Monthly Archives: October 2021

How To Do Some Plumbing In Your Own Home

October 08, 2021   Matt

How To Do Some Plumbing In Your Own Home

Maintaining and repairing your own plumbing is an essential part of home improvement, but understanding it and buying the right equipment can be tricky. There are lots of things to consider for your particular plumbing job. Here are some steps you can take to ensure you get started with your own plumbing jobs.

At least once a year remove the faucet aerator and clean the screens. This helps it properly function. The function of a faucet aerator is to allow for an even flow of water and to conserve water. Be sure to clean out the aerator and you’ll notice a these things working.

If you are using PEX tubing for the supply lines in your home, make sure you get the right tools for the job. PEX tubing requires a completely different tool type than regular lines. PEX has a lot of benefits though, so don’t let the different requirements throw you off.

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.

The next time you have a clogged drain, avoid the simple solution of dumping drain-clearing chemicals into the pipes. While this method involves the least amount of effort, the chemicals in these liquid cleaners are destructive to your piping. Instead, consider using a little bit of elbow grease with a plunger, snake, or other device designed to clear your clog without chemicals.

Remove all foreign objects from your drain, before you clean the area with chemicals. These objects include all kitchen utensils, fruit pits and certain types of metal objects. These cannot be flushed down your drain and could damage your unit significantly, if you put them through the garbage disposal.

Keep an eye on the grout between tiles in your bathroom. Watch for cracks and areas where the grout seems to be falling out, and repair them immediately. Small grout crack issues can be easily repaired by pulling out the bad and putting in new grout. Allow any new grout to dry completely before exposing it to water.

In order to keep your garbage disposal in optimal working condition, run it on a regular basis. Just a simple 60 seconds per day under cold water can keep it running clean and smooth. If not run regularly, your disposal can be susceptible to corrosion that will eventually make it inoperable.

If you are considering a plumbing improvement in your home, consider the costs of hiring a professional vs. doing-it-yourself. After thinking about how much it will cost you to figure out what the appropriate pipes to use are, the time it will take to learn the trade and the time needed to learn the mapping of your plumbing system, you may find it cheaper to hire a professional.

As you read, plumbing can be an incredibly important aspect to your current and future home improvement and so is understanding all the different techniques and equipment. This is so it makes it easier for you to understand what you need for your plumbing jobs. Following the tips in this article is a very good starting place.

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Installing your new bathroom tiles

October 06, 2021   Matt

Installing your new bathroom tiles

Laying your bathroom tiles with a dynamic flooring pattern or a deep wall color can make the difference as you remodel your bathroom floor. A nice bathroom needs a ceramic tile floor.

Before laying the bathroom tiles, start by removing your old carpet and carpet strips. Use a cutoff saw to make room for the bathroom tile to slip under the doorjambs. Place a portion of the tile pattern starting at the doorway to set up a centerline and then strike a chalk line.

Cut the bathroom tile with a wet saw or tile snips. Work your way up one side of the room and down the other. Allow 1/8″ for grout lines; spacers can be used for consistency. Mix the thinnest using an electric drill with a mixing bit.

Mix small amounts at a time, adding water slowly to maintain the right consistency. Mix enough to lay down a dozen or so bathroom tile at once, and be ready to go to work as the thinnest dries quickly using a trowel to apply the thinnest to the floor.

When the bathroom tiles are all in place and some-what dry, use a grout saw to scrape the excess thinnest out of the joints where the grout will go. A shop van will clean most of this up, but use a wet sponge to get the surface clean. Once dry, begin applying the grout with a rubber trowel.

One more sponge cleaning will be required to get up the film once the bathroom tiles is dried completely. It’s recommended to apply a grout sealer after about 48 hours or so to help avoid any staining problems that occur during normal use.

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Event Etiquette

October 05, 2021   Matt

Event Etiquette

The workshop was over. The delegates had long gone and Margaret Kerr was recovering with a cup of coffee. The room was strewn with sheets of flip chart paper, the debris of the buffet lunch and countless empty coffee cups covered every horizontal surface in the room. Margaret was drained. The workshop had been a tough one for a trainer; the delegates had all been sharp and smart; they had challenged her knowledge and demanded long explanations of the reasons behind the theories she was asking them to buy into. She looked at the bomb-site that was once an orderly training room and knew she didn’t have the energy to do much more than crawl to her car. After all, she reasoned, the conference center cleaning staff would tidy up, wouldn’t they.

Once the rooms are clear of delegates and you have bathed in the glory of a successful event, it is time to dismantle everything that you came with. As with the assembly process, it is useful to assign specific responsibilities to members of the event team and to manage the process as smoothly as possible. For larger events, keep a checklist of everything that needs to be done on a flip chart and, as items are completed, score them out. Using a clearly visible list like this gives everyone involved an easy reference and allows them to decide themselves how they can best help others once they have completed their own tasks.

If events are to be a frequent part of your life, you will want a venue to welcome you back with open arms. To make this a certainty, try as much as possible to leave the venue rooms as you found them, litter-free and ready for the cleaning staff to prepare them for the next users.

This may seem like common sense but you will be surprised how easy it is, at the end of a particularly stressful event, to follow the impulse to cut and run. Your reputation is worth more than a few sheets of paper.

Providing venue feedback

As you leave with the last load of equipment, make a point of contacting your conferencing contact at the venue. Show them your feedback from the evaluation forms; if they are worth their salt, they will be eager to read it. Add any feedback of your own, positive and negative but always leave a nice, juicy positive comment to the last and tell them you’ll be back.

If you’ve had any particularly excellent service from the conferencing staff, make a point of following up your feedback with a thank you letter to the venue manager. A little careful attention to detail now will buy you royal treatment on your next visit.

Margaret was about to slide quietly away when her colleague Ben, walked in looking full of energy. “Where do you get the energy, Ben?” she asked. “I pace myself” he stated in a matter of fact way “the day ain’t over till it’s over”

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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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Tips on How to Clean Vinyl Siding Without Really Maintaining It

October 01, 2021   Matt

Tips on How to Clean Vinyl Siding Without Really Maintaining It

Yes, we know that vinyl siding is the most durable and may be the most lasting siding material next to brick and stone. But don’t treat it like Iron Man, because it isn’t. It is somewhat brittle and heavy objects unceremoniously propped onto its side will cause it to break and sport holes that will only be repaired by replacing, at worst, the entire area.

Aside from that, vinyl siding is very maintenance free. You’d only have to periodically wash its surface to remove dirt, dust, and stain that may have gotten on its surface. And just like any plastic, it can be cleaned with a regular soap and brush. Vinyl is also remarkably durable; it only needs to be replaced every 30 years minimum. It outlasts aluminum for that span of time; it is highly probable that aluminum by then will be sporting dents, holes and depressions here and there. Barring coloring problems, vinyl can withstand easily any force.

However, there’s always a set of commandments that should be followed to ensure that these vinyl sidings last that amount of time. Here’s a countdown.

* Vinyl is a hard plastic that can be brittle. Avoid plunking heavy objects onto its face. If necessary, prop it with care.

* Earlier models are poorly rated for colors that cover the surface. This is evident when scratches upon the face reveal lighter colors. In today’s manufacturing, however, colors are baked into the depth of the vinyl siding. When scratched, those lines will often be invisible since colors are now true and uniformly the same underneath. Still, it is best to avoid scratching the siding even if only to retain is natural glossing.

* Since its construction only involves in snapping the edges together, vinyl sidings tend to leak a lot. So, check periodically channels and punch holes into bottom siding to allow penetrated water to escape.

So, the next question would be how to clean vinyl siding. As was discussed, soap and water can do the job. Even casual rinsing with a moderately powered hose will be enough as long as you take care that water won’t be entering forcibly through the gaps.

There will be time when stains appear and conventional detergent can’t remove them. So, how to clean vinyl sidings with this kind of dirt is our next point of interest.

Using Restora® Heavy Duty Cleaner available at www.flood.com is an immediate answer. This cleaning agent removes deep stains such as mildew, oxidation, chalk, and even algae stains. You ca use it in junction with the Restora® Lo-Lustre Vinyl Revitalizer. This product restores vinyl surfaces to a “brand new” surface and shine.

Be very careful though, on using strong cleaning agents. Some agents will completely remove coloring of vinyl or severely damage it.

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