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.

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.

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!

Tackling A DIY Plumbing Repair

When it comes to a plumbing repair, you have two ways to go – calling in a professional plumber to take on the job or tackling it yourself with a DIY plumbing repair. Taking on a plumbing repair yourself can save you quite a bit of money but you have to have the time and tools to complete the repair successfully.

When venturing into the world of do-it-yourself plumbing repairs it’s best to take it slowly. Begin with smaller projects such as simple installs and relatively easy repairs such as fixing a leak, replacing a valve, or insulating a pipe.

However, completing a plumbing repair successfully requires some fundamental knowledge and a comprehensive tool kit that will ensure your preparedness in any situation. Some basic tools to include in your plumbing repair kit are the basic varieties of wrenches, caulk, tape, nuts and bolts, and other basic household tools that you would use for any project.

Additionally, be sure to include a flashlight – with extra batteries – as part of your plumbing repair tool kit. Attending to a plumbing repair project often requires you to work in a dimly lit environment. A flashlight will ensure that you have all the necessary light in your workspace.

In addition to your plumbing repair tool kit, you should also arm yourself with as much information as possible. Go online to learn step-by-step instructions for any do-it-yourself plumbing repair project. You can also visit your local home improvement store for the latest resources on plumbing repairs.

No matter what, you should always be sure to stay within your comfort zone. If you feel like a plumbing repair project is out of your league, do not hesitate to call in a professional plumber. Tackling a project that you are not prepared to handle will only cost you time and money in the long run.

But if you are successful in your plumbing repair you will have the added satisfaction of a job well done as well as cash saved in your pocket.

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

Who's Plundering your Plumbing Business?

If you occasionally feel that you are working for nothing, chances are that you are.

How many times have you put your invoice in for payment only to have to wait for 30 days for your money? If this is happening to you and your business, chances are that your business is being plundered by pillagers.

Pillagers are those people who sneak around thieving from you. They seem to have an instinctive nose for any Plumbing contractor in business who is not minding his business.

By not minding his business, I am referring to any plumbing business that is lax-a-daisical about his accounting procedures and following-up on over-due invoices. Every time you have an over-due account, it means you are paying for that client’s job. So the question is, are you a Plumbing business or a financial services business?

It is the function of financial institutions to lend money, not a Plumbing Contractors. Any Plumber in business today has to be a good business person first. Why? Because no matter how good a Plumber you are, if you aren’t being paid at job completion you soon won’t have your own Plumbing business to grow into a business.

Business is about profits. Building profit into each job to grow a business from your Plumbing activities. Plumbing is how you make the money to grow your business.

In today’s technological world there is no excuse for not being paid at job completion every time. There is no excuse except excuses for being a bad business operator.

With the information highway that the Internet provides, there is training and information products readily available for learning any aspect of operating a Plumbing business you may need assistance with. There is no shame in acknowledging you need information. Besides, no-one even needs to know that you are learning via the internet anyway, but if you feel your business could be run better, then you would be a poor business operator if you didn’t seek out the information.

You didn’t ‘just become a Plumber’ did you? You studied hard and ‘did your time’ learning. What makes you so sure then that you can run a successful Plumbing business without learning? Just because you are an excellent Plumber does not necessarily equate that you are therefore a good business operator.

All new skills have to be learnt from the bottom up. Building a business is no different.

Treat your business like a job site. Plan it out, lay it out on paper, understand why you have to dig the ditch to the required depth before you lay the pipe – by understanding why things have to be done in your Plumbing business allows you to plan ahead. Once you have this planning done, you can then see what needs to be done to achieve the desired outcome.

Because you have a plan for your business you will be able to quickly see who or what is plundering your business and stop it before it becomes too late.

Pillaging is still a crime so make sure you aren’t the one responsible for plundering your own Plumbing business.

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

Don't Get Flushed by Plumbing Problems

There are several plumbing problems that the do-it-yourselfer can fix with little effort and a lot less money than calling a plumber. Remember the DIY motto is to only call for professional help when absolutely necessary. Now there is nothing wrong with hiring a professional because we cannot possibly do every project ourselves but there are many projects that we can do.

Some common plumbing problems include problems with the hot water, problems with the toilet, and problems with drainage in the sink of tubs. With hot water sometimes you may find that there is not enough hot water. This is especially true for larger families. A common cause for this may be that the thermostat on the water heater may be set too low. A fix for this is to adjust the water heater thermostat upwards. This will allow less hot water to be used to still get the temperature that everyone wants.

A common toilet problem is when the toilet does not flush completely. This of course is evidenced by remnants remaining in the bowl after the toilet is flushed. The most common cause is that the ball in the tank is not being lifted high enough. The solution is to adjust the lift mechanism so that it lifts the ball higher in the tank.

A common sink drainage problem is the grease clog. In the case of clogs, the best thing to do is to try to prevent them in the first place. A good way to prevent grease clogs is to pour about a half gallon of boiling water down the drain every other day. However if you already have a grease clog, try pouring some hot vinegar down the drain and letting is set for about 20 minutes and then follow it with boiling water after the 20 minute vinegar soak.

Plumbing problems are one of the top reasons that professional help is sought. However, many of the plumbing problems that you will face can be solved as a DIY project. So make sure that you determine that you are not equipped to solve the problem before you call the plumber.

Are you hungry for more Do-it-Yourself home improvement ideas? Try visiting http://www.home-improvement-know-how.com, a popular website that provides home improvement ideas, advice, and tips for your plumbing projects.

Plumbing Noises: Noisy Water Pipes

Q: Since we have been on higher water pressure from a new source, we are getting more noise in the pipes. Not banging or clunking, just more water moving through the system faster, kind of a "rushing" noise. The pipe into the house is plastic, then hooks into copper pipe. The noise reverberates down the whole line, and since the pipe is strapped to the floor joists, it makes the noise under the kitchen, bathroom and one bedroom. I know about having a foot or so of capped pipe going up from a line to trap air and cushion the noise of "on" and "off" clunking, but this has me stumped. I am at the point now where I am about ready to rip the strapping off and putting foam around the pipes before I strap them back up. Before I spend the money on this, I thought I would check with you to see if that is what I need to do, or can you suggest something else ? Thanks very much.

A: A reduction of 1.5:1 (typically 3/4" to 1/2" is commonly used to increase or maintain water pressure throughout a house. The theory is that, given constant supply pressure, restricting volume will increase velocity. Released pressure at a fixture will be compensated for by this increased velocity.

I expect your hot and cold supply pipes are 1/2 inch diameter. What diameter is the plastic feed? If the reduction is greater than 1.5:1 it's quite likely that the velocity is great enough to cause noise in the pipe.

Check that all the shut-off valves (below the sinks etc.) are completely open. They too, can cause turbulence/noise by restricting water flow. Also, check all the pipes to see if there are any crushed or dented sections.

Foam wrap is a great for insulating purposes, but perhaps a little too soft for noise damping (it would crush flat). By all means, wrap the pipes, but use denser rubber for vibration pads. Extra bracing (for clamping to) might also help.

Alternative: Before you start pulling out nails, check the water velocity at your fixtures, and if it is extremely high, a pressure reducing valve can be installed on the supply line.

Gil Strachan is a professional home inspector, representing Electrospec Home Inspection Services in east-central Ontario, Canada since 1994. Visit http://www.allaroundthehouse.com to learn more about home inspections.

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Water Heater Safety- When To Do It Yourself And When To Call In A Plumber

Homeowners love to save time and hassle and may be able to when it comes to working on a water heater. However, there are many circumstances and situations which require the help of a plumbing professional. If you're handy and comfortable with mechanics, then some situations involving water heaters can be handled by you.

Before doing plumbing work you must perform these safety steps:

Turn the electricity off if you have an electric water heater or turn the gas control knob to PILOT if you have a gas water heater.

Find the cold water line on top of the water heater and turn the gate valve off. The cold line is always located on the right hand side as you face the water heater.

Open a hot tap inside the house at any sink. This relieves pressure on the lines.

Twist the knob on the drain valve to open it on the water heater. It's located at the bottom of the water heater and looks like a hose bib. Drain out a gallon of water from the water heater, so it's not completely full at the plumbing connections on top.

Tell everyone in the house or building to use cold water only.

Whenever removing electric elements on an electric water heater, be sure that the electricity is turned off.

Whenever replacing the drain valve on a gas or electric water heater, be sure to turn the gas control knob to PILOT or to turn the electricity off.

Check the gas connections on your gas water heater by spraying liquid glass cleaner on them. If you have a gas leak. The glass cleaner will spit and foam slightly if you have a gas leak.

At this point you need to be careful that the gas fumes do not backdraft into the house. When the gas fumes from a gas water heater travel up and out the draft diverter on top of the gas water heater, they go to the outside of your house through a vent. The fumes can sometimes be pulled back into a chimney flue, an open window, or an air conditioner. If you smell rotten eggs inside of your house, call a plumber or the gas company immediately.

If you are insulating your pipes for your water heater, do not cover dielectric unions, fittings, or copper flex lines. The insulation will cause the water to stay on the surface underneath and cause more damage from leaky pipes. Never put insulation on the tin draft diverter located above the gas water heate. The insulation can ignite.

If you know you have a recirculating loop for you water heater, it is a good idea to have a ball valve before the point where the loop connects to you water heater. If you have any type of pump located on this line, have a plumbing professional install a ball valve before the pump also.

Again, if you are not certain of your ability to work on a water heater in any way, get a professional service technician to help you.

Go to http://www.waterheater-info.com or contact johnnyhayneser@gmail.com for information about solar water heaters, tankless water heaters, traditional tank-type water heaters, water heater repair, maintenance, brand name information, warranty information and assistance, and which professional installer to hire.

Call the Plumber?

We all know the story of the homeowner who tried his own plumbing repairs and ended up paying more since the plumber had to fix the repairs. Recognizing when the job is too big or too complicated for the ordinary homeowner is not easy-handyman egos are too easily bruised. However, plumbers are notoriously expensive so you want to make sure you really need one before you call him. There are a number of things you can do to make sure you will keep your costs of plumbing repairs at a minimum.

First of all, don't compare the prices of plumbers based solely upon their rates. Make sure you know all of the costs involved. One plumber may have lower advertised rates, but charge mileage which will increase the price of the job. Some plumbers start the clock when they get to your house, others may start it as soon as they leave their shop. Find out if they charge by the quarter hour; if they charge by the hour, you may have to pay for a full additional hour even though the job only went a few minutes over. Make sure you are fully aware of the real rates, so that you are comparing apples to apples. Another good idea is to ask around with friends and families for a reputable plumber instead of relying on advertisements.

Keep your plumbing jobs down altogether by taking good care of your plumbing. Most plumbing emergencies are caused by backups. Avoid having items such as grease or hair, which are responsible for most clogs, go into your drains. Putting vinegar, followed by boiling hot water down the drain is said to cut through grease clogs. Use a mesh catch in all of your drains to catch hair and avoid it going down the drains. Use a drain cleaning product once a month to keep the drains clean.

If you do hire a plumber to install a fixture, save money by buying your own fixtures. A plumber will add a premium to any fixtures he has to obtain for you. Just make sure you agree upon the type of fixtures you will use. Some plumbers won't guarantee certain cheaper brands.

If you keep all of your plumbing fixtures properly maintained, you can almost eliminate the need for a plumber. Make sure fixtures are attached properly and tightened. If you do call a plumber, make sure you know exactly what the problem is so the plumber can fix it and get out; don't forget he charges by the hour so you don't want to spend precious time discussing the problem. Keep a list of plumbing problems, so that if you have to call a plumber for one thing, you can have him fix everything in the same visit.

Ray Walberg repeatedly edits reports on issues corresponding to pickup tool boxes. Sharing his passion in detailed writings, he affirmed his deep knowledge on topics like kennedy tool boxes and truck tool storage.