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Summer is here! Unfortunately, it can’t all be fun in the sun. For some people, summer brings thunderstorms, heavy rains and flooded basements. Basements that are prone to flooding need special accommodations to provide extra drainage. In the following post, we’ll help you remove water from your flooded basement, then provide advice that can prevent floods in the future. Removing Water from an Already Flooded Basement Submersible utility pumps are designed to remove a lot of water in a little amount of time. Submersibles are designed to sit in the water and suck it up from the floor of your […]
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You’ve wondered the answer to this before: which one is better, hand-washing or dishwashing? Better for the dishes? For the environment? Which one works better? Which one costs less? Which takes less time? The answers could surprise you. Which one is greener? It seems that the majority of people who wash their dishes by hand leave a steady, semi-hard stream of water running throughout the process. Doing dishes this way can waste up to 5 gallons per minute. Compared to Energy Star dishwasher models, which can use as little as 3 gallons per load, this is an incredible statistic. Put […]
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Your in-ground pool is a great pleasure to your entire family…3 months out of the year. Installing a pool heater will allow your family to use your pool heater in times of cool weather as well as hot. We’re posting this step-by-step tutorial to teach you how to install a standard pool heater. To do this, you’ll want to be comfortable working with water and gas lines. If you’re not an accomplished DIYer, seek professional help for this task. Pick Your Gas Heater Picking the right gas heater for your pool isn’t as easy as it sounds. You’ll want to […]
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For a lot of homeowners, toilets are a mystery. They behave in strange ways–sometimes ghost flushing, sometimes running constantly, and sometimes not filling up all the way with water. If your toilet tank isn’t filling up all the way, there could be a variety of reasons for the problem. These tips will help you with the trouble shooting and repair process. Toilets 101 Before you can fix the problem, you must first understand how a toilet works and what all the parts do. We recommend watching the video below. We’ve posted this clip before, but it’s so good we’re going […]
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Summer is almost here! Homeowners everywhere are gearing up for backyard barbecues and afternoon parties and fun in the sun. Of course, with great privilege comes great responsibility. While you’re having a good time in the back yard with your guests and the kids, your plumbing may be suffering under all the extra wear and tear. These tips will help you prepare your home and your family for these 5 potential plumbing problems, so you can avoid issues and enjoy your summer. Clogged Toilets With the kids home, your toilets will be working double time all season long. Hold bathroom […]
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The gutters on your home have one purpose only: to provide a path for excess water to drain. When the gutter system fails and water overflows the downspout gutter, the results can cause hundreds or thousands of dollars in water damage to the roof, walls and foundation of your home. In many cases an overflowing downspout gutter is something that a homeowner can easily fix without seeking professional help. Knowing how to fix your gutters without a handyman will save you money on repairs while also giving you the feeling of a job well done. Diagnose the Problem An overflowing […]
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It’s the eternal debate between newlyweds and roommates: which direction should the toilet paper hang? Does the loose end drape over the top or hang from the bottom? Which one is better? Until just recently, it seemed like this giant question in the sky would be forever unanswered and left to opinion. Today, new evidence suggests that there actually is a right and wrong way to hang your toilet paper on the roll. Seth Wheeler’s 1891 Patent Toilet paper has been in use for centuries, but not always in a form that our modern society would recognize. According to Wikipedia, toilet […]
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Legionnaires’ disease is a form of acute pneumonia that affects people who inhale Legionnaires’-causing bacteria. In 2011 and 2012, Legionnaires’ disease was responsible for 6 deaths and illness in 16 others at the VA hospital in Pittsburgh. In an attempt to control the spread of Legionnaires’, the VA began treating its water supply with heavy doses of chlorine in 2013. High Chlorine Content Has Led to Extensive Damage It’s been reported that the use of chlorine in the water has shortened the lifespan of the VA’s pipes by years, and has resulted in pitting, rusting and leaking in the hospital […]
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You’ve all seen the local news segment on KDKA, where reporter Marty Griffin addresses social justice issues in the Pittsburgh area. This week’s posting is dedicated to the 5 best Get Marty segments and we’ve included a very special episode at end of this blog post! 1. Garth Brooks Fan Battling Cancer Angie Kervelis is a woman with stage 4 cancer who had plans to go see Garth Brooks in concert. When she was told that her next round of chemotherapy would coincide with the upcoming concert, she called Ticketmaster repeatedly seeking a refund, but to no avail. When […]
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It’s little wonder that you’ve been dreaming about an island sink for years. Kitchen islands are among the most coveted of kitchen features, and a sink can make your island just that much more desirable. Plumbing an island sink isn’t much more complicated than plumbing a standard sink, with just one exception. The drainage for an island sink must be installed in a special configuration, or a special vent called an “air admittance valve” must be installed on the drainage pipe. This step-by-step tutorial will walk you through the process of installing the plumbing for an island sink using an […]
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