The General Contractor

Larry O Plumbing today announced the launch of www.LarryOPlumbing.com as an information portal for Memphis area home owners to find information about plumbing solutions, and home improvement tips. With articles being added almost every day and an online monthly newsletter of home improvement tips the website is anticipated to quickly become Memphis’s primary resource web site for plumbing and home improvement information.

Future plans include educational guides on selecting a plumber, professional advice from local experts, and a question and answer forum for Memphis homeowners.

The web site will be an invaluable resource for homeowners in finding accessible information to address their plumbing needs. Information will be efficiently categorized for easy navigation.

Charles Johnston of Larry O Plumbing stated, “Our goal is to be the best home and family resource center and information portal for assisting all Memphis homeowners with their plumbing and drain cleaning needs. The depth of knowledge and resources at www.LarryOPlumbing.com is simple, concise and offers every homeowner some information about their home.”

About Larry O Plumbing – Since 1971, our crew of professional, licensed Memphis plumbers have the experience and knowledge you need to handle all of your plumbing needs.

Larry O Plumbing’s plumbing trucks are a workshop on wheels with clean modern tools and equipment, allowing our Memphis plumbers to complete the job quickly and efficiently.

From service, installation, to remodeling, our plumbers can do it all. It is our first priority to leave the job site cleaner than when we arrived. We even have 24 hour emergency service available throughout the Memphis area for the unexpected plumbing emergencies.

Here are some key considerations for installing a tankless water heater:

An endless supply of hot water. This is great for larger families who may have large hot water needs.

Energy savings. You are only heating the water you use, not continually heating the water in the tank.

Space. Tankless water heaters are smaller than tank water heaters.

The above benefits are dependent upon a quality install of a unit that is specified for your needs.

There are also other considerations if you are thinking of a tankless water heaters.

Endless hot water does not mean instant hot water. For instant hot water, you need a re-circulation system, and possibly a small holding tank. Hmmm.

There are no water savings with a tankless water heater. And you actually may use more water if your habit is to take a hot shower as long as the hot water holds out. This, of course, also bites into energy savings.

More maintenance. Although there isn’t a tank to flush, burn assemblies or heating elements require ongoing maintenance to maintain peak efficiency.

Installation cost for a tankless water heater can be two or three time more than a tank water heater. Not only is the equipment significantly more expensive, but the work required to retrofit a tankless water heater is extensive.

Is a tankless water heater right for you? Only you know. If you have significant hot water usage and want to be green, maybe so. But it will not save you money; the pay back is not there.

Whatever your hot water needs, we will be happy to help you find the solution that is right for you.

Instant Hot Water

How long do you have to wait for the hot water to arrive in your bathroom each morning? One minute? Two? Three? No matter how long, it can be annoying, time consuming and a water waster.

There are two basic solutions to get hot water quicker. You can put the hot water source closer to the need, but that may be expensive. The more common solution is to have a re-circulation system on your hot water lines.

A re-circulation system consists of the periodic pumping of hot water through the hot water line so hot water is available upon demand. The excess water is returned to the heater via a return line. Many re-circulation systems have a timing device, which only runs the system during times of normal usage.

If you are interested in having instant (on demand) hot water, we will be happy to review your needs.

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Plumbers Sacramento

Chlorine: Friend or Foe? It’s common knowledge that all city water purveyors add chlorine to their public drinking water supply. Chlorine has single handedly – by itself – saved millions of lives throughout the world. Chlorine has made it possible for all cities to flourish by providing miles and miles of safe drinking water to every faucet connected to the city water supply.

Chlorine is used almost universally in the treatment of public drinking water because of its total effect on harmful bacteria and other waterborne, disease-causing organisms. Chlorine is a poison that is very effective at killing bacteria thus providing millions around the world with bacteria safe water.

Most people assume that since chlorine is in our water supply and our water has no bacteria present that it is safe to drink and bathe in. Nothing could be further from the truth!

First alarming fact: chlorine will not kill cryptosporidium cysts and therefore cannot guarantee microbiologically safe water.

Second alarming fact: as stated above, chlorine is a poison. Some people think it’s okay to consume this poison in small amounts, but the fact remains the same…poison is poison.

Obviously, if you quickly ingest a glass of straight liquid bleach, such as Clorox, you will die a very violent death which is not suitable for description in this article. So, don’t be fooled that a little chlorine is okay to ingest.

Our bodies’ are remarkable at filtering all the chemicals and junk we throw at them, but what happens is our bodies’ collect and store these poisons and when our body filters’ are full, then the poisons spill out into our bodies. Scientific studies have linked chlorine and chlorination by-products to cancer of the bladder, liver, stomach, rectum, and colon, as well as heart disease and arteriosclerosis, anemia, high blood pressure and allergic reactions. There is also evidence that shows chlorine can destroy protein in our body and cause adverse affects on skin and hair.

“A new statistical analysis indicates that people who drink chlorinated water run a 21% greater risk of bladder cancer and a 38% greater risk of rectal cancer than people who drink water with little or no chlorine.” Science News, July 1992

Third alarming fact: you don’t have to drink chlorinated water to get chlorine poisoning. A little known fact – breathing vaporized chlorine gas while showering, bathing, soaking in a hot tub, cooking or washing dishes has been shown to be worse than drinking chlorinated water. Besides breathing chlorine vapors, we also absorb the poison through our skin. “Showering is suspected as the primary cause of elevated levels of chloroform in nearly every home because of the chlorine in the water.” Environmental Protection Agency

“Skin absorption of contaminants has been underestimated and ingestion may not constitute the sole or even primary route of chlorine exposure.” American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 74, 1984

Since chlorine is required by public health regulation to be present in all public drinking water supplies, it is up to each individual consumer to remove it from their homes.

Article provided by - Al Vanden Heuvel has been a Colorado Master Plumber since 1984 and a water treatment professional for more then 20 years. He is also the owner of the water treatment website www.waterchoices.com.

A new local directory has appeared, that allows metro Atlanta homeowners find and locate reputable Atlanta plumbers.

If you are an Atlanta plumber, then make sure to get listed today.

If you have a dripping tap now, just think how bad it’s likely to be after the holiday break. Apart from that, think of the environment. Water is the one thing in life we can’t live without.

We can all survive all the other inconveniences for a surprisingly long time; but water isn’t one of them.

Every drip that runs down the drain, unused and unwanted, is like a nail into your coffin. Here in Australia, we are suffering a prolonged and worsening drought.

The City of Brisbane is now on severe water restrictions where people can’t even water their pot plants unless they have saved the water in a bucket or from their washing machines.

You know when you go to have a shower and you have to let the water run until the temperature gets to the right warmth? Well, it’s this water that is now watering pot-plants in Brisbane homes.

If you think that’s crook ~ just wait and watch what will be happening if we don’t get the rain next March-April. Many people will be leaving the city in droves; hordes of people having to leave their homes. Just think of what is likely to happen to the Real Estate prices?

Just thinking about worst case scenarios right now gives me the shivers!

And you want to know the worst truth? Brisbane is not the only city in Australia this is happening to. All around the Country, North to South, East to West ~ there’s a water crisis.

Australia and the United States have roughly the same land-mass. If you can imagine a water shortage from the Canadian border to the Mexican border, from Boston to Seattle, Miami to San Diego and everywhere in between, then you can get some idea of the affected area.

And some people still have dripping Taps! I shudder to think of the outcry they will raise when it finally dawns that hey ~ where did all the water go?

OK, apart from that if you don’t live in Australia, and you aren’t currently suffering a drought; but are your Taps still dripping? Or do you have a toilet that constantly runs?

If so, don’t you think a Plumber might be a good investment about now before the extended family arrives for the holidays and increases demand on your facilities?

It’s not going to get any better when there is a heavier load put on the services; and if you have to call a Plumber out over the Christmas / New Year break because you didn’t get the problem fixed before the holidays started ~ don’t you think he should be entitled to charge an exorbitant charge for his services?

Or will you complain if s/he does? Hardly fair, Um? I mean, how would you feel about having your Christmas dinner spoilt by being called to someone’s crisis because they couldn’t be bothered to have something fixed prior to the holidays? Believe me, I’d be charging for every mouthful of Turkey missed.

Love and respect your environment enough to care for it and about it. Plumbers do a mighty job in protecting the only thing you can’t live without.

http://www.constructingprofits.com Showing contractors how to make more money ~ working less hours!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jan_Smith

When you start with the bathroom plumbing, you need to consider a few things. The plumbing has to meet the needs of a busy bathroom as well as installing the bathroom plumbing correctly. By accomplishing these two steps, you will ensure that you have less repair of the plumbing in the future.

You will need the correct fittings, sizes of pipes and lengths that fit the toilet, sink, tub and shower. Also included in the bathroom plumbing, you need to make sure the hot water heater is correctly installed and the size of the unit is big enough to fill the needs of your family. No one wants to run out of hot water when taking a shower early in the morning.

When you do your bathroom plumbing, you need to use up to date materials and not out dated materials you received from somewhere else. Plumbing today is more affordable than what we think. The fittings and the pipes need to connect correctly to prevent leaking and future repair.

When installing your plumbing, you need to keep in mind that everything has to be fitted and tight. This includes using plumber’s tale, which many beginners forget. This down the line might result in loosening fittings as well as water leakage, which can damage the floor. When in doubt, call your local plumber. Pipes that are behind walls and under floors need special consideration, if you have just one leak, damage will result and you will never see the problem until it is too late.

Things you will need to install your bathroom plumbing:

• Plumbers tape
• Pipe wrenches
• Correct Pipes
• Correct fittings

As you can see, you do not need many tools, but you do need the correct fittings and pipes. If you have a doubt about length of pipe you need, measure the distance from the given area to the area by the sewage pipe and you should have no problems installing your plumbing. When you plan to remodel the bathroom or upgrade the plumbing, you need to understand where the shut off valves need to be as well. If you ever have a problem, the shut off value is important for stopping water from flowing to the fixture in question. Therefore, get your materials together and do some plumbing, but do it the right way.

About The Author
You can also find more information at Plumber Contractor and Plumbing Repair.

Sressmanagementmethods.com is a comprehensive resource to known about stress management.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wade_Robins

After a few years our own clients websites become information portals for content for homeowners. Listed below are some great resources for homeowners:

We will be adding more resources as our client’s consumer information library continues to grow.

A correctly designed and installed home plumbing system is practically trouble-free. Should problems occur, there are standard methods for dealing with them for the do-it-yourselfer. And there are good reasons as well – a neglected leak inside a wall, on the floor, or in the ceiling may cause serious damage.

Most plumbing systems provide numerous shutoff valves for controlling water flow in the supply system. Sinks and lavatories have individual shutoffs for hot and cold water; toilets have just one. The first thing to do in an emergency at a fixture is to close the shutoff valve.

Whether or not the home has individual fixture controls for the water supply, you will always find a main shutoff near the water meter or at the wall where the main water line enters the house. Leaks and overflows can be stopped quickly at the main shutoff, eliminating a search for individual shutoffs. Become familiar with all shutoffs so you can get to them quickly in an emergency.

What to do in an emergency:

Pipe leaks – Joints that have corroded or frozen (and burst) will leak. Tightening a threaded joint or re-soldering (or re-gluing) it may cure the leak. Burst pipes can sometimes be mended with a clamp-on pipe patch. If not, they must be replaced.

Leak in a wall – Most often caused by a faulty riser pipe to a shower or to fixtures on a higher floor. With this situation it is best to get a professional plumber. A reputable plumber should be able to tell you whether he has to cut into the wall to make the repair.

Overflowing toilet tank – A toilet tank overflowing into the toilet bowl will be heard long after flushing. Close the tank shutoff valve. Access the water closet where the flapper valve is located. Lift the float by hand. If the water stops, bend the float arm slightly to lower the float. Flush and test again. Adjust as needed. If the flowing persists I suggest replacing all the components in the water closet. It fairly cheap and easy to do this.

Stopped up sink drain – First try a rubber plunger. If this doesn’t break the clog then try a chemical drain-opener following the directions on the container. If this fails put a bucket under the trap (the U-shaped pipe), loosen it and remove it. Most home improvement stores sale a clog removal device made just for this problem. Remove the clog, usually hair and soap. Replace the trap and run hot water for a few minutes to flush everything.

There are a few of the common plumbing emergencies you may encounter. Most can be corrected by the homeowner without resorting to a plumber. If you encounter a problem you feel is more than you can handle then call a professional immediately. The longer you wait the more costly damage that may occur.

Chuck Lunsford is a successful Webmaster and publisher of JustGoDoItYourself.com He provides more tips and advice on do it yourself plumbing repairs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chuck_Lunsford

If your looking for a plumber it may have come to your attention that they are becoming increasingly difficult to find. This article focuses on the reasons for the shortage of good local plumbers and the problems that our young plumbing apprentices face on the road to becoming qualified and highly skilled plumbers.

First of all, if your looking for a plumber to fit a bathroom suite or even carry out small plumbing repairs in and around your home, you might think it’s just a case of picking up the telephone directory and choosing a company from the list. Not so! Given the recent property development trends and because there is so much demand for local plumbers in general, it is much harder to contract a local plumber than you may think.

More realistically due to the small numbers of quality plumbing companies that are currently servicing the your area.

So why is this the case? Why are there so few plumbing companies in the that there are not enough local plumbers to meet local customer needs? In our opinion, the root cause is that very few young people are training to become plumbers. Even fewer of these plumbing students are entering the plumbing trade once they have received there formal qualifications. Plumbing is, and has always been a difficult trade to master. A plumber must master multiple disciplines in order to be able to meet the needs of their customer and must also have the business sense to turn a decent profit. A multi-skilled plumber may have skills which border on such trades as building, electrical, plastering and tiling.

We have talked to a number of local plumbing apprentices and, while we knew the route to becoming a qualified plumber was not easy, we were astounded by some of the things that we heard from the people that we believe to be the future of the industry. First of all in order to get essential plumbing qualifications from a reputable college a work placement was needed first so that apprentices could provide photographic evidence of plumbing techniques that they have learned ‘on the job’. We think this is a very good way to teach young plumbers, i.e. by combining classroom theory with on the job practical skills.

The problems are evident however, when you stop to consider the fact that there are very few local plumbing companies out there and even fewer that are willing to take on an apprentice who once trained would be able to compete with them for local business. Consider also the fact that these young people are expected to work for very little money. In many cases plumbing apprentices are expected to work for free! When you understand the dedication and effort that goes into training to be a plumber you can see what a thankless task it is for our young people to complete their training. This especially true when you consider the increasing number of lesser skilled job opportunites that are present in our area at the moment that offer decent wages for young people but which offer little in the way of career development or opportunities to develop other skills.

No matter if you are renting or buying your home, everyone ends up with a clogged kitchen sink once in a while. Hiring a plumber to take care of a job can be expensive. There are several techniques you can use before you call in an expert.

It is wise to have some kind of drain cleaner on hand and to use it regularly to clean your pipes. This will prevent a completely clogged drain. Whether is a completely clogged drain or just a partial clog, your first remedy should be a plunger. These are easily found in several hardware stores and should be a part of your household tools. A plunger uses suction and pressure to loosen a clog. To make your job easier, coat the outer rim with petroleum jelly.

Start by placing the plunger over the drain, making sure the bowl or sink is filled with some water. Vigorously work the plunger up and down several times. When the clog has been removed, water should rush out of the bowl or toilet.

As talked about, having a drain cleaner on hand can be very useful. This should be your second course of action. Remove any standing water from the basin. Be sure to follow all directions on the cleaner bottle. Let the cleaner sit for several hours or even overnight before rinsing it away. If the drain is still clogged, flush the drain with very hot water and repeat.

If by chance the above methods fail, you can check the U-trap. This is part of the pipe that is shaped like a “U” is located under the sink. There will be a plug that you can unscrew with a wrench. Be sure to have a bucket to catch excess water. Take a piece of wire to scrub the inside of the trap, put new gaskets on to maintain a watertight seal.

If none of these procedures work, call the plumber. You may have a more severe problem that a plumber will be more capable of handling.