Plumbing Pipes And Practical Know How

!±8± Plumbing Pipes And Practical Know How

Most people panic when there is a plumbing emergency or general repair that needs to be done. This panic is unnecessary if you have the practical plumbing knowledge. Getting help can be obtained in various ways it can be a phone call to a plumber for a fee or help from a do it yourself book if you are the handyman type or if your lucky you will have a friendly neighborhood plumbing/hardware store that can assist you with all your repair needs.

Water Leaks 101

If at any point in time you notice water in areas that water does not belong the first and most important thing to do is turn off the main valve. This is located at meter or in your home where the water line comes into the house. If you do not know where this is start by looking in your crawl space or basement. Once water has been shut off locate cause of leak determine diameter of pipe and material the pipe is made of ie copper or plastic or steel. You can remove a part of this to take with you if need be. Match up pipe or fittings needed to repair leak. If it is a threaded steel connection make sure you put thread seal on all threaded connections and tighten as snug as you can get it. This would be done by using pipe wrench or channel lock style pliers. If it is a copper connection you can use solder fittings or compression style fittings ( the easiest style for a novice). There are 3 types of plastic pipes used PVC, CPVC, and PEX. PVC and CPVC can be glued together with appropriate solvent. PEX pipe is either clamped or a grabber style fitting is used.

Clogged or Slow Drains

If drain is moving slow or completely clogged cleaners are not always a great solution. If the drain is slow moving a cleaner may help to make move freely. If it is completely stopped up a snake should be used to remove obstruction. If your home has old steal drain lines you might be fighting a loosing battle. I suggest to cut out and remove steel pipe and replace with PVC. Generally, the vertical pipes do not build up the same amount of debris or sludge the same as the horizontal pipes. If you are making a transition from steel to plastic make sure you use a approved coupling to make the transition. If it is a PVC to PVC connection use appropriate solvent.

That Leaky faucet

When your faucet develops a leak it is important to fix as soon as possible to save extra damage to the part from forcing it to shut off. First thing to do is to shut water off to faucet . Shut off valves are located below sink. Remove handle then locate the nut that holds the faucet stem in faucet body, use wrench to remove take to local plumbing shop or hardware store to match replacement gaskets or sometimes the complete stem. If faucet is not able to be repaired and you decide to replace it is important that you purchase a new faucet from a reputable manufacturer.

Toilet Woes

If toilet is leaking at the base it could be a wax seal needs to be replaced, or the mounting flange may be cracked. If it takes a long time for the tank to refill after you flush it is the ball cock that has failed. Sometimes this can be repaired with a replacement gasket if parts are not available replace complete ball cock. This is also the solution if it will not shut off. If you hear your toilet refill without flushing it the flapper assembly needs to be replaced.* there are lots of different style flappers used make sure you take your old one with you to match.*

Plumbing Pipes And Practical Know How

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!±8± InSinkErator Evolution Septic Assist 3 4 HP Household Food Waste Disposer

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An Encounter With a Meth Lab May Be Closer Than You Think

!±8± An Encounter With a Meth Lab May Be Closer Than You Think

A majority of Americans sit in their comfortable living rooms and offices and believe that they will never be in a 'situation' that would expose them to the dangers associated with methamphetamines. That's just stuff you see on the news, right? Not necessarily. As they say, being forewarned is being forearmed and you certainly need to be well armed to get through a run-in with meth unscathed.

Almost 12 million Americans have tried meth at one time during their life, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health Report Methamphetamine Use, Abuse, and Dependence: 2002, 2003, and 2004, released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Meth users and manufacturers include people from every lifestyle. Doctors, lawyers and dentists are no more exempt than factory workers or roofers.

Meth labs are encountered in neighborhoods from affluent to poor. Methamphetamine can be cooked virtually anywhere, and commercial buildings, homes, apartments, hotel rooms, trailers, barns, vans, and storage units are just a few of the structures used for labs. Although many are located in rural regions for concealment, meth labs can be found in urban and suburban areas.

The danger of fire and explosions is always immediate in meth lab operations and even after they're dismantled, meth labs leave a poisonous trail of chemical dust and vapors that can seep into neighboring spaces, including adjacent homes, apartments, and hotel rooms. Walls, floors, toys, furniture, ventilating systems, plumbing fixtures, septic systems, and surrounding soil can be contaminated and may require professional decontamination.

Amongst those at risk of exposure are real estate agents, landlords, property managers, potential tenants and homebuyers, garbage collectors, utility workers, plumbers, social service agents, and first responders. Children living in the neighborhood of a meth lab can be placed at risk as well. In fact, thousands of clandestine seizures every year involve children. Visitors or neighbors can be injured by the toxic fumes that vent from meth labs or from the poisonous "cooking" debris that's sometimes concealed outside or flushed into a septic system.

The dangers that go along with meth homes include exposure to cancer causing chemicals that can saturate walls, carpets and other building materials in addition to all contents. Lead and mercury are frequent by-products. Chemicals, such as solvents, may be disposed of in plumbing or just poured on the ground. If not removed properly these can cause various health problems. Respiratory problems, eye irritation, headaches, dizziness, and nausea are a few of the symptoms people may experience if they're exposed to contaminants from a former meth lab site.

Encounters with Meth Users, or "Tweekers", may not be a walk in the park either. Meth induces intense paranoia and symptoms similar to OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder. Meth users may even save their urine in bottles stashed away in living areas to recover the unmetabolized meth from the urine. Meth users sometimes become obsessive about objects. They might disassemble things like appliances, watches or computers. The objects can occasionally be found in a pile dismantled down to the smallest component.

Most people with OCD are pretty harmless except to themselves. According to police reports, the paranoid meth user can be very dangerous. They're frequently reported to have large, sometimes eccentric, weapon collections that may have large quantities of knives. Dangerous booby traps are often set up to protect the individuals meth stash.

So, how do you know when you're in the presence of a meth lab or potential meth users? Here are just a few signs:

Meth lab signs:

o Yellow stains on walls, drains, sinks and showers
o Blue discolorations on valves of propane tanks and fire extinguishers
o Smoke detectors that are removed or taped off
o Having physical symptoms while inside the house, such as burning in your eyes or throat, itching, a metallic taste in your mouth and breathing problems
o Peculiar strong odors that smell like materials from a garage, such as solvent and paint thinner, cat urine or ammonia o The use of security cameras and surveillance equipment

Signs that property owners should look for with their homes and tenants:

o Renters who behave strangely and are exceedingly thin, have open sores, bad teeth or enlarged pupils
o Extensive amounts of trash with items such as lithium batteries, torn-apart matchbooks, water bottles, cold medicine packs and antifreeze containers
o Stained coffee filters that are not brown
o Plexiglass or other dark-colored cookware
o Glass containers with two layered liquids and chemistry sets

Rapid Response BioDecon recommends that anyone with concerns about potential meth lab exposure ask local law enforcement to run a criminal check on the property and, if living in a rental unit or purchasing a home, request documentation that the property was decontaminated professionally.

An Encounter With a Meth Lab May Be Closer Than You Think

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Compost toilets

!±8± Compost toilets

Ready to go waterless with your toilet? I'm not talking about waterless urinals, though that's a distinct option. I'm talking about composting toilets.

In 1992 the US government required that toilets be more water efficient; no more five gallons per flush could be sold. Pressure assist and low-flush toilets replaced the water hogs. Then came dual flush toilets.

Composting toilets have been around a long time, but haven't been used in many homes or offices because of their various constraints -- smell, waste disposal, acceptability. But, as with so many things, the technology has improved enough that not only can they be used indoors comfortably, but they are being used indoors.

Do you know what a composting toilet is? It's not the same as a latrine or an outhouse. It is a device that processes human excrement through aerobic processing, and with proper ventilation, to create decomposed, odorless matter that's 10-30 percent of its original volume. You can choose from self-contained and central (or remote) units. I'll cover more of the system works in a moment.

I was intrigued with the composting toilets on Longs Peak, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO, as a young adult. They are located just below the Keyhole, at the top of the Boulder Field, the last chance to "de-fuel" comfortably before the push to the top. The waste was dried with solar panels "cooking" the deposits, which were then packed down the mountain by pack animals at the end of the season. What a great way to protect that fragile environment. And what a pleasant way to "de-fuel".

When My Bigger Half and I started designing our new home in 2002, a friend pointed us to a "new" dual flush toilet. The concept was new to me, though evidently Caroma has been selling dual-flush toilets in Australia for a long time. We liked what we saw -- literally; it was demonstrated by a plumbing store in Denver. We bought four of them: one for the yurt we lived in as the house was built, and three for the home.

But what is this not to flush the toilet, I'm talking about now? These are opportunities and progress, so that pollution of groundwater and large water conservation measures.

I studied the idea with a composting toilet in the yurt as a way to conserve water and become more green. Ultimately, the concept was rejected because at that time a lot of effort was needed to work well, not smelly rooms. Heck, we alreadycats to help in that department, we didn't need any more ways of adding aroma! We travel just enough that the regular maintenance required to keep them working properly would be an issue, I felt. When I'm not sold on the effort required to properly maintain a system you can imagine it's hard to sell My Bigger Half on the system.

But recently I started seeing articles about the "new" composting toilets and how homeowners were installing them in middle-America homes and office buildings. They've been a fixture (no pun intended) in Europe for a long time. Natural Home magazine says this is the fastest growing trend in green building. What a radical concept! I had to investigate. Maybe we'd be using this in our next home.

What's different now from several years ago? Why do I think we can deal with this different approach to our toilet needs? I think it's the development of the central unit that has made the difference to me. A central holding tank allows multiple toilets to make deposits. There are at least two bins, one for daily use and one for composting or processing the waste; that reduces contact with partially processed excrement. They can be fully automated now, so no more bulk additions (addition of straw, leaves, or grass clippings to create air pockets for better composting). You can select models that require a bit of electricity, but that can be supplied with solar or battery power. Moisture is an important aspect to some of the systems -- for proper Treat processing and aerobics, urine or water to provide humidity. The device can collect in the basement, have a cavity or outdoors.

While these devices are more expensive than a toilet expensive, ultimately, they are much cheaper. I have seen prices up to $ 2,500 for a multi-camera remote and toilet (additional toilets are extra). But it still saves the cost of a connection to the sewer system or installing a septic system with leach field andholding tank. If you go with a waterless system you also don't have the cost of bringing water piping to each toilet (or the sewage away from each toilet), or the cost of the water for every flush. Since toilets are credited for comprising about one quarter of a home's water use, that becomes a handsome savings quickly.

Self-contained units are also options, but given our lifestyle I don't anticipate that an option. But you might. Whichever style you select, be sure to look for a toilet system that conforms to American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) composting toilets standards.

The central-unit brands I repeatedly saw during my research include:
BioLet Clivus Multrum Envirolet Sun-Mar

The other thing that caught my attention with the "new" composting toilets was that commercial buildings are even starting to install them. The University of British Columbia's CK Choi Building installed five Clivus Multrum central units, serving 300 employees with 12 toilets. And the Institute of Asian Research, in Vancouver, BC, Canada, isn't even connected to the city's sewer system. It instead went with composting toilets and urinals -- in a 30,000 square foot office complex -- and a greywater system for handling water from sinks and water fountains where the water irrigates the landscape which cleans the water. Cool!

My Bigger Half and I already conserve water well, typically using less than 1,000 gallons/month -- even with my greenhouse. Water savings isn't the focus here, though it's important to us. It's more about not polluting ground water and for disturbing the land the very least we can. We'll still pay the water company as if we are using 2,000 gallons/month. We just won't have a 750-ish square foot leach field marring the land, or a holding tank to deal with.

I enjoy striving to be greener by the day. We look for new ways to get greener. Opting for composting toilets in the next house and office may be one way we can do that. Go green! Go waterless.

Compost toilets

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InSinkErator Evolution Essential 3/4 HP Household Food Waste Disposer

!±8±InSinkErator Evolution Essential 3/4 HP Household Food Waste Disposer

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Post Date : Oct 02, 2011 19:45:21
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InSinkErator Evolution Series Disposers
Evolution Series Disposers feature patented MultiGrind and SoundSeal technologies, which means they grind more with less noise. The Evolution Essential Food Waste Disposer is the ideal choice for a wide range of kitchens. The model that fits the widest range of customer needs, Evolution Essential features MultiGrind technology, to grind everything from artichokes to rib bones, and SoundSeal technology, to cut noise levels by up to 40% over standard disposers.

Evolution Technology: Grind More, Hear Less
Over the past eight decades, InSinkErator has built more than 100 million food waste disposers. Now the company has put everything it has learned into a line of disposers that sets dramatic new standards for performance. Evolution Series disposers feature innovative technologies--MultiGrind and SoundSeal--that address users' two most common requests: improved grinding ability and reduced noise.

Liquify Waste with MultiGrind Technology With the Essential's MultiGrind feature, you can efficiently grind difficult food items, such as bones. This two-stage technology uses a grindshear ring that enables you to grind food waste significantly better than you could in any previous disposer. With the Evolution Essential, celery, potato peels, artichokes, rib bones, and more are virtually liquefied to safely flow into your sewage system. You'll enjoy a cleaner food preparation area and less bagged garbage cluttering your home. 40% Less Noise with SoundSeal Technology SoundSeal technology utilizes an anti-vibration mount, an anti-vibration tailpipe mount, and quiet collar sink baffle, so you can hold a conversation with elevated voices while the disposer is running. This technology also includes sound limiter insulation to reduce noise levels by up to 40% compared to standard disposers.

'Evolutionary' Disposer is Easy to Install
Designed with a 3/4-horsepower Dura-Drive induction motor, the Evolution Essential is truly 'evolutionary'--giving you the horsepower you need to grindmore types of food waste than standard disposers. An added bonus, the Evolution Essential's 40-ounce stainless steel grind chamber and grind component is built tohandle more volume than other disposers.

The Evolution Essential food waste disposer is constructed with a stainless steel quick Lock sink mount for easy installation. All InSinkErator food waste disposers are built with this feature, making replacement of older units a breeze--simply disconnect and replace your old disposer using the same sink mount.

Environmentally Friendly, Wallet-Friendly Choice
The Evolution Essential food waste disposer is a practical and environmentally responsible way to help reduce the 31 million tons of solid waste generated from food scraps in the U.S. each year.

Instead of throwing this food waste away, grinding it with the Evolution Essential sends it to your local municipal wastewater treatment plant, where it can be recycled to produce methane, a renewable source of power for the plant. Additionally, wastewater treatment plantscan process food waste into biosolids to be used as fertilizer (check the plant in your area).

Food waste disposers average less than 50 cents a year in electricity to operate and account for less than one percent of a household's total water consumption. In fact, the Evolution Essential features an average water usage of one gallon per person per day and an average electrical usage of three to four kilowatt hours per year, making it among the least expensive installed kitchen appliances.

Parts and Labor Warranty
The Evolution Essential is backed by an exclusive six-year in-home service warranty.This warranty from InSinkErator includes free house calls (including parts and labor) for the entire warranty period.

What's in the Box
InSinkErator Evolution Essential Food Waste Disposer, quick lock sink mount, quiet collar sink baffle, jam-buster wrench, anti-vibration tailpipe mount, anti-vibration mount, stainless steel sink stopper, spring type hose clamp, and installation instructions.

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