Plumber San Ramon - Check for Water Leaks - Guaranteed Plumbing Co Danville

 

How to Check for Leaks

Studies show that dripping faucets and leaking toilets account for as much as 14% of all indoor water use, equivalent to 10 gallons per person of water lost per day.

 

Read Your Water Meter - Use your water meter to check for leaks in your home. Start by turning off all faucets and water-using appliances and make sure no one uses water during the testing period. Check this page on "How to read your water meter".

 

Take a reading on your water meter, wait for about 30 minutes, and then take a second reading. If the dial has moved, you have a leak.

 

Check for Leaky Toilets - The most common source of leaks is the toilet. Check toilets for leaks by placing a few drops of food coloring in the tank. If after 15 minutes the dye shows up in the bowl, the toilet has a leak.

Leaky toilets can usually be repaired inexpensively by replacing the flapper.

• Toilets can account for almost 30% of all indoor water use, more than any other fixture or appliance.
   
• Older toilets (installed prior to 1994) use 3.5 to 7 gallons of water per flush and as much as 20 gallons  per person per day.
   
• Replacing an old toilet with a new model can save the typical household 7,900 to 21,700 gallons of water per year, cutting both your water and wastewater bills.
• Check all faucets for drips. Replace worn and leaking washers, gaskets, pipes or defective fixtures.
• Check for leaks on outside faucets, and make sure the valve closes properly.

source: http://www.winterportmaine.org/waterleaks.htm


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Plumber Danville - Are the pipes in your home vibrating in the wall? - Guaranteed Plumbing Danville

Are the pipes in your home vibrating in the wall?




Typically this is Water Hammer.  The water pressure in your pipes is too high.
You may need to allow your water arrestors to recharge. In some residences, pipes rise above the tee in order to trap air so that water does not "hammer" when turned on or off. Try turning off the water at the valve into your house. Open the hose bibbs, sink, bath and shower faucets and allow the cold water to drain out. Once drained, turn off the faucets and hose bibbs and turn the watersupply valve back on. Start at the closest faucet to the water supply valve and turn them on throughout the house moving from closest to farthest. Air should sputter from each as you go. When you have all of the cold water running, air should be trapped in any arrestor pipes. Turn off the all faucets. Air should now be trapped in the arrestor pipes, softening the noise when water is turned off. If you do not have riser type arrestor pipes you may have cartridge type water arrestors. These are typically in the wall and are hard to get access to. The riser type water arrestor pipes can typically be seen in the attic running straight up 12" to 18" above the pipe tee dropping down the wall to your tub.  Also, check that your pipes are anchored. That would be pipe straps that hold the pipe down to your framing. One other thing to check is to see if you have a loose screw or washer in your sink faucet. But, this noise would occur only when the sink was running. Also, check that the valves under your sink are fully open. Also, if you have a pressure regulator on your water supply, check and verify it's setting. You may have higher water pressure that is affecting the piping in your residence. Sometimes the diaphragm goes bad in the regulator and needs to be replaced. Not a major project. Also, if you do not have one on your hot water heater, an Expansion Tank is a good thing to install. 

source: http://www.justanswer.com/plumbing/2ghgo-pipes-house-seem-vibrating-wall-behind.html
by Patrick


http://www.guranteedplumbingco.com

Plumbing San Ramon - When Should I Repipe My Home - Guaranteed Plumbing Co Danville

When Should I Repipe My Home?

If you are looking to repipe your home the first question we think you should ask is… well, why? There are many different reasons to repipe your home and usually the reason for repiping will decide which repiping option is best for you the homeowner.

Old Galvanized Piping – Galvanized Piping should ALWAYS be replaced. Galvanized Piping was originally thought to not rust as easily as other types of piping but the truth is it rusts very easy and if you have galvanized piping you are almost assured to have rust in your lines.

It is not healthy to be drinking water from these old rusted pipes. Also, it limits the amount of water flow and can cause other problems in other parts of your house as well. You can think of this rust as cholesterol for you pipes.

Leaking Copper Piping – If your copper piping (or any piping for that manner) is continually springing leaks in different areas there may be different reasons why. Depending on the type of copper that was put into your home when it was first built or remodeled, the builder may have used a low quality copper. For Example a type M copper is thinner than a type L copper (we only use the strongest types L or K for all copper piping). Another reason is the chemical composition of your water may actually over time eat away at the copper piping depending on how aggressive the makeup of the water is. If the water in your area is a very aggressive solution, you may have over time thinner wall on your piping making leaks and a repipe inevitable.

Illegal Piping – Its a sad truth that many contractors (including licensed ones) sometimes put in piping that is illegal and not up to building code. There is usually a reason this piping is not legal and should be taken seriously as it may be a hazard. Many times people never know until they get some work done or try to sell their home and find they can sell it because of the hazard this piping creates.

There are many other reason you may want to repipe your home but in our experience these are the most common.

by Aaron

Danville Plumber - How to know when your Toilet is leaking - Guaranteed Plumbing Co Danville

It's not enough to just know your toilet is leaking; you also need to know what part is leaking. Here's a list of the most common places inside the tank that can leak into the bowl..

A worn out flapper or ball.
A damaged seat under the flapper.
A damaged gasket under the flush valve.
A hole or crack in the overflow tube.
A refill valve (ballcock) that needs a new seat or washer.

There are a number of signs that a toilet needs some repairs, but many toilets leak without conspicious indications of trouble. Here are some of the more obvious signs of a leaking toilet:

*** If you have to jiggle the handle to make a toilet stop running.

*** Any sounds coming from a toilet that is not being used are sure signs of leaks.

*** If you have to hold the handle down to allow the tank to empty. This can also mean the chain or strap is too long and doesn't lift the flapper or ball high enough to float on its own.

*** If you see water running over the top of the overflow, you definitely have a leaking refill valve. If you are unsure whether or not water is running over the top of the overflow pipe; sprinkle talcum powder on top of the water in the tank, and you can clearly see whether or not it is. A student of Toiletology 101 recently e-mailed me that he sprinkled talcum powder on top of the water in the bowl and it clearly will show water leaking into the bowl.

*** If you can see water trickling down the sides of the toilet bowl long after it's been flushed;

*** If water drips out of the refill tube into the overflow pipe;

*** If a toilet turns the water on for 15 secords or so without you touching the handle, this is otherwise known as the phantom flusher.

However, even if your toilet doesn't have any of these symptoms, it's still possible that it is leaking. These leaks are known as SILENT LEAKS, because they usually go undetected. There is an easy test you can do that will positively tell you whether or not your toilet is leaking. And if the test shows that the toilet is leaking, there is a second test that tells you what part inside the tank is responsible and needs fixing.

Remove the cover on the toilet tank and carefully set it aside so it can't be accidently knocked over and cracked. Remove any "in-tank" bowl cleaners that color the water and begin the test with clear water in the tank as well as in the bowl.

You'll need some dye. Some municipal water companies will provide dye capsules or tablets, but food coloring or instant coffee works fine. Another great suggestion from a viewer is to use several tablespoons of a powdered fruit drink mix; grape flavored is perfect. Now put enough dye in the tank water to give the water a deep color. Wait 30 minutes and make sure nobody uses the toilet. In 30 minutes if you find any of the dyed water is now in the toilet bowl -- your toilet is leaking. A properly operating toilet will store water in the tank indefinitely without any water running into the bowl. A student once told me she thought that water was supposed to be running in the toilet bowl to help keep it clean. Another student told me that she thought when you had a leaking toilet there would be water visible on the floor.

Water on the floor around a toilet is certainly a problem. It can be dripping off a sweaty toilet tank during humid weather; it can mean the wax sealing ring under the bowl has disintegrated, or the bowl is cracked; or it can mean the connections under the tank are leaking. (These problems will be covered later.)

So for now, let's say you've done the dye test and found your toilet is leaking, you now have to find out which part is the culprit ... the flush valve or the refill valve. And there's another simple little test that points to the perpetrator of the crime.

Draw a pencil line on the back wall of the tank on the inside of the tank at the waterline. Then turn the water supply off, either under the tank or at the main shutoff ~~ wait 20 to 30 minutes. If the water level remains at the pencil mark ~~ the leak is occuring at the REFILL VALVE, the unit in the left side of the tank. If the water level falls below the pencil mark ~~ the leak is in the FLUSH VALVE, the unit located in the center of the tank.

Photos courtesy Fluidmaster, Inc.
As noted above a leaking toilet should never be ignored; it can be a very costly oversight. The "Dye Test" is so easy to do and so useful that I found it impossible to believe that it was not included in an article published in USA Today titled, "Tender loving care beats costly home repairs" on 20 January 2006. In the section, Managing Your Money, the article took up two-thirds of a full page complete with several photos, sidebars and a Month-by-month to-do list. It appeared they covered everything except the toilet! Because a leak inside of a toilet is often not visible or audible, too many people can't believe their high water bills are due to a neglected toilet. Make sure you add this simple test to your home maintenance to-do list.  If you have determined the leak is at the flush valve and you replace the ball, flapper, seal or whatever and it still leaks, there is one more test to further try and pinpoint the problem. This time turn the water off to the toilet before going to bed. In the morning, check the water level. If there's about an inch in the bottom of the tank and the water level is even with the edges of the seat, the leak is either a bad stopper (ball, flapper or whatever) or a damaged seat. On the other hand, if the tank is almost entirely empty, and the water level is below the edges of the seat, the problem is a damaged gasket under the flush valve. This means the tank will have to be separated from the bowl in order to get to the connections.

If you don't have more than one bathroom and must use the toilet during the night, flush the toilet with a bucket of water from the bathtub. Fill a scrub bucket with water and dump the water into the bowl all at one time. It will clear the bowl.

source: http://www.toiletology.com/leaking.shtml


 http://www.guaranteedplumbingco.com

San Ramon Plumber - Your Toilet Should Last 50 Years and Other Interesting Facts - Guaranteed Plumbing Co Danville

Your Toilet Should Last 50 Years and Other Interesting Facts

Everything in your house will require replacement. Here is a guide to the life expectancy of many of the components of the typical U.S. house. Please keep in mind that these are general industry standards, and family size and location can dramatically affect the expected life of an item.

Compiled from information published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.


http://www.guaranteedplumbingco.com

Orinda Plumber - Moisture is the Most Destructive Force - Guaranteed Plumbing Co

Moisture is the most destructive force

Of all of the defects we look for in a home inspection, moisture is always the one that causes the most concern. Moisture is one of the worst enemies your home can have. It can cause your clothes and furnishings to mildew, ruin interior surfaces, reduce the insulating value of your insulation, cause squeaky floors and nail popping, cause paint peeling and stains on the walls and ceilings, and can ruin the structural frame of your house through fungus growth and rot.

Moisture levels in a home depend on a variety of different factors such as lifestyle (showering, cooking, heating and cooling), number of occupants, leaks and ground/atmospheric moisture. Moisture wants to move from areas of high vapor pressure to areas of low vapor pressure. Vapor pressure is the pressure exerted by water molecules in a mixture of air. When a home is being heated, moisture wants to move outside, and when it is being air-conditioned, moisture wants to move inside.

 

Since San Diego’s climate is generally dry, moisture in homes is usually caused by plumbing problems or building envelope (roof, window and wall) failures. The most destructive leaks are the slow leaks that go unnoticed for a long time. These can occur under sinks, behind dishwashers and refrigerators, and in bathrooms, or long term exposure to sprinklers. This creates a perfect environment for bacterial growth. While not all mold is toxic, it can lead to musty odors, deterioration of the house, and aggravate people with allergies.

 

Moisture in building materials can destroy structural integrity and nurture mold. The first step in moisture problem remediation is to quickly and accurately locate and remove all sources of moisture. Infrared cameras can show you what’s wet and what’s dry by highlighting differences in temperature due to thermal mass variations. IR cameras can help find the ultimate source with little or no physical disassembly of the premises and minimal disturbance of inhabitants.

 

What can you do to control moisture?

Bathroom vents can remove excess moisture from showers and baths. Often people do not use the bathroom fan because it is noisy, or they don’t want to let it run while they are gone from the house. We recommend using it! If not, leave the door open when you are done. Closing the door traps moisture in you bathroom which can cause a lot of problems. One great solution is to install a timer switch to control the fan after you exit the bathroom.

 

Kitchen vents, if vented to the outside, can remove excess moisture from cooking. Range hood fans that vent back into the room can remove smoke and odor by passing the exhaust through a filter, but they do not remove moisture from steam. If your house or condo is small, and you have a recirculating vent (one that blows back into the kitchen), be sure to leave a window open.

 

Clothes dryers that are not vented properly can produce large amounts of moisture in a house or garage. We recommend that you do not use a lint trap. These are considered a fire hazard, and they allow lots of warm, moist air into you house or garage. Even if your dryer vents to the outside, periodically check the duct for obstructions or built-up lint. This is a fire hazard, and can lead to blockage which will force the dryer to vent into the house.

 

Ventilation of your garage, crawlspace and attic are a must. Do not block the vents in your garage. There are several reasons for this. In many houses the furnace, water heater, and washer and dryer are located in the garage. These all create heat in addition to parking a car in the garage. If moisture is present you can create a perfect environment for mold. Be sure you have enough ventilation for your crawlspace and attic. The general rule is that you should have one square foot of ventilation of every 150 square feet of crawlspace or attic space. If you have had a room addition added to your house, be sure proper ventilation was installed.

 

Another big help in avoiding moisture problems is drainage, both around and under the house. This includes rain gutters and proper grading which direct water away from the structure. Good drainage will get rid of surface water and high ground water before they become a moisture problem. If you house has a raised foundation, consider installing a vapor barrier on top of the dirt.

 

Many homeowners will experience high humidity conditions in a new home the first year it is occupied. One reason for this is the amount of water that is present in the paint, plaster, concrete and other building materials. This moisture must be evaporated before the house thoroughly dries out. This problem usually corrects itself after the first year. If it does not and moisture problems persist, look for other causes of moisture problems and then correct them.

 

source: http://sdinspections.com/moisture

 

http://www.guaranteedplumbingco.com

Orinda Plumber - 10 Ways to Prevent a Home-Plumbing Nightmare - Guaranteed Plumbing Co Danville

10 Ways to Prevent a Home-Plumbing Nightmare

A home plumbing job can quickly become a nightmare. Here are 10 rules to avoid disaster.

 

 

When homeowners hoist a wrench to install or repair sinks, tubs and toilets, they risk more than leaks. They risk their sanity, finances and general mechanical disaster. Here are 10 essential principles to avoid plumbing disaster. 

1. Don't go galvanic.

You often see copper and galvanized steel plumbing mixed in residential water systems with nothing separating them other than a little thread sealant or Teflon plumbing tape. The galvanic connection (copper to steel) can be trouble-free for years or the steel plumbing can begin to corrode almost as soon as the connection is tight. 

What to do: Use a plumbing fitting called a dielectric union to connect copper pipe to galvanized steel. The fitting uses a steel collar on the steel side and a copper collar on the copper side and isolation bushings to keep the parts separate. 

2. Flow out, not back.

Back flow occurs in municipal water systems (or within a house) when there's a sudden and severe drop in water pressure that causes water to flow back through pipes opposite the direction that it normally flows. When a runaway car severs a fire hydrant, for example, parts of a municipal system will see a flow reversal as water gushes out the hole where the hydrant once stood. The same thing can happen if there's a massive leak within your house. 

 

What to do: If your house's water is supplied by a municipal water system and you do a lot of work outside with a garden hose, use a vacuum-breaker fitting threaded onto the end of the hose bib (the valve mounted on the outside of the house). These fittings prevent back flow from a garden hose and attachments in the event of a massive shift in pressure. Some municipalities require their use, and they're not a bad idea even if you have a well. Suppose you've left a garden hose in a bucket of sudsy water and the severed-fire-hydrant scenario occurs. The vacuum breaker prevents water from being pulled out of the hose and bucket and into the municipal water system. If you're replacing a hose bib, use a freeze-proof type with a built-in vacuum breaker. Common sense measures apply too. For example, don't leave a hose unattended in a bucket and don't leave a hose laying in a puddle on the lawn. 

Likewise, if you replace or repair the main supply and valves entering the house, you may likely be required to install a back-flow preventer. 

3. Use the right connector.

Don't forget, gas lines count as plumbing too. Connecting a new gas range or dryer to an existing gas line seems simple, but the job can quickly go awry when you try to hook up a flexible gas connector to the line and find that the connector doesn't fit or you can't make the connection gas-tight, no matter how tight you make the connection. 

What to do: This is a thread compatibility problem usually brought about by a mismatch between the iron pipe supplying gas and the fitting on the end of the flexible connector you intend to use to bring the fuel to the appliance. The simplest solution is to buy a universal connection kit for a dryer or for a gas range. The kit will come with a variety of adapters to help you make the transition from the pipe and fitting supplying the gas to whatever appliance will be using it. 

4. Know where your pipes are.

Pounding nails and driving screws is all well and good, until you puncture a copper or plastic supply or drain. 

What to do: Buy a stud sensor that also detects pipes and wirings. You can also look around in the attic or the basement (if it's unfinished) to get a sense of where pipes are hiding. Finally, if the wall will be covered by whatever you're building or installing, you can always carefully cut a test hatch to find plumbing lurking in the walls. 

5. Know the code.

Plumbing is a tricky business, with rules that dictate how far you can place a fixture from the home's drain-waste-vent line based on the pipe diameter and other arcane matters. The only way you can handle a big job yourself is to know the code and what it calls for in pipe sizing, fixture spacing and related matters. 

What to do: There's lots of reference for ambitious do-it-yourselfers. Buy a copy of the International Plumbing Code or the Uniform Plumbing Code. One of the best references that we've used here over the years is Code Check, a handbook that's updated as building codes are updated. One of its best features is that it's written to cover common problems and things that even professionals get wrong. 

6. Cut right, fit tight.

You can't make a neat water- or gas-tight joint unless the parts are neatly cut. 

What to do: Buy pro-level tubing cutters, reciprocating-saw blades, hacksaw blades and a plastic pipe saw. For example, you'll be amazed by the difference between a professional tubing cutter from Ridgid, say, and the $5 special from the home center. Likewise, it seems silly to spend $20 for a plastic pipe saw when a standard handsaw works pretty well. The thing is, the plastic pipe saw works better and leaves less of a burr since its teeth have very little set compared to a saw meant for cutting wood. 

Remove burrs from plastic and copper and thoroughly clean both types of plumbing materials before soldering or gluing. Copper is best abraded with plumber's cloth (aluminum-oxide sandpaper on a spool) and plastic requires material-specific primer that softens the plastic so that the adhesive can create an optimal bond. When pipe feels greasy or dirty, use pipe cleaner before applying primer. 

A few minutes of preparation goes a long way in ensuring a watertight or gas-tight joint. 

7. Seal the deal.

Only a soldered or glued joint doesn't require sealant; everything else does. 

What to do: There are typically two types of sealant tapes in hardware stores and home centers. Tape for sealing water connections (in a blue spool) and tape for sealing gas (in a yellow spool). Yet there's no need for you to be satisfied with just those choices. Pros often carry brushable types, with variations specially formulated for threaded plastic or galvanized steel. Visit a plumbing supply house or shop online to find these varieties. Professional varieties have a higher percentage of gap-filling solids and better ensure a tight joint—no small matter given the lack of thread engagement that you often find today with badly made plumbing materials, valves and fixtures. 

8. Don't over-tighten.

If tight is good, really tight must be better. Right? Wrong. 

What to do: Given what I just said about the hit-or-miss quality of many plumbing components today, you'd think that a generous application of wrench torque is called for. Not so. A clean, properly cut and fitted joint that's been sealed just doesn't need to be massively tightened. In many cases, after bringing the parts together firmly hand-tight or using a wrench, often all it takes is another half a turn. In fact, brass–copper gas fittings are particularly vulnerable to wrench damage from over-tightening, while steel pipe is more forgiving. 

9. Leak test. Always.

It should be obvious: Make a thorough leak inspection before closing up and moving on. 

What to do: When you've installed a new valve component (or the valve itself), aggressively open and close the valve as well as running both hot and cold water through it. Do the same when checking drains. Run water down a drain and fill up a sink or tub and then drain it to check for leaks. Check gas lines with a soapy water and detergent solution or spend a few dollars for an 8-ounce bottle of bubble-creating leak detector sold on the Web or at a plumbing supply house. The advantage of this material, as opposed to dish detergent, is that it creates larger, more brightly visible bubbles than detergent does. 

10. Be kind. To your septic system, that is.

We get asked this question all the time: “Should I use an additive to improve the performance of my septic system and reduce the need to pump the septic tank?" An additive can be almost anything from sugar or enzymes to a dead chicken (we're not kidding about the chicken—we get that one plenty). 

What to do: Don't bother with additives, especially the chicken. A properly designed, built and maintained septic system will last for decades, and trying to reduce pumping intervals will more likely lead to a clogged leaching field as solids, not clear effluent, flows out of the septic tank and out into the leaching field. A septic-tank-pumping company can advise you on how often the tank needs to be pumped. It will depend on the tank's size and how many people live in the home. Likewise, avoid excessive use of chlorine bleach or caustic chemicals that can kill off beneficial digestive bacteria in the septic tank. 


source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/improvement/electrical-plumbing/prevent-home-plumbing-nightmare?click=main_sr
by Roy Berendsohn

http://www.guaranteedplumbingco.com

Plumbing East Bay - 12 Basic Plumbing Supplies For Home Tool Kits - Guaranteed Plumbing Co Danville

Live in a home long enough and you'll eventually have to deal with clogged sinks, dripping faucets, plugged-up toilets and leaky pipes. There's simply no way to avoid it: plumbing problems happen. However, calling a plumber for each and every repair is impractical, expensive and time-consuming. In most cases, you can fix the problem yourself long before the plumber even calls back to schedule an appointment, but only if you have the right plumbing tools on hand. 

I can't tell you how many times I've been called to help friends with a plumbing problem and discovered that their plumbing "tools" consisted of a butter knife, a straightened wire clothes hanger, and a roll of duct tape. Fortunately, most of the tools you need to maintain your home's plumbing system are relatively affordable, and you don't have to buy them all at once. Get these basic tools first, then add more as you need them. And although I didn't include them in the following list, you'll also need some standard home-repair tools, such as a hammer, tape measure, screwdrivers, drill driver, utility knife, safety goggles, work gloves and, of course, a toolbox

The Tools

(Pictured: clockwise from upper left) 

1. Propane Torch: Required if you're going to sweat copper pipe and fittings. Spend the extra money for a self-igniting torch head ($30-$60) that lights at the squeeze of a trigger. You'll find it much more convenient than using a striker or matches. 

2. Tongue-and-Groove Pliers: Commonly called by the brand name Channellocks, these pliers are the first tool plumbers reach for when they need to grab, pull, twist, hold, tighten or loosen something. Be sure to get two sizes: 10-in. ($10-$15) and 12-in. ($20-$25). 

3. Hacksaw: Use this versatile saw ($15-$25) to cut through metal pipe, hardware, screws, nuts and bolts and plastic pipe. Make sure the blade is tense in the frame for tough cuts, and be sure to keep extra blades on hand. In tight spots, wrap one end of a loose blade in a cloth to create a handle to slip the blade in for the cut. 

4. Metal File: This tool removes burrs and smooths the edges of metal pipes after cutting. It's best to have two files on hand: half-round ($10), which has both rounded and flat surfaces, and a rat-tail file ($8), which is round and tapered. 

5. Basin Wrench: An invaluable tool ($10-$20) for tightening and loosening nuts that hold sink faucets in place. The tool's long shaft and swiveling jaw can reach up and into the deep, narrow space behind a sink and lock onto the nuts. There's no other tool that can do what this one does. 

6. Pipe Wrench: These large, heavy wrenches are used to tighten and loosen threaded pipes, fittings and nuts. You'll need two--one for turning and one for gripping and holding. The serrated teeth help the wrench hold its grip but can damage a fixture's finish--when you need protection, wrap the wrench's jaws in a cloth. Buy a 10-in. ($10-15) and a 14-in. ($20-$25) model. 

7. Hand Auger: Sometimes called a plumber's snake, this hand-cranked drain-clearing tool ($20-$30) has a 25-ft.-long flexible steel cable that's effective at clearing obstructions from tubs, showers, sinks, toilets and drain lines. Use it when the plunger (see below) fails to clear the clog. 

8. Adjustable Wrench: This versatile tool is required for working on compression fittings, supply lines and other plumbing parts that have hex-shaped nuts. When shopping, check that the moving jaw holds a firm setting so that it won't slip loose under torque. Again, it's best to get two sizes: 6-in. ($10-$12) and 10-in. ($15-$20). 

9. Tubing Cutter: Looking somewhat like a C-clamp, this essential tool provides the quickest, cleanest way to cut copper pipe. Get both a standard-size tubing cutter ($10-$15) and a close-quarter minicutter ($15-$20), which works in tight spaces. 

(Not shown)
10. Plunger: This indispensable tool ($5-$10) isn't called the plumber's best friend for nothing. It's the first tool to grab when you need to dislodge clogs from sinks, tubs, toilets, showers and floor drains. When using it in a toilet, press down, create a firm seal around the drain, and pull upward. The idea is to vacuum the clog out, not push it deeper. 

11. Closet Auger: A manual clog-clearing tool ($14-$40) that's specifically designed for toilets. Its long steel cable is tough enough to grind through the most stubborn clogs. 

12. Fire-Resistant Cloth: A thick, specially treated cloth ($15) that's used to protect nearby combustible surfaces when soldering with an open-flame propane torch. It's always smart to keep a fire extinguisher nearby, too. 


source: http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/4287807
 by Joseph Truini

http://www.guaranteedplumbingco.com

Plumber Danville - How to Effectively Water Your Lawn

How to Effectively Water Your Lawn

An attractive yard adds to your home’s curb appeal, and watering it correctly is essential in the warmer months. Here are a few ideas for making the most of both your water and your lawn.

 

Water deeply. 
Including rainfall, lawns need about an inch of water per week to stay green during summer. While it may seem logical to water your lawn daily for short spurts, it’s actually better to water deeply and less often. Your grass achieves a root system that goes deeper than the roots of weeds; then the weeds die when the ground dries out, leaving only lush green grass.

When to water.
The magic hour for watering is in the early morning, when water demand is low. After 10 a.m., summer heat can steal moisture from the lawn through evaporation. Only water when your lawn needs it. For example, if your grass doesn’t spring up after you walk on it, or if it starts to curl, turn on the sprinklers. Grass on sunny southern sides of a home will need more watering than shady areas and lawns with northern exposures. Of course, after a heavy rain you should skip watering until your grass needs it again.

Speaking of sprinklers.
Many sprinklers have multiple settings. Set yours to throw larger drops of water semi-laterally. The high, fine mists tend to evaporate too quickly. If you have an automatic sprinkler system, don’t forget to check the heads every now and then to be sure they haven’t veered off to water the side of your home or driveway.

 

source: http://www.ahs.com/home-care-advice/pages/feature.jsp?featureId=m1460067&utm_campiagn=Cust_insideOut_Filters_Oct2012&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=AHSemail&utm_content=MostPopular&full=true