Tag Archives: Keep

Tips To Help You Keep Your Plumbing Running Smooth

September 28, 2023   Matt

Tips To Help You Keep Your Plumbing Running Smooth

If you are a first time homeowner or maybe someone who has just moved out of Mom and Dad’s humble abode, you may not know a lick about plumbing, but there are certain things that you should know. This article will discuss some of them, and you will be more knowledgeable after reading the tips below.

To make sure there is no accident or sudden rush of water when you tackle a plumbing project, make sure you are ready for a cleanup. If you go into the work with a huge stack of towels and blankets ready to absorb water, the prospect of needing to actually do it will keep you alert enough to avoid triggering the accident in the first place.

For the most effective plunger to use on a toilet, choose one with a flange that sticks out from the end and fits into the hole in the bottom of the bowl. These typically work better than the classic cup-style plungers, since they create a tighter seal in the drain.

Do not pour hot grease down your kitchen drains. It can build up in the pipes and cause your plumbing to back up. Allow the grease to cool in your pan or in a can and then dispose of it in the garbage. This consideration is going to reduce the amount of backups that occur in your kitchen sink.

The truth to DIY plumbing is that you’re taking your life on the line when you start a project. You may drive yourself nuts, cost yourself an arm and a leg, and end up having to call in a professional to fix the mess you made – at double the price. Consider a professional first unless you really know what you’re doing.

It’s important not to dump harsh chemicals into your septic system like drain cleaners, but are you also considering the other chemicals you use to clean? Toilet cleaners, dishwasher soap, and even laundry detergent can kill off the healthy bacteria which is taking care of your waste. Try to use natural products for all cleaning jobs in your house to keep your septic system in good shape.

To prevent the most common kitchen sink clogs, avoid putting any sort of solid foods down your drain. Many foods, such as eggs and vegetable and fruit waste actually harden with exposure to cold water and over time can form clogs that are next to impossible to remove without professional help.

To avoid sediment buildup, drain gallons of water from your water heater to flush any corrosion. This will help your heater to run more efficiently therefore saving you regular energy costs. Make sure to read your heater’s instructions before attempting this, and do this periodically to make sure that your heater is running as well as it can.

Now that you have read these plumbing tips, you should feel a little more comfortable about looking after that scary hardware that lurks in some rooms of your home. Follow the advice above and you are sure to do the right things when tinkering around with any of the pipes.

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Tips To Help You Keep Your Plumbing Running Smooth (2)

February 05, 2023   Matt

Tips To Help You Keep Your Plumbing Running Smooth

If plumbing is something that you find difficult or intimidating, you are not alone. Many people can’t solve their own plumbing problems, which means that plumbers can charge a lot of money for even simple and quick repairs. Don’t let this happen to you, read on to learn how to solve your own plumbing problems!

Check how well your toilets are flushing. If the handle needs to be played with in order to keep the water from running constantly, or if it needs to be held down several times in order to flush, you may need to switch out some of the parts in your tank. This is not expensive, and it could help reduce your monthly water bill. It could also mean that you avoid the embarrassment of the flushing system breaking when you have visitors!

When getting an estimate from a contractor on a job, make sure to ask how long the written estimate is good for. For big jobs you usually want to get estimates from a few different plumbers. Knowing how long your estimate is valid will help you know what your time limit is for making a decision on who to hire.

To keep the pipes in your kitchen in tip-top shape, avoid pouring fats or cooking oils down the drain. These liquid fats solidify in the pipes and create clogs. As an added protection, wipe congealed grease from pots to further avoid creating clogged drains. By following these tips, you can help avoid a plumbing disaster.

Do you have a sump pump in your home? You should check it each spring to make sure that it is operating properly. Pour a few buckets of water into the sump pit. When you so this, the pump should turn on quickly, discharge the water, and then shut off without any issues.

Treating your drains every month is a great way to avoid future clogs and other problems, and it’s a very simple procedure. Just run one to two gallons of hot tap water down each drain in your house.

Rigid copper is used for main water lines in many homes. You cannot bend rigid copper, so joints and tees must be soldered on. When soldering, always apply flux (also called soldering paste) to both surfaces. Flux retards oxidation when the copper is heated. Always use lead-free or nearly lead-free solder when sweating a copper joint.

Got a leaky pipe? In many cases you can repair this yourself without the expense of a plumber. If a joint is leaking, tighten it with a pipe wrench. If the leak is coming from a damaged section of pipe, you can try repairing with a store-bought patching kit. One method involves applying waterproof tape to the section of pipe where there is leakage. Before applying the tape, make sure the pipe is thoroughly dry. Make sure that the tape covers two to three inches on either side of the breakage in the pipe.

As you can see, many plumbing problems are very easy to solve on your own if you have the proper knowledge. Don’t let a professional plumbing service charge you a hand full for something that you can do on your own! Try the tips in this article next time and see the money you save!

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Advice For Skin Care That Will Help Keep You Looking Great

December 25, 2022   Matt

Advice For Skin Care That Will Help Keep You Looking Great

Skin care is as important for your health, as it is for your self esteem. Variables, such as weather, temperature and stress, can affect your skin, so it is important to know exactly how to care for your skin type. This article has tips to ensure that you look and feel your best.

You can actually handle all of your skin care needs each day while you are in the shower! The most essential components: washing your skin, cleaning your pores, and applying moisturizer; can all be accomplished during that same time-frame. Get your skin cared for without ever wasting a moment of the day.

If you have serious skin issues then you should consider a chemical skin treatment. In these treatments, special substances destroy the bonds between cells and remove keratinized layers. This will leave your skin looking smooth and healthy. However, this can cause reddening and allergic reactions in certain circumstances.

Wear gloves on your hands in the winter to protect your skin. The skin on your hands is thinner than on other parts of your body and there are less oil glands. It is very easy for your hands to dry out in the winter weather. Wearing gloves can help prevent cracking and itchiness.

When looking for skin-care products, don’t fall for the age-based skin care marketing. Your skin is your skin, regardless of age. You may be 50 with the oily skin of a 25-year-old or vice versa. If so, you may find yourself buying products far too oily for your skin type, since the makers assume you must be drying out by now, when the last thing your oily 50-year-old face needs is MORE oil. Instead, always know your skin type and monitor that too, because it does change over time. Buy your skin products by skin rather than by age group.

Use an all-over face treatment for zapping your blemishes, pimples and acne instead of treating problems zit by zit! If you have skin issues, ask your doctor for a retinoid cream you can apply every night for deep-cleaning of pores to keep them unclogged. This will also give you a heads-up on preventing more from forming!

After cleansing your face it’s recommended to apply an over the counter lotion which contains benzoyl peroxide, which is made to decrease oil and bacteria. Before using any lotion, however, always test it on a small patch of your skin to make sure there is no allergic or upset reaction, as some can be too harsh and cause redness if you have sensitive skin.

To take better care of your skin in the winter, avoid getting your gloves, socks, or any other articles of clothing wet. This will irritate your skin, causing itching and cracking, and sometimes even sores. If your clothes do get wet, exchange them for dry ones as soon as possible.

By following the practical advice in this article, you can make sure your skin looks great all the time. It is easy to keep up and will help you feel healthier. Do not let weather, time and stress, take its toll on you. Look much younger than your years, by taking great care of your skin.

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Time Management Tips to Keep a Smooth-Running Household

October 06, 2022   Matt

Time Management Tips to Keep a Smooth-Running Household

Ten Time Management Tips to Keep a Smooth-Running Household

Remember when your mom always told you to stay organized and you would have more time? Of course you do. How often have you misplaced something and thought if you don’t find it you would fall apart? If you find yourself still losing items it’s time to stop!

Stop putting yourself through useless hours of frustration and emotional outburst. Get organized and stay that way. Look how much easier life can be if you do. Your household will run so much smoother, and everyone from husband to the smallest tike in the house will not be waiting for misplaced items to be found.

Look at some of these useful household tips to help your life run much smoother and more efficiently.

Remember what mother said, and use your common sense. Schedule more time for things that you’re going to do around the house. It doesn’t matter if it’s vacuuming; block more time out to do it. If you hear yourself saying it shouldn’t take any more time than a certain amount of time to do something then re-think that statement. You know in your heart it often does, so learn to deal with blocking time.

Once you’ve decided to do something, keep doing it until you’re done. That doesn’t mean running your self into exhaustion. Taking a break is permissible, but don’t get off on another tangent until you complete what you’re doing. Complete it!

Use time by applying it to your advantage and use it proficiently. For example, when you’re unexpectedly interrupted by a noisy chatty neighbor, or a well meaning but lonely friend, it’s okay to tell them you’re busy. Go ahead and continue to do little things that take up the minutes of the day such as pick up toys, clothes or whatever else you were doing when interrupted. If they love you and care they understand.

Use the house cleaning one-week principal. Give your home a deep cleaning at least once a week. Getting the grime out every week or two weeks will keep the kitchen sink from building up with grime around the edges until you would have to sand blast it to get it clean. This wastes time. It’s not healthy either.

Keep lots of lists. Don’t depend on remembering everything, you can’t. By keeping you’re to-do list everyday, you won’t have your phone cut off right in the middle of a very important business call or more importantly an emergency. Keep your paper work up daily; even if that means just straightening it back into its organized pile.

If possible use the principle of lets get it done in one stop idea. Instead of wasting time and going here or there everyday, it is best to plan all outings to do at one time. For instance, go to pay a bill, pay as many as possible, then stop by the oil changing place, then before you go home, get groceries. On average, and depending on if you live around a larger traffic area, you’ll spend 15 minutes each way driving somewhere, that’s a lot of time to be wasting everyday. It’s not fuel efficient either.

Get rid of junky clutter in your house and garage. Have you heard people say that everyone has a junk drawer or a junk area in their house or apartment? Do you have one? That’s doesn’t need to be. If you’ve got junk, get rid of it. Let go of the painting that hasn’t hung on the wall for twenty years, unless of course it’s a family heirloom. If it doesn’t fit, get rid of it. If it’s beyond repair take it to the garbage heap.

Take the time to buy or make your own proper storage containers. If you’re still cramped after cleaning out, consider saving for a storage building, either rented or for your own yard.

Enlist the help of others and encourage them to help you rid of the clutter. You might have to do some real cajoling for the younger members of the family, that still want to keep a broken toy. Be persistent, but gentle with them. Ask them to donate used but well kept toys and clothing.

Prioritizing every day is what really needs to be done. If the clutter bothers you excessively or is not healthy then get rid of it

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Plumbing Tips, Tricks, And Techniques To Keep Your Pipes Clean (2)

January 16, 2022   Matt

Plumbing Tips, Tricks, And Techniques To Keep Your Pipes Clean

If plumbing is something that you find difficult or intimidating, you are not alone. Many people can’t solve their own plumbing problems, which means that plumbers can charge a lot of money for even simple and quick repairs. Don’t let this happen to you, read on to learn how to solve your own plumbing problems!

It’s important to remove any burrs you create when cutting pipes so that they will fit into their joints cleanly and tightly. You can use a plumber’s cloth on copper or a primer on plastic. Make sure to clean any pipe which is dirty or feels greasy before you apply a primer to it.

If you are the kind of person who likes to listen to music when you work, then you should be sure to avoid using headphones. A radio is a much smarter choice, as it will allow you to hear the music you want, without distracting you from hearing important sounds.

Avoid plumbing problems! Do not stop up the toilet! Some common items that will stop up a toilet include: toys, hair, paper towels, birth control items, and feminine personal products. Do not flush these items down your toilet – unless the instructions say otherwise! These can stop up your toilet – to the point that nothing else will work – except calling a plumber!

Make sure to never leave any flammable liquids near your water heater. Certain liquids like gasoline, solvents, or adhesives are flammable, and if left too close to the water heater, can ignite. If you have to have these liquids in your basement, place it far away from your water heater.

Sometimes you have to make the choice between replacing or repairing. If you have an old appliance, that uses a lot of water or electricity, it may be best to replace. Sure, it will cost more initially, but it will save you money in the long run. The other thing is, you can’t be sure how well a repair will work out, whereas with a new appliance you’ll at least get a guarantee.

To compare the quality of your pipes or sewers over time, create a video for documentation purposes. Several months later, make the same video so that you can see if there are any new cracks or holes that require fixing. This can serve as a great way to analyze your infrastructure.

If you have bad water pressure in the shower, the showerhead might be clogged. Take a plastic baggie, fill it with regular vinegar, and tie it to the showerhead so that the showerhead is covered. Leave it overnight. In the morning, take the baggie off and use a small toothbrush to scrub away any mineral deposits.

As you can see, many plumbing problems are very easy to solve on your own if you have the proper knowledge. Don’t let a professional plumbing service charge you a hand full for something that you can do on your own! Try the tips in this article next time and see the money you save!

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Plumbing Tips, Tricks, And Techniques To Keep Your Pipes Clean (4)

October 03, 2021   Matt

Plumbing Tips, Tricks, And Techniques To Keep Your Pipes Clean

Look no further than this article for the greatest plumbing advice that you will ever find. You are concerned about either current issues that you are having or things that might occur in the future. Read the advice carefully in this article and you will be more than satisfied.

You don’t need to add anything to a correctly installed septic system to ensure it’s working properly! In fact, chemicals being dumped down the drain can cause more problems by killing off the good bacteria needed to digest the waste. The best treatment for your system is to have it pumped at regular intervals.

When you’re going away on a vacation, you should consider shutting off the water supply to your home. This can help stop many problems before they start. If you don’t do this, you should have someone stop by your house regularly to check that nothing has gone wrong and that your home isn’t flooded.

Periodically, make sure that the sump pump in your house is working to full capacity. Pour a few gallons of water into the sump pit, and your pump should drain that water out with minimal issues. Checking that your devices are working throughout the year can pay large dividends in the event of a crisis.

To keep the pipes in your kitchen in tip-top shape, avoid pouring fats or cooking oils down the drain. These liquid fats solidify in the pipes and create clogs. As an added protection, wipe congealed grease from pots to further avoid creating clogged drains. By following these tips, you can help avoid a plumbing disaster.

To be successful in any plumbing project, make sure you turn the water off before you start unscrewing pipes. This tip might actually sound insulting, but you are probably getting caught up in having the right tools and parts and being dressed right. Double check that there is not a splash waiting for you. Then triple and quadruple check.

Rigid copper is used for main water lines in many homes. You cannot bend rigid copper, so joints and tees must be soldered on. When soldering, always apply flux (also called soldering paste) to both surfaces. Flux retards oxidation when the copper is heated. Always use lead-free or nearly lead-free solder when sweating a copper joint.

If water is flooding your home, immediately switch off the main electrical power. If water comes into contact with any electrical components, it can become a fatal situation. Once the power is off, then deal with the flood water. Put your own and your family’s personal safety first, and show each member of the family how to shut off the power.

Certain things shouldn’t go into your plumbing system. By knowing what you can and cannot flush or throw into the garbage disposal and sink, you can save yourself from a costly repair or disaster. A plumber can usually get your plumbing back into working condition, but can be avoided if you know how to dispose of items correctly.

In conclusion, there is a lot to know about plumbing and not all of the advice available is useful. Ideally, this article either provided you with new knowledge or it allowed you to solidify current knowledge. Use this great information today and you will be set up for success with any plumbing project.

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