The summer heat wave is here! Keep your cool with this neat and very thrifty idea:

Hang a cool damp sheet, preferably lighter colored one, in a window. When the breeze blows the air in, it will help cool a warm room. A wonderful idea for a nursery or perhaps a room you may crate your dog, while you are at work. What do yo think? Have any of you ever tried this trick? I plan to tomorrow!

Could you imagine getting a water bill of $105,000? I bet not, and we couldn't either!

From the City of Flagstaff:
The City of Flagstaff has experienced a second large water leak at a residential property.
In this latest incident, a property on N. Leroux experienced a 9-million gallon water leak which has generated a bill of $105,000. The renter at the property was notified of the leak and apparently worked with the property owner to get the leak fixed. Water consumption is back to normal levels at the home; however a secondary structure on the site may be in danger of collapse. City building officials have been directed to inspect the home and the property in an attempt to identify any problems with the ground, foundation and/or the structure. While a bill has been sent, the City has not had a conversation with the renter/account holder about payment arrangements.
This follows a leak at a University Heights home which resulted in a loss of 1.5 million gallons of water totaling more than $16,000. That leak has been fixed and the property owner is working with his insurance company to pay the bill.
These are unfortunate but important reminders to area homeowners to have pipes and plumbing checked by a licensed professional. This is especially important when there are unusual spikes in water usage, changes in water pressure, standing water/damp areas are noticed on the property, or sinking/ changes in the foundation. This is in accordance with the City’s Water Conservation Ordinance (7-03-001-0014) “no person shall waste water by allowing water to pool or failing to repair water leaks”.
The current process to determine water usage by the City is not completely automated. The current process involves a City employee taking a reading once a month coming back to City Hall and entering that information into a database.
Once the meter reading is entered, an exception report is created within one to two weeks. When there are extremely large spikes in water usage from the previous months reading a staff member is sent to the residence to see if there is a problem with the meter. If the meter is fine and there is no evidence of a leak in the front of the home, but the spike is significant staff will attempt to make contact with someone at the home. If the resident is not home City staff will leave a door hanger notifying them that the City has observed an unusually large read and did not find any issue with the City equipment or City water lines and recommend the home owner/occupant also check water line from the meter throughout their home and yard. Common problems include a running toilet, dripping faucets, or a broken water line under the house or in the yard.
Currently the City does not have technology that would allow the meter to be read automatically and sent to the database at City Hall which could immediately detect abnormal consumption. The City is currently exploring options for newer technology.
The City is in Water Availability Strategy 1: “Water Awareness that requires all customers to conserve water, in and outside the home, using the best practices available to minimize the wasting of water such as failing to repair water leaks.”

E=MC Plumber?

Yes. Yes that is right..Well, not entirely but let the truth be told...

Albert Einstein was made an honorary member of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union after he had announced that he would be a plumber if he had to live his life all over again.

What a genius! 

Check this video out to be educated on how to and avoid water damage to your roof and foundation

Check this video out to be educated on how to and avoid water damage to your roof and foundation, by cleaning out  your homes rain gutters. Remember- the longer you wait the harder the job will be, so watch this video to help keep your home in tip top shape! :

http://youtu.be/2_9WJSzV6fw

Rain Barrel

check out this link for info on  how to reduce your water bill while keeping your lawn and garden thriving!!

Here comes the snow...again!

Since we are going to get hit with more snow tonight, I thought I would get some helpful information on making sure your pipes don't freeze in the cold weather.

From the Red Cross:

Drain water from swimming pool and water sprinkler supply lines following manufacturer's or installer's directions. Do not put antifreeze in these lines unless directed. Antifreeze is environmentally harmful, and is dangerous to humans, pets, wildlife, and landscaping.

Remove, drain, and store hoses used outdoors. Close inside valves supplying outdoor hose bibs. Open the outside hose bibs to allow water to drain. Keep the outside valve open so that any water remaining in the pipe can expand without causing the pipe to break.

Check around the home for other areas where water supply lines are located in unheated areas. Look in the basement, crawl space, attic, garage, and under kitchen and bathroom cabinets. Both hot and cold water pipes in these areas should be insulated.

Consider installing specific products made to insulate water pipes like a "pipe sleeve" or installing UL-listed "heat tape," "heat cable," or similar materials on exposed water pipes. Newspaper can provide some degree of insulation and protection to exposed pipes – even ¼” of newspaper can provide significant protection in areas that usually do not have frequent or prolonged temperatures below freezing.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES:

Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.

Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.

When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe - even at a trickle - helps prevent pipes from freezing.

Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.

If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

TO THAW FROZEN PIPES:

If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.

Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.

Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.

Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you can not thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.

Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

Clogs, leaks and drips..

Plumbing problems usually revolve around one of three things: clogs, leaks, or drips. It pays to be familiar with your plumbing system so you can minimize the damage caused by plumbing problems as well as fix minor problems on your own.

The most important thing you can do is find out where the main water shutoff valve is and how to turn it off. This is usually either outside your home or in your basement or crawlspace. If you can not find it or don’t know how to turn it off, contact your utility company and have them show you. If any tools are necessary to turn off your water, keep them handy. Being able to shut your water off at the main valve can be vital to reducing damage to your home if a pipe were to burst.
You should also check each plumbing appliance (sinks, toilets, etc.) for their own shutoff valves and verify they work. If the valves fail to turn off water to the appliance, you should have them fixed by a professional plumber. These valves come in handy when the need arises to repair individual appliances. If an appliance has no valves, you will need to shut off your water at the main valve to repair it.

When it comes to clogs and slow drains, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In the tub or shower, invest in an inexpensive hair trap or screen to prevent the majority of hair and soap scum from going down the drain. In the kitchen, don’t pour cooking grease down your drain. It will harden and coat your pipes with a sticky scum that will catch other particles and eventually clog the pipe. Instead, keep it in a coffee can or milk container and dispose of it with your garbage once it’s cooled. You should also avoid dumping coffee grounds down the drain. They’re notorious for causing clogs.
Maintaining your drains on a weekly basis is also a good idea to keep your pipes clear. One way to do this is to pour a half-cup of salt, a half-cup of baking soda and a half-cup of vinegar down the drain and follow with two quarts of boiling water.

If you do encounter a clog, don’t panic. Just give us a call. 928-774-4357