Plumbing and Septic Tank Resource - A-aaugerplumbing.com

Improving Your Home’s Plumbing

Undoubtedly, your home is the single, most important investment you will make in your lifetime. From room layout to floor choices to bedroom furniture, each decision you make contributes to its overall worth. And with all the time, effort, and money placed on such decisions, it is prudent to also take steps that ensure that the various systems in and around the home are protected.

Arguably, the most valued but highly disregarded aspect of any home is the plumbing system. Most of us do not give it much thought until something goes awry yet without a functional one in place, your home’s value stands to decrease significantly. Therefore, by taking these simple measures, you can help safeguard your plumbing system from stressful and expensive problems that may arise as follows:

1. Pay close attention to drain cleaning products’ chemical composition

Needless to say, there are some drain cleaning products that contain harsh chemicals. And while they may clear out pipes, they actually contribute to eroding on the inside and may result in long-term damage. Continued use leads to chemicals being deposited on pipes thereby increasing the likelihood of a plumbing disaster.

It is thus important to exercise caution when selecting drain cleaning products and even better if you can go for the environmentally friendly versions that are not only devoid of harsh chemicals, but troubleshoot clogs that may occur equally well. Alternatively, you could hire a professional to snake and remove the clogs whenever they occur.

2. Be on the lookout for what goes down the drain

It is easy to overlook what goes down the drains. However, it is vital to limit the items that we allow down drains e.g. hair down bathroom sinks should be avoided at all costs, oil and food remnants down kitchen sinks is a no-no, and in toilets, only sewage and toilet paper should be flushed.

3. Carry out regular maintenance on septic tanks/lines

For those with municipal sewers, it would be prudent to seek out a plumber after every few years to snake your sewage clean. This will ensure that any unwanted and problematic roots are removed from within your lines. Home owners with septic tanks should also have them pumped out once every 3 to 5 years to prevent backing up of sewage.

4. During the cold weather, take extra precautions

Prior to the onset of winter, it is advisable to insulate your pipes in order to protect them from breaking or freezing. If your pipes and faucets are above ground, consider keeping them warm by either using foam or insulating wraps. And on particularly cold days, leave water from the faucets inside the house dripping to guard against freezing of pipes.

5. Avoid situations that would lead to high stress

Summer time not only brings a lot of sunshine, but numerous outdoor parties as well. While there is nothing wrong with having gatherings for weddings, graduations, or barbecues, the stress that crowds have on your home septic system can be quite unpleasant. Excessive use often results in stress to pipes not to mention the increased likelihood of having unwanted objects down the drains. Therefore, if you want to forestall such problems, consider portable rental toilet services before your big event or party. It will give your plumbing system a much needed break as well as save you the trouble of cleaning up messy bathrooms afterwards.

Water Filter Cartridges

It’s a well known fact that water is life. Every living organism under the sun needs water for survival. According to waterbenefitshealth.com, the body of an average adult is made up of about 70% water. Thus it is essential to mind the quality of water you consume and its effect on the general health of your body. Therefore, it’s important to take clean water to avoid health complications that may result from taking unclean water. However, it’s a challenge in this day and age to find pure, clean water based on the environmental challenges the earth is facing. Most of the water that is easily accessible is polluted in one way or the other. This does not excluded the water you get from the taps or the bottled water from the shelves. Thus, there arise a need to purify water for drinking. Water Filter Cartridges meet this need.

new-bill-limit-epa-powers-clean-water-act_16 There are numerous benefits drawn from using water filter cartridges to purify water both for oral consumption and cleaning purposes. For instance, if water filter cartridges for the whole house are used, it ensures that every water emanating from any source in the house is clean. The water is cleansed from chlorine and other chemicals once it enters the plumbing system of the house. You do not have to worry about chlorine, or any other chemical, being released in the air or it being embedded in your clothes after washing them. Chlorine free water is the best in washing dishes as it reduces soap scum on dishes. This also reduces soap consumption.

Water filter cartridges enhances the health of persons who may be suffering from illness such as asthma and other allergies. When water containing chlorine flows from the taps, especially when taking a shower or a long hot bath, it releases chlorine vapor into the air. This vapor is absorbed into the body through the breathing system and may have far reaching effects on the body. It may also alleviate allergic reactions in the body, and for people suffering from asthma, they are predisposed to suffering from an asthma attack. However, this can be avoided by ensuring the water is chlorine free and what other better way than using water filter cartridges?

Many homes are connected to the municipal water treatment and sanitation systems. In the unfortunate event that the system breaks down, a home, having no other protection measures in place, is exposed to numerous risks. Installing water filter cartridges for the whole house into your system guarantees you a 24 hours 7 days protection from any water borne diseases and any risk that may be involved.

Apart from ensuring clean healthy water,water filters provides you with great tasting water for drinking. Contaminants in water, especially chlorine, gives the water a bad taste. This may discourage you from taking the required amount of water that is needed daily for the normal, healthy functioning of the body. Once these contaminants are filtered out, you are left with clean, healthy and great tasting water and an appetite for more water.

Bottled water doesn’t guarantee safe drinking water as there are no governments standard ensuring that bottled water be purer or safer than tap water. According to waterbenefitshealth.com, research has shown that about 40% of all water that is bottled is reprocessed tap water. Again, bottled water is an expensive solution to safe water as compared to using water filter cartridges. The Food and Water Watch Organisation statistic shows that an average home pitcher costs $0.10 to $20 per gallon while the price of bottled water ranges from $0.89 to $ 8.26 per gallon. Thus water filter cartridges are more cost effective than bottled water. Water filter cartridges are pollution free while bottled water pollutes the environment as their containers are made from non-biodegradable plastics.

It’s evident that the benefits of water filter cartridges far outweigh the cost of installing them and that they are the easiest and the best option that will guarantee you safe, clean, healthy water for you and your family.

This article was written by Spring-Clear.co.uk, passionate advocates for the values of clean water and stockists of water filter cartridges.

Noticing Problems with Your Boiler

Many home owners know the importance of a boiler. This is one of the equipments that come in handy during winter as this is the time that everyone tries to run away from a cold shower. Picture this, you wake up early in the morning after kissing your dreams goodbye and you end up finding that your heater is not working. Perhaps you might be tempted to go back to sleep, but you have some work to do in the office. The only option would be to heat water manually which is not only laborious, but time consuming or having a cold shower.

In most cases, boilers which are often a source of hot water for your home or business might break down, thus rendering them useless. Regardless of how long your boiler has lasted without having a problem, at one point the performance of the boiler will not be as good as it should be. Hence, it would be prudent that you acquaint yourself with these systems in order to make it easy for you to troubleshoot the problem when it occurs. There are various simple checks that you can run on your boiler as this would go a long way to having your system up and running again without having to enlist the services of a technician.

To begin with, most boilers tend to lose their accuracy depending on the age of the thermostat. This can result into misreading of temperature which makes your boiler to heat water at the wrong times. As a result, you are required to check whether your thermostat is past its sell by date. This way, you can get to replace it with another thermostat. Also, always avoid having your thermostat too low as this might be one of the catalysts that might hamper the performance of the boiler.

In addition, it is important to ensure that there is a proper water level in the tank. Even though people tend to take this issue lightly, it might affect the performance of your boiler. You might be wondering how you can be able to determine whether the water level is affecting the performance of your boiler. Here, you are required to check the pressure and temperature levels as they appear on the gauge. If you happen to find that the pressure on the gauge is below 12psi, it would be prudent to add more water to the tank in order to get the pressure back up. The recommended pressure level ought to be within 12psi-15psi.

In other cases, you will often find that there are mineral deposits on the heat exchanger or in the boiler. This will make your boiler to perform poorly over time. If this is the case, you are required to flush the boiler in order to get rid of the mineral deposits. If you do not have the expertise to do this on your own, you’re should enlist the services of an expert who will get to do it on your behalf. Nevertheless, in order to ensure that this problem does not occur, you are called upon to service your boiler on a regular basis. This will help to ensure that there are no mineral deposits on any part of your broiler.

Last but not least, if your boiler has stopped working, probably you should check whether there is a blown fuse. If at all there is a blown fuse, you should consider replacing the fuse in order to get your boiler up and running again.

Installing a New Bathroom for Less Money

The bathroom in your home is a room that is necessary. This means that it has to be kept in good shape. You also want it to look great. To do all of these things you need to read the information for installing a new bathroom that is presented here.

Think over how much money you have to spend on your project before doing anything else. You don’t want to get into a project only to find out that you don’t have enough money to finish it. You’ll just end up making your bathroom unusable or it will look bad if you’re not able to finish it in the time that it needs to be finished in. Call around to places where you’re getting your home improvement materials from and see how much you’re looking at spending so you have an idea of what it will take to finish the project. If you have to hire anyone, consider how much that will cost too.

You don’t want to have to move all of your plumbing if you don’t have to. Let’s say you’re installing a new toilet. You probably shouldn’t move the pipes and things where the original toilet was because that will cost you a lot more than if you were just to set the toilet in the same place. Of course you may be wanting to make your bathroom larger by building onto it and will have to move the plumbing anyway. Whatever the case may be, if you don’t know what you’re doing, trying to mess with your plumbing could be a disaster.

Hire someone to help you if you’re just not able to get everything done yourself. There’s no shame in getting help when you need it. It takes a lot of training to know how to fix things around the home. A plumber should be called when you have an emergency or if you just want to get some repairs done in the bathroom. When you find someone to do the work, make sure you ask them what kind of experience they had in the past. If this is their first time working on a problem like yours, you may not be pleased with the results when they’re done.

Make sure that if you’re painting or using cleaning chemicals that you have some way to ventilate the room. Keep a door open and use a fan. Some bathrooms don’t have windows because it’s kind of a private place, so it’s going to be hard when you’re using chemicals to get yourself in a place where you’re getting enough oxygen. If you start to feel ill or dizzy when you’re working on the bathroom, then you need to leave the area and get to fresh air until you feel better.

Knowing how to remodel your bathroom is something that you’re going to have to do if you want to make your house look better. It’s fairly simple to do if you have the right kind of information first. Take in everything you’ve learned here and good luck with your remodelling project.

Why You Should Keep Maintaining Your Plumbing Systems?

The term “Plumbing” is usually used to summarize conveyance of water, gas, or liquid waste in normal domestic and also commercial settings. Plumbing relates to various aspects of pipes. These aspects include piping, plumbing fittings etc.

Plumbing systems can be a cause of hazardous pathogens if they are not regularly maintained. As an example the pipes that supply water to your residence have to be frequently examined for leakages. Leak detection enables water pipes to be repaired early before any harmful bacteria start to creep into your water supply system. This can easily take place when you have water pipes that go through the garden or backyard. Any slight leaks can expose the complete water supply system to fungi and bacteria generally found in the soil that can induce waterborne diseases.

Drainage systems are made to flush out waste materials out of your home to the sewer system. If your drainage model becomes faulty there are high possibilities your house will be infiltrated by effluent. Clogged drains are ideal surroundings for harmful bacteria. If drains remain blocked for long durations bacterial and fungal populations increase in numbers to such an amount that infection is unavoidable. Drain cleaning is therefore extremely important as it allows for smooth flow of effluent and doesn’t admit propagation of harmful bacteria near your home.

The pipes that lead to water heaters also need to be regularly checked for leakages. This is very necessary, as water heaters can leak and cause development of algae and if your heater is located in the ceiling this can cause severe health risks.

A small leakage in your plumbing system can result in some serious drainage trouble in the future. Maintaining your plumbing systems won’t only protect your health but it has a whole lot other benefits. Having your plumbing systems repaired will ensure you don’t waste any water. Water leakages can also be the reason to increase your water bill, so if you repair your pipes you will not have to pay a lot of money for your bills. Regularly maintained water heaters are more power efficient thus you will not need to use plenty of fuel in keeping your water hot.

Maintaining your plumbing systems is an easy thing to accomplish. All you have to do is to hire the services of a specialist plumber. Professional plumbers are experts in setting up as well as maintaining water supply and drainage systems. These plumbers can handle you water supply system and figure out possible sources of a leak and repair them. They can check and properly correct your plumbing systems so as to make certain that they meet safety standards stipulated by the government bodies.

NOTE: Problems with your plumbing system can invariably be very troublesome and can result in major problems to different systems and also may affect other appliances in your house. It is recommended that you should do a correct investigation before hiring a plumber since the plumbing system is a fundamental part of your house.

About Author

The author is a webmaster currently working for usiremodeling.com. For Dallas Home Renovation tips and ideas you can visit the website.

Gas safety tips

Gas powered boilers and appliances can emit carbon monoxide, a colorless and odourless gas highly poisonous to humans and animals. In addition, the gas is flammable and explosive in high concentrations so it can cause significant damage to property and human life. Therefore, whether you are a tenant, a landlord or a plumber, it is worth your time to learn the basics of gas safety.

First of all, you should learn what types of gas appliances are present in the property you live in, own or work on. Find out if there has been any recent changes to the gas system of the property or if there has been any recent work done to it. Investigate, whether there have been any issues in the past with the gas system or any appliances relying on it. Remember that if the gas system has been exposed to any flooding or other external factors, this could impact its operation.

Second, understand how the particular gas system works. What are all of its components? Is there a gas container, how is it protected and what condition is it in? Be aware of underground pipe placements as well as tubing and fitting arrangements in the property. Also, make sure you are conscious of the location of gas relief valve and how it works. Remember that any new installations, repairs or additions to the system should be followed by pressure testing to confirm it is “gas tight” – does not contain any leaks.

Third, maximize property protection from gas related incidents. There are several things that can be done quickly and without much effort to better protect tenants:

Record an inventory of gas appliances and pipes, which will help identifying leaks quickly in case of emergency.
Know how to turn off all gas supply to a property.
Become familiar with the smell of propane gas (if such gas is used).
Buy and install basic carbon monoxide alarm. Such device costs less than $50 and does not require technical expertise.
Conduct gas safety checks at least once a year with the help from a reliable gas company.

Fourth, make sure all tenants in a property are aware of what steps should be taken in case of gas emergency. Those at the property should eradicate any fire or sparks at the first signs of gas leak. Gas supply should be cut off completely. The gas company should be called for help and if the situation appears serious, 911 should be called as well. Tenants should leave the affected area right away and should not come back until it has been determined by a gas technician that it is safe to do so. If an emergency such as a gas leak occurred, followed by a repair service, a qualified service technician should check the gas system thoroughly before it is put into daily use.

Finally, gas safety requires apprehension of risks associated with operating gas boilers and appliances. Make sure that all stakeholders who either use or operate the gas system have an understanding of safety measures and are careful when performing tasks related to the gas system. One spark can be enough to ignite a disaster, but if you only follow the basic safety precautions, neither yourself nor others around you will ever be at any risk.

About the author

Lucjan Zaborowski is a landlord and a consultant for Simply Business, an online insurance broker, which provides various covers for landlords and small businesses.

Effective Flood Cleanup Gadgets

Ok, so I say if you choose to, but whether you do it yourself, or call in a professional, you need to get it done. Flooded basements are a pain. The longer they sit the more stinky they get. Mold is just waiting in the wings, hoping you won’t take proper action so it can grow into a huge problem.

If you have already made the decision to do it yourself, you are taking a great opportunity to save some money; it’s just also a lot of work. The gadgets used by professionals are highly effective machines that cost more money than they are worth to you. Unless of course, you are someone who plans on having more floods in the future. Then by all means purchase all the high tech equipment necessary for cleaning up a flooded basement.

For most of us, one flood is enough. Unless it is some uncontrollable factor, we make the changes necessary to ensure that there is only one flood. Cleaning up after this one flood becomes the problem. Once you have chosen the proper equipment, make sure you use it correctly, ensuring your basement will remain as clean and usable as before the flood.

Removing the water

The first step is to remove the water. This is true if the water level is an inch, or a couple of feet. Here are some of the ways you can effectively remove water from your basement:

A mop and a bucket
Old towels, new towels, it doesn’t really matter. Just something that will absorb water. If you have an exceptionally furry dog, that might work too
A portable sump pump
A wet shop vacuum

Of course the simplest mode of equipment to use here would be a mop and a bucket, but that doesn’t always cut it. Sometimes you need something more. That’s when things become expensive, and renting is the best option.

The wet shop vacuum is one of the greatest inventions ever made. We have one because they are nice for vacuuming out the car, just about anything. But they can be expensive. If you are only getting it to clear water out of the basement, renting is by far the best option. This gadget’s hose will suck liquid up faster than a kid on a hot summer day with a Capri Sun and a straw.

Drying

Once all the standing water is gone, your carpet is going to be soaking wet. Even if you don’t have carpet where it was flooded, it’s a good idea to use a gadget that will dry the area more effectively.

Turing your heating system as high as you can stand it is one way to reduce the damage of flooding, but that isn’t always enough. Renting a high-powered fan is the solution to ensure your basement is completely dry, and deters mold and mildew from growing. You can also rent a dehumidifier, but these take more work on your part. Close all the windows and doors, and empty it often to ensure it works as efficiently as possible.

Having a flood is a pain. It can be expensive, but by renting the correct equipment, you can significantly reduce your flooded basement cleanup cost. Dry your basement the right way. Then take the steps to ensure another flood never happens again.

By Cassie Costner

Cassie writes for El Dorado DKI in Diamond Springs. She writes about contents restoration, post-fire repairs, and flooded basement cleanup methods.

Proper Garden Irrigation Plumbing

Whether you’re looking to set up an efficient garden irrigation system due to water conservation policies in your area or just want an easy, regulated watering cycle for your plants, drip irrigation is the way to go. Micro irrigation consists of drip tubing that winds around the trees and plants of your garden plot to get water to the roots where it is most needed. Before setting forth and constructing a backyard drip irrigation system, however, there are a few important tips to consider to rig the system right.

Prepare Your Tubing

Effectively installing a garden irrigation system requires selecting the right kind of tubing. Perforated tubing with emitters every 18 inches are the typical drip irrigation tubes. You can buy pre-perforated tubes with manufacturer installed emitters or un-perforated tube that you have to customize yourself. This option can allow you to construct unique tube layouts in the garden and connect tubing across sections where you don’t need water, but it is more time consuming.

Connect to an Outdoor Faucet

After preparing the tubing, you need to connect the hose to an outdoor faucet. For this you will need a vacuum breaker and pressure regulator. This setup will prevent the hose water from washing back into your home’s water supply line and causing basement flooding. Screw the whole apparatus to the faucet and get ready to run the tubing.

Lay the Tubing

Attach some un-perforated tubing or part of the hose to the hose bib to reach the plants. Then attach the tubing with emitters to the un-perforated tubing at the base of the plant areas. Finally. begin coiling the tubing around the plants very near the roots. Keep the tubing lines about 12 inches apart.

Install Ground Stakes

Hold down the tubing with ground stakes. These plastic stakes have a small hooked head that can be easily fit over the top of the tubing to hold in firmly to the ground. The tubing may need some adjustment when you lay the ground stakes. When the tubing cuts at a tight angle or overlaps another section, you can cut it and reattach it with connectors for a flush layout.

Set Up Micro Sprayers if Needed

Sometimes a dense row of plants prohibits coiling tubing on the ground near the roots. For this, micro sprayers that sit off the ground are necessary. Simply pierce the tubing and insert a straight connector. Then attach some un-perforated tubing to reach the micro sprayer and connect the other end to the sprayer. Once connected to the ground stake and position, it will carry water into the soil and roots from above.

Close the Tubing End and Cover Tubes

After you have properly placed and attached all of the tubing, flush any dirt out with water. On the open end of tubing, fold the end, and slide the clamp over the folded part of the tube. Finally, spread some mulch over all of the lines of tubing. This will not only conceal the irrigation system, but will prevent water from evaporating before reaching the roots of the plants.

Do a Final Check

Do a final check on the integrity of the system to guard against malfunction and water damage. Check the connections on the tubing and make sure emitters are not clogged or blocked. Turn the water on and verify that there are no leaks and bad connections in the tubes.

by Ben Vaughn

Ben Vaughn writes on home remodeling, landscaping, and tips for installing a garden irrigation system. He writes for Daniel’s DKI in Perris, who provides services in basement flooding, fire damage, and mold removal.

Common Plumbing Problems

Arizona summers aren’t the best time for plumbing emergencies. Whether it’s not being able to take a cool shower on one of the brutal mid-summer days or suffering through the humidity of flooding, plumbing emergencies can make for a difficult day. The good news is that regular maintenance and repairs can prevent serious plumbing problems in Phoenix. Maintaining a healthy plumbing system is especially important in the desert. Here are some common plumbing problems to keep an eye out for:

Clogged Drains and Sewer Pipes

Clogged drains and sewer pipes are one of the most common plumbing problems. Phoenicians typically experience clogged drains from one of two causes: discarded items or tree roots. The non-native trees commonly planted in Phoenix often have extensive underground roots. These roots can wrap around pipes and in some cases break into the pipes. Tree roots can also place excessive weight and pressure on pipes, reducing flow or even crushing them entirely.

Plumbing clogs are more commonly caused by items purposely or accidentally put down the toilet, sink, or disposal unit. Common perpetrators include paint, fats, oil, grease, thick paper products, cotton swabs and buds, hardy chunks of food, hair, and beauty products. Some clogs are easily fixed with a plunger or plumber’s snake; other clogs may require the plumbing to be opened or replaced. Untreated clogs can back up and create flooding—not what you want to experience on a scorching day!

Minor and Major Leaks

That tiny leak might be costing you more money than your think—and it always has the chance of going from a dribble to a flood! Some leaks aren’t noticeable; common signs of leaks include higher than average water bills and damaged mildew ridden areas. Leaks are best left to a licensed plumber to fix; tinkering with a leak can make it worse if you don’t know what you are doing. It is best to address leaks as soon as possible.
Low Water Pressure

If you experience low water pressure it is likely the result of the faucet aerator. If there is low pressure with both the hot and cold water, it is a good indicator that there is something wrong with the aerator. Calcium deposits build up in the faucet and gradually reduce water pressure. Fixing this can be a simple matter of removing the aerator and removing any material. If this does not fix the problem low water flow might be the culprit, meaning that something down the line is slowing down the normal rate of flow. You should consult a local professional if you suspect this is the case.

Mike Johnson and Boydco Plumbing, a local Plumbing company in Phoenix, have begun a collaboration on the unique challenges that face the residents of Phoenix Arizona when it comes to water usage and plumbing issues.

Different Types of Central Heating System

Most western homes have some form of heating system that is used to warm the house during the winter months. There are several types of central heating systems in common use and in this article we will look at the three most popular.

Water Based Systems

Also known as a “wet” system, water based central heating works by circulating hot water throughout the house. The water is heated by a boiler, which is normally fuelled by gas. Other types of fuel that are sometimes used to power the boiler are oil, liquid petroleum gas and, less commonly, coal or wood. There are two principal type of boiler – a conventional boiler and a combi boiler. In heating systems that operate with a conventional boiler the water is stored in a hot water tank after it has been heated and before it is circulated around the house. With a combi boiler the water is normally heated instantly as is passes through the boiler en route to the pipes and radiators.

Combi boilers are somewhat more efficient than conventional ones, although the flow of water tends to be quicker from a conventional model.

The heated water is pumped through the system of pipes in the house to radiators, which are located in all of the rooms. These serve to radiate heat outwards, which has the effect of creating a warm environment.

The amount of heat that is given off can be regulated by means of a thermostat.

A combi boiler can save space and is energy efficient

Air/Dry Systems

The warm air central heating system is more popular in the United States and Canada than in other parts of the world. It also involves the employment of a boiler, which, once again, is most likely to be powered by gas. However, rather than heating water, the boiler heats air. When the air has been heated, it is pumped into air ducts into the various rooms throughout the house via vents that are located in the floor or on the lower part of the room’s walls.

The use of warm air heating systems in domestic properties has become less popular, with most people preferring the greater efficiency of the wet central heating system. It is still failry widely used in industrial premises where the system can be used for air conditioning instead of heating during the warmer summer months.

Storage Systems

A storage heater is a heating component that contains bricks that work by effectively storing heat. After the bricks are heated to the degree required, they release their heat into the home. Most homes will have several storage heating units, which all tend to be operated from a single wiring system.

With most storage heaters the home owner is able to control both the amount of heat that the bricks will store and the amount that will be released into the property. Other types of storage heater can be regulated by thermostat.

Summary

All of these types of central heating can be installed by a qualified plumber or heating engineer, although the installation of the boiler will have to be completed by a qualified engineer.

Whichever system is used, you will be able to confidently keep your home warm throughout those cold winter months.

Author Bio: Article written by Billy Phillips, writing for The Roofers SW, domestic and industrial roofing contractors in Torquay, South Devon and The Decorators SW, interior and exterior painters and decorators in Torquay, South West.