Plumbing-when To Do It

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.
Focusing recent findings in truck tool storage, Ray Walberg published predominantly for http://www.insidewoodworking.com . His abstracts on kennedy tool boxes can be found on http://www.insidewoodworking.com/boxess

Plumbing Supplies Wanted

We have registered with the Pa Dept. of Environmental Resources as a place where you can drop off your unwanted items such as old tools, tractors, plumbing and construction supplies, farm implements, fencing materials, usable nuts and bolts.... well you have the picture, things we can use around our farms. If we can't use them maybe we can send it on to someone else that can???? We are always looking to trade nursery stock and seedlings for your surplus. Email us with your surplus materials. We may be able to make trades.

I once put an ad in the paper that said, "If it's free it's for me". I had to stop the add because I collected so much stuff. Ads do work. The problem with this ad was it was not specific enough to target what I was looking for. Over time and years I then started to swap and barter the free stuff that I got for things I really wanted. I had hundreds of broken lawn mowers and hundreds of gallons of old unwanted paint. I had enough paint to dip a house if needed. Disposal now became an issue. Thus I came up with the idea of trading and barter. Now I did not invent this wheel but I had enough of them that it appeared I might have. So barter has become a means of swapping and exchanging my surpluses for other people's surpluses. Since I am in the nursery business I also have plants that are surplus. I may plant 1000 trees expecting to need 1000 and find that I have 500 more than what I need. So offering these trees on the web for barter has been an effective means to move dormant inventory. Besides this is a great way to meet new customers. When they have surpluses and I can move their dormant stock, we both win. Here is a sample ad that I ran on my web site seedlingsrus.com :

Trades Wanted

We are always looking to trade nursery stock and seedlings for your surplus. Email us with your surplus materials. We may be able to make trades. Construction materials and equipment...doors, windows, boards, hardware Plumbing supplies...pvc pipe and fittings, pumps, heaters, copper pipes and fittings Hunting and fishing gear...ammo, reels, rods, tackle, boats, canoes, paddles and yes...even snakes..... .

Hand tools...saws, drills, hand power tools, blades cutters hammers, wrenches, tool boxes Farm implements...out door power equipment, tractors, wagons, fertilizers, pesticides, used cans of oils and lubs Farm supplies...shovels, rakes, farm bells, an anvil, blacksmithing tools, generators Fencing materials such as woven wire and split rail fencing, fence chargers, barbed wire, wire, nails, nuts, bolts, surplus pavers, Palletized stone, field stone,flagstones, rocks,boulders Household items such as wooden furniture, tables chairs, cabinets and dressers Livestock..pigs, goats, cows, donkeys, chickens, peacocks, sorry no sheep(I don't trust myself with them).

These adds are not what GM of Ford would use...but they are going broke!!!!

About the Author

Bill Hirst has been growing plants on his 200 acre farm in Bucks County for 30 years. His web sites are http://www.seedlingsrus.com and http://www.digatree.com Sign up for Bill's newsletter at http://www.seedlingsrus.com/123456signup.html

Plumbing Help: How to Avoid Burns at Home When Setting The Water Temperature

Sometimes it seems like your shower or sinks are too hot, or not hot enough.

But raising the temperature valve on your water heater can be dangerous or a waste of energy. If there are children, elderly, or disabled persons in your household, for example, you might not want to set the thermostat above 120 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid contact with ?hot? water.

The following chart may help you determine the right temperature for your water heater. According to Shriners Burn Institute:

- Water set to 125 degrees generally takes about 1.5 to 2 minutes to scald.

- Water set to 130 degrees generally takes about 30 seconds to scald.

- Water set to 135 degrees generally takes about 10 seconds to scald.

- Water set to 140 degrees generally takes about 5 seconds to scald.

- Water set to 145 degrees generally takes about 3 seconds to scald.

- Water set to 150 degrees generally takes about 1.5 seconds to scald.

- Water set to 155 degrees generally takes about 1 second to scald.

So you can see how small increases in temperature can have a large effect on scald times.

People are often concerned about raising the temperature on their water valves due to a bacteria known as Legionella (and the disease known as Legionella's disease) that thrives in water at a temperature of 105 to 115 degrees.

Since this bacteria cannot survive above a temperature of 131 degrees people often look to exceed that temperature despite the risk of scalds.

Fortunately, the solution is a simple one. A device known as a water mixer allows your water to be heated to a point that will kill off all harmful bacteria, but sets a different max temperature to water being distributed to your tap water in sinks and showers.

A plumber can install this device for you quickly and without great expense!

Donald Koen is a master plumber and owner of Koen Plumbing, a Dallas Plumbing Company since 1946. If you're looking for a Dallas Plumber, Donald can offer expert assistance through his website www.KoenPlumbing.com

Plumbing Help: How to Avoid Burns When Setting Your Water Temperature

Sometimes it seems like your shower or sinks are too hot, or not hot enough.

But raising the temperature valve on your water heater can be dangerous or a waste of energy. If there are children, elderly, or disabled persons in your household, for example, you might not want to set the thermostat above 120 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid contact with "hot" water.

The following chart may help you determine the right temperature for your water heater. According to Shriners Burn Institute:

- Water set to 125 degrees generally takes about 1.5 to 2 minutes to scald.
- Water set to 130 degrees generally takes about 30 seconds to scald.
- Water set to 135 degrees generally takes about 10 seconds to scald.
- Water set to 140 degrees generally takes about 5 seconds to scald.
- Water set to 145 degrees generally takes about 3 seconds to scald.
- Water set to 150 degrees generally takes about 1.5 seconds to scald.
- Water set to 155 degrees generally takes about 1 second to scald.

So you can see how small increases in temperature can have a large effect on scald times.

People are often concerned about raising the temperature on their water valves due to a bacteria known as Legionella (and the disease known as Legionella's disease) that thrives in water at a temperature of 105 to 115 degrees.

Since this bacteria cannot survive above a temperature of 131 degrees people often look to exceed that temperature despite the risk of scalds.

Fortunately, the solution is a simple one. A device known as a water mixer allows your water to be heated to a point that will kill off all harmful bacteria, but sets a different max temperature to water being distributed to your tap water in sinks and showers.

A plumber can install this device for you quickly and without great expense!

Donald Koen is a master plumber and owner of Koen Plumbing, a Dallas Plumbing Company since 1946. If you're looking for a Dallas Plumber, Donald can offer expert assistance through his website http://www.KoenPlumbing.com.

Plumbing Courses

The plumbing profession employs both graduates of formal plumbing courses and people who have gained their experience on the job. This profession, however, is changing. Increasingly, governments are mandating that trades be regulated and licensed: all individuals entering the professional in an area where such legislation exists will have to have formal education in the trade and pass exams to demonstrate their knowledge and skills. At this time, anyone considering a career in plumbing should regard a training program as mandatory.

Plumbing school is comprehensive education in all aspects of the trade. Students learn how to read blueprints and follow the specifics of construction code. Construction of plumbing systems, including hot and cold water supplies, plumbing fixtures, waste water systems, venting techniques, and troubleshooting of leaks and other plumbing problems, is basic to the training. Plumbing courses also consolidate background knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology that the plumber needs to do the job with competence.

Plumbing school is a good career move at this time as the profession is growing and is expected to expand considerably more in some areas over the next five to seven years. Overall, an increase in demand of about 16 percent is expected across the United States. According to America's Career InfoNet, the states of Idaho and Nevada, meanwhile, expect to need 40 percent more plumbers or more, with other states in that area also expecting large increases. Tradespeople, including plumbers, are also in great demand in many areas of Canada due to cutbacks in plumbing courses and other trades training programs in recent years.

Plumbers work for large and small construction firms, commercial and government complexes where constant maintenance is required, various industries, and many are self employed. On average, a plumber in the United States earns about $42,000 a year, with the scale ranging from around $23,000 to $70,000 annually. Graduates of plumbing courses have an obvious advantage in the job market: even where the profession is not regulated, prospective employers will often choose an educated individual over one they would have to train themselves.

Stats used from PayScale, America?s Career InfoNet, and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

R. Drysdale is a contributing editor to Plumbing Courses at Accredited Online University, your one stop resource for the very best online college degree programs.

Green Plumbing - Rain And Grey Water Harvesting, Solar Hot Water Systems - Melbourne, Australia

With increasing climatic condition change and prolonged drought conditions in Ausralia, many people are trying to save water and energy on the dryest inhabited continent on earth. The buildings in which we live, work and play, protect us from the elements but also shape the environment around us. The construction and operation of buildings requires a huge input of resources. The location of buildings and what resources are used affects the ecosystem in a number of ways. As the environmental impact of buildings becomes more apparent people are looking for ways that can significantly decrease this impact and make their homes and offices healthier to live and work in.

Some of the biggest long-term challenges facing our nation are securing sustainable water and power suppliers for our future and reducing the production of greenhouse gases to limit the impact of climate change.

We live on the driest inhabited continent on earth, yet are one of the highest per capita consumers of water. Melbourne is experiencing the lowest level of water supply in many years. Yet we each consume, on average, 400 litres of water every day.

Many people assume that we are in a current state of drought and that when the drought breaks we will have adequate amounts of water to go back to using it like we have in the past. However, this is not the full story. Australia has always had little rainfall and as our population increases so will pressure on water and power. We can all make an individual difference that will assist this nation in its endeavours.

Strategies that can be employed include installing rain water tanks, grey water irrigation systems, solar hot water systems, solar heating and other water and energy conserving means. To assist, the State Governments have included rebates for water saving devices in their strategies.

Sustainable Plumbing P/L is a Melbourne leader in the field of green plumbing and works with other partners such as specialist sustainable landscape architects and designers to achieve aesthetic design with these sustainable water and solar strategies

Rain water tanks and harvesting, grey water irrigation systems, solar hot water systems, solar heating and other water and energy conserving means in Melbourne, Australia.

You Can Do It Yourself-Tackling DIY Bathroom Plumbing

Do it yourself. A generational catch phrase born from the crop of reality-based television programming that has captured an audience with extravagant remodels accomplished over a weekend and elaborate decorating on a budget. Do it yourself ? or DIY - always existed as concept ? budget-conscious homeowners pulling up their sleeves to tackle a project armed with tools and the ability to think on their feet. But the phrase do it yourself has produced a whole new harvest of weekend warriors filled with newfound confidence and eager to experience the self-satisfaction of a job well done.

Nothing seems to urge on do-it-yourselfers like a DIY bathroom plumbing project. The evidence lays in the community of homeowners who have dug in their heels, refusing to shell out hard earned dollars to a plumber simply to rectify a leaky faucet. The DIY bathroom plumbing project runs the gamut from drippy faucets and running commodes to noisy nozzles and flooding floors. But even more diverse are the extended projects that result from this initial foray into DIY-land. Suddenly, a DIY bathroom plumbing project becomes a full-blown remodel ? vanities replaced; showers re-tiled; original floors swapped for their newer counterparts.

For those who have strapped on their tool belt and begun their journey into their DIY bathroom plumbing project, there are a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, it is imperative that before beginning any repairs of sinks, toilets, and showers to turn off the water to that location. Nothing ends a DIY bathroom plumbing project quicker than a surprise flood. Further, any project involving electricity should be handled with extreme caution. Just as you turned off the water ? turn off the electric power in the bathroom before tackling any projects.

Secondly, be sure that you have the appropriate parts to complete the DIY bathroom plumbing project. Parts that don?t fit will elongate the project and can easily end with disastrous results.

Finally, do your homework. Be sure to research the DIY bathroom plumbing project prior to starting. The Internet can be an enormous source of information as can your local home improvement store. And remember, you may be doing it yourself, but that doesn?t mean you can?t call in a professional if you get in over your head. Sometimes a pro can actually wind up saving you money in the end.

If you are well-researched, organized, and on your toes, your DIY bathroom plumbing project can pay dividends. Not only will you have the bathroom you want, but you?ll have the unrivalled satisfaction of knowing you did it yourself.

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