Plumbing & Fittings

Plumbing, from the Latin for lead (plumbum), is the skilled trade of working with pipes and tubing for fluids such as water, sewage, steam and natural gas. Plumbing originated during the ancient civilizations such as Persian, Chinese, Indian and Roman civilizations as they developed public baths and needed to provide fresh water and drainage. The piping used to convey the water and waste was often made of lead. Since lead is highly toxic if consumed and dangerous to the environment, nearly all modern manufactured plumbing products and materials are lead free.

A plumber is someone who installs or repairs piping systems, plumbing fixtures and equipment such as water heaters and boilers.

PexSupply.com specializes in products for Radiant Heat and PEX Plumbing Systems. We have access to PEX Products from a variety of manufacturers. With a wide range of product options, detailed product information, and attentive customer service, PexSupply.com is your all-in-one solution for radiant heat design.

Pressure washers or power washers are used for cleaning dirt, stubborn stains, grime and dust from almost all kinds of surfaces including glass, wood, concrete, fiber and steel via high pressure water flow.

Pressure washers have a lot of parts for effective functioning. The main parts in a pressure washer are the electric or gasoline-powered engine attached to a pump. This pump compresses the water and builds up pressure. The hose has a trigger that has the option of spraying the water either in short bursts or as a continuous spray. The power of the washer depends on the strength of the pump. The nozzle or the tip is also a very important component. This tip can be adjusted at different angels for adjusting the pressure of the water. The smallest angle generates the highest pressure. Larger angles up to 40 degrees are for generating sprays covering larger surface area.

Pressure washers also contain a detergent injector that helps to steadily mix the detergent with the water. Other main parts in a pressure washer are the hose, hose reels, valves, heating and cooling components and other plumbing and electrical fittings.

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PexSupply.com specializes in products for Radiant Heat and PEX Plumbing Systems. We have access to PEX Products from a variety of manufacturers. With a wide range of product options, detailed product information, and attentive customer service, PexSupply.com is your all-in-one solution for radiant heat design.

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.

Zeoh.com Free Classifieds Web Site =>http://www.zeoh.com/

You Can Do That - Blog =>http://www.you-can-do-that.blogspot.com

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

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

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.

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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.

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.

Fastest Plumber Always Gets The Job Done Right

If you find yourself in need of a fast and reliable plumber, the fastest plumber will do in this case. Some manufacturers, Kohler Co. and Ferguson Enterprises of Wisconsin, had a “Fastest Plumber Competition,” in which the plumber who could do the job the best and quickest took home the top prize. This competition allowed many plumbers to compete for a prize and world status as the fastest plumber. Although the completion is intense, the best plumbers from all over come to show their abilities.

Regional Competitions and Finalists

This competition evolves around doing the job, getting it done quickly and professionally. For the pass six years, these businesses have sponsored and hosted the event with the competition being kicked off with forty-six regional competitions across the country. In order to qualify for the finals, the plumbers were required to install a bathroom consisting of a Kohler toilet, lavatory faucet, and faucets and taps in a ceramic shower. The final eight plumbers were then asked to compete in the final round of competition, in which only one of them would be chosen the winner.

Competition at its Best

The final was held in 2006 at Green Bay, Wisconsin. For the final test, they were judged on skills, these amazing plumbers had to install a toilet, a bathroom faucet, and the famous, but difficult three-piece shower unit. However, this time, to show their professional quality, they also had to hook up the water line. Normally taking as long as a day to complete, the new winner completed this project in record time and beat the standing record of a full day.

As part of the contest, the plumbers selected and their families were treated as guests of Kohler Company at Kohler’s well known American Club for the weekend and as a the football game played by the Green Bay Packers football game that took place after the winner was announced at the competition.

Who Was The Winner

Robert Rousch was given the title after finishing the competition with a time of one minute and eleven seconds short of the best record the competition has had since the beginning. Mr. Rousch was also blessed with a cash award of three thousand dollars. It pays to be fast and competent in the plumbing business. After starting out as an entry-level plumber, Robert has spent the past ten years working for one company who provides excellent service to their customers.

The Speed of Things And Quality

While you want a speedy plumber with the qualifications to get the job done, you can assure that even if your plumber did not win an award, he is still trained and qualified for this type of work. Plumbers do spend hours in school to learn everything needed. As apprentisits, they receive hands on training during the learning process, which provides for quality plumbers who stand by their work.

If you think your plumber is fast, maybe he needs some encouragement to enter the next competition to see if he can win the title. You never know, he might even surprise himself.

You can also find more info on Plumbing Repair and Toilet Plumbing. Sressmanagementmethods.com is a comprehensive resource to known about stress management.

Is There A Plumber In The House?

 

I don’t know about you but I get really frustrated when I have to deal with anyone in the plumbing, heating, or electrical field. For the most part, the service is horrible, the contractors are unreliable, and the lack of professionalism is rampant.

Case in point, we’ve been working on adding a new bathroom at our house. We had a plumber all lined up to do the work. When we were ready for him, we gave him a call only to be told he didn’t have time to do the work. If he had told us that a month before we might have had a chance to line someone else up to do the work. So instead of a bathroom, we had a real nice porch. Fortunately, we were able to find someone else to help us out and the construction project is moving along.

Hub Plumbing and Mechanical in Boston has initiated a program called “Red Carpet Service”. Get this…the technician shows up at your house or business and literally rolls out the red carpet to protect your floors. They wear boot covers, have badges for security, and they actually arrive ON TIME dressed in clean red uniforms.

When you call their offices for an emergency, their phone is answered by a customer service representative who actually works for the company—not an answering service that just takes a message. The customer service rep can dispatch a technician immediately in case of an emergency.

The company also offers consistent pricing for everyone—no extra charges because you live in a fancy house.

I don’t know who the genius was who wrote this press release but it is masterful. It does exactly what you want a press release to do:

*It is newsworthy—the customer service bar is set very low in the trades so a trade company that actually provides good service is, sadly enough, newsworthy.

*It shows why this company is different from its competitors.

*It tells exactly what problems the company solves—they assist “both residential and commercial customers with code violations, sewer/drain clogs, garbage disposals, water heaters…”

*They even specify where they work—Dorchester and Wellesley.

Print this press release and save it. Use it as a model for all your future press releases. It really is brilliant.

Caroline Jordan, MBA, is a veteran small business owner, accountant, consultant, trainer, and author. She is the owner of The Jordan Result, a company specializing in developing real world, practical resources to help small business owners improve cash flow and business operations. She is the author of “Stop the Cash Flow Roller Coaster, I Want to Get Off!” Jordan is also an accounting and business professor. For more tips and articles to help your business succeed visit http://www.CashFlowRollerCoaster.com and http://www.TheJordanResult.com