Tag Archives: Professional

Find The Right Plumbing Professional (2)

Find The Right Plumbing Professional

How many times have you called in a plumber, only to have him charge you an expensive rate for a simple fix that you could have done yourself? If you know a little more about your plumbing system, you can save a lot of money. Read this article dealing with some plumbing tips that you can use.

Avoid pouring grease or oil down your kitchen sink drain. Grease and oil can build up in your pipes and cause a backup. Instead, wait for the grease or oil to cool and solidify and either throw it away or see if there’s a place to recycle it near your home.

If you are thinking about becoming a plumber yourself, then you should first try to start out as an apprentice. If you can find a good mentor then you will learn a great deal more from watching and assisting him than you possibly could learn by working on projects alone.

To prevent hair from clogging your drains, install strainers in each tub and shower to capture the hairs before they can go down the drain. When combined with soap build-up, hair can bring your drains to a complete standstill, so it’s important to prevent the hairs from reaching the pipes in the first place.

The most common culprit in a running toiler is the flapper or the ball assembly. Both of these are easily replaced so check on these before running to call a plumber. If you have mineral deposit buildup in the tank, a try vinegar, boiling water and baking soda to help remove it and get your toilet back in tip top shape.

If you plan on doing any work on your walls, from putting in a nail to hang a picture to literally tearing it down, you’ll need to know where your pipes are. Smashing a hammer through drywall only to find you’ve also dislodged a pipe and created a flood is not a great way to start a project!

Make sure everyone that lives in your house knows where to find and use the main water shut off valve in case there is a burst pipe emergency. This is especially important if you live in an area where your pipes may freeze. Take a moment to show your family members where the valve is and how to properly shut it off.

Use a product like BioBen if you are planning to leave your system shut off for a few weeks. Water will still remain in the pipes and could start smelling because it is not moving. This type of product will keep the water from stagnating and from smelling too bad.

Insulate all of the pipes in your home that run along an exterior wall to prevent them from freezing. This step is not going to cost you a lot of money, but it is going to save you quite a bit of damage by preventing pipe freezes. It is easy and cheap to do and should be done as soon as possible.

There are times when a plumber’s service is necessary. However, many plumbing issues can be addressed easily if you know how. Learning more about how your plumbing works can save you time and money in repairs. Remember these tips, and they could save you a lot of headaches the next time you have a plumbing problem.

It Is Important To Hire A Professional To Handle Your Plumbing (3)

It Is Important To Hire A Professional To Handle Your Plumbing

Do you want to make improvements or repairs to your home’s plumbing? Would you like to know how to deal with an emergency? Dealing with issues related to plumbing can be complicated. Whether you are doing it yourself or hiring someone, there are a lot of things you need to be aware of. Here are some useful facts and tips.

If you are looking into becoming a plumber, there are a few things that you should know first. The most important thing is that plumbers who work for companies do not make a high salary. You should try to find a way to work for yourself, in order to increase your earnings.

Before the cold season hits, check out the condition of your gutters on the roof of your house. Remove all debris, leaves and branches so that you can have a smooth flow of water and easy drainage. Caretaking in advance will help to prevent serious issues with plumbing down the road.

Do not place items in the toilets that do not belong there. For example, if you are a female, do not throw away sanitary pads or tampons in your toilet. This could cause severe damage to your toilet that could require a plumber, or even worse, a whole new toilet!

Keep water trickling slightly from faucets to help prevent frozen pipes when the temperature drops significantly. Colder than normal temperatures can cause problems if pipes are not insulated appropriately, even when pipes are not exposed to the elements. By leaving the water running slightly, you keep movement in the pipes which can prevent freezing.

During the winter months, your water heater works the hardest. To keep it in optimum condition, flush it out before winter arrives. Flushing the system helps remove the sediment buildup, which causes internal corrosion of your water heater, shortens its lifespan, and reduces heating efficiency. Connect a hose to the faucet near the bottom of the tank and drain several gallons by directing the water into a nearby drain.

Plumbing choices can come in many ways. One decision you need to make as a homeowner is to purchase a tank-less water heater. One thing to remember if you are considering a tank-less heater. You will pay two to three times more than if you purchase a tank heater.

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.

Do not let your faucet leak. Did you know a leaky faucet can waste about 150 gallons of water every day? If you have a leak, never ignore it. It could be coming from the faucet or the pipes. Continually check pipes and faucets for extra moisture or small leaks.

Being educated about plumbing issues is essential if you are a homeowner. Problems can occur when we least expect it, so understanding how to handle common DIY projects, and knowing what you need to be aware of in hiring a contractor will all go a long way towards getting your project done, and done well.

It Is Important To Hire A Professional To Handle Your Plumbing

It Is Important To Hire A Professional To Handle Your Plumbing

Plumbing can imply a lot of different connotations depending upon whom you ask or talk to about it. We all know that it’s essential to your home, but that doesn’t mean that you should neglect it or just leave it to a pro. Take some time to learn how to do it yourself using the tips below.

Make sure that when you are doing any home improvements to your plumbing that they are done up to the building codes in your area. The building codes are there to protect people from being scalded by hot water, trap harmful sewer gas from entering the home, and ensure plumbing is done properly before finishes are applied.

Act quickly if your pipes freeze! Shut off the water and open the faucet, enabling it to drain when it thaws. Starting with the faucet, and working your way to the iced-up area, aim a propane torch or hairdryer at the pipe – this will quickly defrost it. You could also wrap the pipe in a heating pad or aim a heat lamp at it, but this will take quite some time. A last resort is to wrap the pipe in rags and pour boiling water over it.

If you are thinking about becoming a plumber yourself, then you should first try to start out as an apprentice. If you can find a good mentor then you will learn a great deal more from watching and assisting him than you possibly could learn by working on projects alone.

Basic problems with toilets can be a quick fix for even the rawest amateur plumber and is worth attempting if you can take the time to research the problem. Seek out the necessary part or parts from your local hardware store and ask for support in how to properly install them.

If you have a crack in your toilet tank, you can sometimes fix this with an epoxy resin. However, it is very difficult to keep up with this type of maintenance, and the best bet may be contacting the supplier and ordering a new tank to be installed in your bathroom. Nevertheless, keeping some epoxy resin on hand for emergencies is a good idea.

Run the water in all of your taps and into all drains so that when you return from vacation you won’t get a musty smell from dried out plumbing. There are also biological agents you can pick up in home supply stores that can help to ensure you don’t get the odor while you’re gone.

When replacing any PVC type pipes in your home, make sure you buy the correct PVC for the job. PVC comes in several different sizes and grades as well as for different temperature applications. If the water going through the pipes is headed for the kitchen or bathroom, or is for laundry or gardening usage, it must be labeled as “Potable.”

It’s true that plumbing should be of utmost importance when it comes to home improvement. That said, you should not just leave it until there is a problem and then call a pro. You can learn to take care of it yourself and hopefully these tips gave you advice on how to do that.

House Cleaning – The Professional Business

House Cleaning – The Professional Business

Most people get into house cleaning to earn some extra money. You may have family, friends and neighbors as your regular clients. Are you ready and motivated to take your part-time business to the next level?
Growing any business takes time and patience. And if you have a loyal client base now, set aside a portion of your gross revenue for advertising, custom business forms and your own products and equipment.
Expanding your business also takes planning. How can you start getting new clients without a large advertising budget? A small one-time investment in custom business forms is the first step.
So what’s wrong with not using business forms? Absolutely nothing if you’re satisfied with your client base right now and not interested in making more money.
But I hear from a lot of professional house cleaners that are struggling in their business. They wonder why they don’t get more of the jobs they bid on. They ask why people won’t pay their rate and instead want to negotiate the price down.
If you’re not presenting yourself as a professional business, your prospects assume you just need to make some extra money; you don’t have their respect and they think you’ll be happy to take whatever they offer to pay.
Now think about this for a minute. Who would you be more likely to hire: the plumber that shows up to estimate your job with a clipboard and custom business forms or the plumber that shows up with a flyer? Be honest with yourself; you are going to trust this plumber inside your home around your personal possessions. What if this person were to break or damage something? Do you think about this issue with the plumber with the clipboard and custom business forms, or is it more of a concern with the plumber with just the flyer?
Your prospects are judging you and forming an opinion from the moment you answer their call. And you know what they say about first impressions? It’s absolutely true in running a business. Not only are they judging you before they hire you, but they judge you again when you arrive on the scheduled service date.
– Use the Service Agreement to define your terms of doing business and to document the service for each client. This forms performs dual purpose as it is also your estimating form that you use during your in-home or telephone bidding. You will discuss the content with your prospect and then have them sign it, not as a contract, but to provide you and them with an understanding of your terms and the service start date.
– The Customer Checklist records your estimate for your new client and has all the cleaning tasks listed that you perform. This form alone can get you the job immediately or even later after your prospect has tried other services.
– The Work Order is created from the important notes you recorded on the Service Agreement during the walk through or telephone interview. It specifies the client, the address and phone number, information pertaining to pets in the home, client specific requests and directives, including important notes you documented about the home.
– The Service Checklist is used by you or your team on the scheduled service date. It is a reminder of the regular service tasks that are to be performed and is used to maintain quality. One of the biggest complaints from clients is that quality deteriorates over time. If you’re not using a Service Checklist, you’re not instilling trust in your clients, especially new clients. They will auto- matically check your work on every appointment to make sure you didn’t miss anything. And if you did, you’ll hear about it – quick!
When you start to use business forms for your existing clients, they will probably ask you why the sudden change. This provides you with a chance to tell them that you’re expanding your business and would appreciate referrals. This leaves them impressed and knowing that you are serious about running a professional business and will be more likely to make referrals.
Custom business forms speak loudly to your prospects and in the long run land you more jobs, referrals and larger profits!

It Is Important To Hire A Professional To Handle Your Plumbing (2)

It Is Important To Hire A Professional To Handle Your Plumbing

This is your best chance to gain a better understanding about plumbing. It is more than important that you learn what there is to learn now, before any issues occur. Use the great advice provided in this article to establish yourself as being a sufficient plumber for you or your friends.

During the warm seasons, you will see that there will be many bird nests forming in and around your plumbing vent pipes. It is essential to clear these out, as they can have a devastating effect on the quality of your plumbing and the flow of water in your home.

Never flush menstrual products, such as pads or tampons, even if the box says it’s okay. These products can cause major clogs in your plumbing that cannot be removed with a simple plunger. Ensure that all women in your household understand the importance of placing these items in an appropriate receptacle.

Plunging is not the only way to unclog a troublesome toilet. If the water in the basin is sitting low and you know there’s a clog, try dropping hot water directly into the basin with a little bit of elevation, to apply enough force to help move along the clog.

Is your shower pressure weak due to clogging of the openings in your shower head? Here is a simple and cost-effective tip to take care of that problem. Pour a cup of vinegar into a plastic bag, place it over the shower head, and twist tie it into place so it can soak overnight. In the morning, remove the plastic bag and use an old toothbrush to scrub off the mineral deposits which are clogging the openings. This will help to restore water flow and increase shower pressure.

If you drop a small item like a ring or earring into a sink drain, hope is not lost. By carefully removing the U-shaped trap underneath the sink, you can probably retrieve the item. Be aware that the trap will be full of water, though, so have something under it to catch the spills.

To help you repair a leaky water line, you should hire a plumber. A leaky water line can be a problem because it could lead to a flood. The best way to fix this problem is to hire a licensed plumber who is trained to repair the leak.

It’s important to know how to turn off the water in your home in case the worst happens. For example, if your bathroom sink started leaking, do you know how to stop it? Walk around your home and find all the shut-off valves for each set of pipes and write them down. Create a map so you can always have a reference if necessary.

In conclusion, you want to take the time now before there is an issue to learn about plumbing so that you know what to do when something occurs. When you are panicked or when your home is at risk, you will not be in the best mode for learning. Hopefully this article helps you immensely.

Gardening And Landscaping: Doing It Yourself Or Calling In A Professional

Gardening And Landscaping: Doing It Yourself Or Calling In A Professional

With the hustle and bustle associated with daily life in the 21st century, many people have become intensely interested in developing a living environment at home that is soothing, calming and peaceful. Towards this end, an ever growing number of people have come to recognize and appreciate the benefits of gardens. Indeed, the life enhancing benefits of plants and flowers is significant.

As a consequence of an increasing segment of the population who expresses an interest in developing that perfect home garden — complete with lush plants and colorful flowers — many people are faced with the question of whether they should plant and create their own garden spaces or whether they should call in a landscaping professional.

In considering whether to “do it yourself” (when it comes to creating a garden and undertaking landscaping) or whether to hire a professional, there are pros and cons to be found on both sides of the proverbial fence. Of course, as mentioned previously, the 21st century is a point in time when many, many people maintain very full schedules. In other words, they simply do not have the time to spend creating that prefect garden or landscape for their homes. Obviously, for such men and women, a professional landscape artist provides the perfect solution.

On the other hand, precisely because life is rushed for so many people, gardening can be a great release and relief. People can obtain a much needed break from the machinations of their daily schedules by spending quality time working the soil, planting flowers and tending to garden plots and patches generally.

You may be one of those people who would like to undertake the creation of your own flower and plant gardens on your own. However, you may feel that you lack the necessary “green thumb” to develop an eye-catching and visually appealing landscape. If that is the case, if you are a person who would like to take up the creation of flower gardens and landscaping on your own but feel you need some guidance, help and assistance is available.

There are now a group of gardening and landscaping professionals available to consult with you in the development and creation of attractive outdoor scenes. These consultants work hand in hand with you; they provide definitive expertise and assistance in aiding you in the design and implementation of an attractive landscape complete with stunning flower gardens and vibrant greenery.

In the final analysis, there are benefits to be had both by understaking your own gardening and landscaping course or by calling in the aid of a gardening consultant or a full-service landscaping operator. When all is said and done, you will end up with gardens and landscaping that you will make you proud and that will make your home all the more appealing.

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