add some boiling water on top of it to clear up your drain. Make sure you pour the vinegar and water solution slowly to give it a more powerful effect.

Hair clogs is another problem that many plumbers deal with. You can purchase a mesh piece that will sit over your drain to keep it from getting clogged. You can usually get this in a hardware store or even in your local grocery store.

Buying your own fixtures at a local store can be cheaper than purchasing them from the plumber. Plumber’s usually mark up their prices and you can save a lot by finding it yourself. You can also go online to find cheap fixtures that are still a good quality for your home. Asking your plumber what brands he recommends is still good idea.

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