Install Low-Flow Toilets and Fixtures: This one won't win over the folks (like me) who prefer high water-pressure in the shower, but a low-flow toilet, showerhead, or garden hose can save water and money on your monthly bills. Low-flow appliances got a bad reputation when they were first introduced because many users found they used more water trying to flush toilets or get good clean showers, but their quality has improved dramatically over the year
Check for Leaks: One of the best ways to make sure you're not wasting water is to make sure your plumbing isn't wasting it even when all the faucets are closed. Check under your sinks and behind your toilets for water damage and leaks. Even small leaks can add up to a lot of money over the course of a year.
Hack Your Toilet: If you're up for a weekend project, you can buy a retrofit kit to turn your standard toilet into a water – and money – saving dual-flush model. If you're not interested in that much work, use the old water displacement trick to turn any toilet into a low-flow one: fill up a half-gallon jug with water, cap it, and put it in the toilet tank.
Take Navy Showers: Jump in, get wet, turn off the water. Soap up and clean yourself off, then turn the shower back on to rinse. It's a simple way to use very little water and still get clean – but if your morning shower is a refreshing, relaxing start to your morning, you'll hate this approach.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
How to prevent grease from becomming a problem in your drainage system
To prevent cloggs related to fats, oils and greases from happening, follow these good practices:
Before washing dishes, scrape and dry them with a paper towel.
Pour cooled oils and greas into a covered container and mix with other absorbent material like paper towels, kitty litter or coffee grounds before disposing in the trash.
Minimize garbage disposal use and place a basket or strainer over your drain to catch food items, then throw them in the trash.
Before washing dishes, scrape and dry them with a paper towel.
Pour cooled oils and greas into a covered container and mix with other absorbent material like paper towels, kitty litter or coffee grounds before disposing in the trash.
Minimize garbage disposal use and place a basket or strainer over your drain to catch food items, then throw them in the trash.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Soil Stack or Stack Vent
It is the pipe that takes methane gas, also commonly referred to as sewer gas, from the plumbing system and safely vents it up through the roof, where it is diluted into the atmosphere.
Periodically it can become plugged. When that happens, run an auger or long snake down the vent until the obstruction is removed, then flush it clear using a garden hose with the water turned on.
Oftentimes, the boot or collar dries out and cracks. Leaks can develop and rot the roof boards and ceiling below. You can tar around this pipe, but the tar also dries out. For under $10 you can buy a stack sleeve the easily slides down the vent, hugging it, while eliminating further leaks.
Periodically it can become plugged. When that happens, run an auger or long snake down the vent until the obstruction is removed, then flush it clear using a garden hose with the water turned on.
Oftentimes, the boot or collar dries out and cracks. Leaks can develop and rot the roof boards and ceiling below. You can tar around this pipe, but the tar also dries out. For under $10 you can buy a stack sleeve the easily slides down the vent, hugging it, while eliminating further leaks.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Bidet toilet seat
A form of the traditional bidet is becoming popular in America, thanks to new technology. It's called a bidet toilet seat and basically it can turn your existing toilet into a functioning bidet. This saves a lot of space and drastically cuts down on installation costs compared to installing a separate plumbing fixture.
For selections, contact a plumbing supply house and get information on the "toilet seats with bidet functionality." These seats use automatically extending water wands that give a soft aerated private spray wash. This leads us to your next question. As far as water use, bidets have long been considered a water-saving fixture, because they allow the user an option of partial bathing instead of a total body shower.
Finally, your last question is about comfort. Yes, you do have the option of controlling water temperature, because the quality bidet toilet seats on the market today have in-line water heaters. Some bidet seats even have seat warmers, flow settings, warm-air drying, and even odor control. Put that in a nice package with a "remote control"option and you may never want to leave your bathroom.
Remember, you'll need to work with a licensed contractor, because bidet seats do require electrical and plumbing work, plus any permits needed. And the seats themselves can be pricey. But, the payback is you'll end up with a plumbing fixture that can do "double duty" as a toilet and a bidet. Not a bad investment in the end!
For selections, contact a plumbing supply house and get information on the "toilet seats with bidet functionality." These seats use automatically extending water wands that give a soft aerated private spray wash. This leads us to your next question. As far as water use, bidets have long been considered a water-saving fixture, because they allow the user an option of partial bathing instead of a total body shower.
Finally, your last question is about comfort. Yes, you do have the option of controlling water temperature, because the quality bidet toilet seats on the market today have in-line water heaters. Some bidet seats even have seat warmers, flow settings, warm-air drying, and even odor control. Put that in a nice package with a "remote control"option and you may never want to leave your bathroom.
Remember, you'll need to work with a licensed contractor, because bidet seats do require electrical and plumbing work, plus any permits needed. And the seats themselves can be pricey. But, the payback is you'll end up with a plumbing fixture that can do "double duty" as a toilet and a bidet. Not a bad investment in the end!
Friday, July 23, 2010
In case of an emergency know where your water shut off valve is
Almost all water meters have one main shutoff valve directly before the meter and another directly after. Where the meter is located depends on the climate in your area.
In cold climates, the meter and main shutoff valves are located inside, usually in a basement or other warm area to prevent freezing. In milder climates, the meter and its two shutoff valves may be attached to an exterior wall or nestled in an underground box with a removable lid. Between the water main in the street and the meter, there's also usually a buried curb stop valve (accessible only by city workers wielding special long-handled wrenches) and a corporation stop, where your house water line hooks up to the water main. Your city absolutely doesn't want you messing around with these last two valves. They prefer you turn your water off or on using the main valve on the house side of the meter. This valve will normally be a gate-type valve, with a round knurled handle, requiring several full clockwise rotations to turn off. In newer homes, it could be a ball valve.
In cold climates, the meter and main shutoff valves are located inside, usually in a basement or other warm area to prevent freezing. In milder climates, the meter and its two shutoff valves may be attached to an exterior wall or nestled in an underground box with a removable lid. Between the water main in the street and the meter, there's also usually a buried curb stop valve (accessible only by city workers wielding special long-handled wrenches) and a corporation stop, where your house water line hooks up to the water main. Your city absolutely doesn't want you messing around with these last two valves. They prefer you turn your water off or on using the main valve on the house side of the meter. This valve will normally be a gate-type valve, with a round knurled handle, requiring several full clockwise rotations to turn off. In newer homes, it could be a ball valve.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Keeping good employees
Money will always be the ultimate measure of business and personal success, but smart companies get there in three steps:
Step 1: Show the love. Let employees know you care about them as human beings, not just as workers; and be genuine about it, so they believe you really mean it.
Step 2: Treat them with respect. Keep everyone informed and make their work relevant. Show that they are important to the company and that you value their input.
Step 3: Share the wealth. Now that you’ve got their attention and they feel good about the place, offer well-organized, realistic, fair, and meaningful opportunities to share in the revenue that their improved performance brings to the organization.
Step 1: Show the love. Let employees know you care about them as human beings, not just as workers; and be genuine about it, so they believe you really mean it.
Step 2: Treat them with respect. Keep everyone informed and make their work relevant. Show that they are important to the company and that you value their input.
Step 3: Share the wealth. Now that you’ve got their attention and they feel good about the place, offer well-organized, realistic, fair, and meaningful opportunities to share in the revenue that their improved performance brings to the organization.
Understanding Costomers
Too often, business owners focus so intently on the bottom line that they lose sight of the bigger picture. Success begins with understanding customers and knowing their needs so that we can fulfill them. But that still isn’t enough: We must properly portray ourselves as the solution to their needs. And that begins with presenting a professional image.
Customers see the image we project as a company and as individuals, too. Consciously or not, they judge us based on what they observe. The perceptions they acquire may or may not be accurate, but that doesn’t make them any less real.
A company that fails to consider what customers think will often pick up traits that alienate people. The disdain for the customer begins with management and then filters down through the ranks. For good or ill, employees will eventually emulate management’s attitudes and will treat customers in the same way.
A company that is conscious of its image will be attentive to feedback and will be more likely to take steps to accentuate the positives and remedy negative perceptions
Customers see the image we project as a company and as individuals, too. Consciously or not, they judge us based on what they observe. The perceptions they acquire may or may not be accurate, but that doesn’t make them any less real.
A company that fails to consider what customers think will often pick up traits that alienate people. The disdain for the customer begins with management and then filters down through the ranks. For good or ill, employees will eventually emulate management’s attitudes and will treat customers in the same way.
A company that is conscious of its image will be attentive to feedback and will be more likely to take steps to accentuate the positives and remedy negative perceptions
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