Bathroom Faucet Leaks

Faucet leaks can waste more water than you think. Have you ever put a cup or bowl underneath a leaky faucet and actually seen how much water is wasted. Leaky faucets should be repaired as soon as possible to prevent the waste of water in your home. Water is a precious resource and should be used wisely.

One slow drip from the faucet can waste over 5 gallons of water per day. If you think that's not a big deal, let me put it in perspective for you. 5 gallons of water per day equals 35 gallons per week, times 52 weeks in a year, that equals over 1800 gallons of water, and that's a lot of water.

The problem with a faucet leak isn't just the amount of water it waste, it will soon start to deteriorate your sinks, bathtubs and showers and could damage other sections of the home, like the wood framing. I've seen a water drip in a steel kitchen sink, in just a few years, wear a hole right through it. Keep in mind water and wind formed the Grand Canyon, water can be extremely erosive.

Faucet leaks can attract house pests, like mice, flies, ants and a wide variety of other insects.

Most faucets can usually be repaired for under $20. Most of the time the problem will be in the valves or handles that turn the water on and on. If you're not familiar with plumbing parts, you could pick up a do-it-yourself home repair manual or go online and look up the manufacturer of your faucet, for more information.

Usually the manufacturer has a diagram of the faucet, broken down into sections and you could get a pretty good idea, what parts you will need to remove, in order to replace the damaged part or parts that are creating the water leak.

Calling a plumber seems to be most homeowners last resort. They only do it if they absolutely have to. If you don't understand how a faucet works and have no desire to learn how, I would suggest you call a plumber or contact someone who can help you with your faucet leak, but get the faucet leak fixed and quit wasting water.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He has just finished a Home Buyers Guide to take some of the frustration out of home shopping.
If your looking for some more bathroom remodeling or home building ideas.

Nailing Or Screwing Drywall

Nails versus screws who will become the winner. When drywall first came out the installers used everything from regular steel nails to galvanized roofing nails. After a short amount of time they started to develop major problems from nails popping out of the finished drywall.

Nail popping results when the nail is driven into moist lumber and as the lumber shrinks the house settles and nail can actually pop out to the walls. Hard to imagine the nail could actually pop out of the drywall as the wood was drying out.

How far the nail would actually pop out was determined by how far it was driven in to the framing studs or ceiling joists. Well pretty soon drywall installers started to use ring shank nails to eliminate this problem. This worked great but these nails were hard to drive in and would often break.

As time went on the nails improved and were made out of galvanized metal with cupped shaped heads and came in a few different sizes. The size of the nail used was determined by the thickness of the drywall. These new nails worked great and had good holding power and eliminated a lot of nail popping.

Using nails means driving them in with a hammer. If you miss the nail you damage the drywall. This seemed to be a big problem and was virtually eliminated with the screws.

Well pretty soon people started using screws which had greater holding power and pretty much nail popping. Another advantage to using screws over nails is the simple fact you need less screws than you do nails to attach the drywall to the metal or wood framing.

This means less labor installing and finishing the drywall.

There is one problem with the screws and that is they have to be set perfectly. They can not break the paper surface on the drywall but have to be set enough into the drywall so that it can be finished properly. Most screw guns have an adjustable setting used to get just the right depth for the screws installed in the drywall. But this also was a problem when screwing into a hard piece of wood you can actually snapped the screw head off, strip the screw head or break the screw.

Nails on the other hand can bend while driving them into a hard surface.

Who wins the nails versus screws while installing drywall? I have got to give it to the screws. That doesn't mean the nails just got screwed or the screws just got nailed.

I couldn't resist. I actually preferred the screws over the nails except for when nailing the drywall corner bead on. Some drywall professionals use nails to hang the drywall and go back with a screw gun and some screws to finish the job. The nails sometimes seem handier than the screws when installing the drywall.

Greg Vanden Berge is working on the internet to promote the education for creating simple to follow guides and home building books to help professional building contractors as well as the weekend warriors. He is currently working on more Building and Remodeling Library and adding useful content to help solve problems created by the lack of construction knowledge in the building industry.

Visit us and get more information on building and remodeling your homes and Carlsbad Home Improvement

Comparing Remodeling Bids

So you have decided to remodel your kitchen and you've done your research. Several kitchen remodelers have visited your home and provided you with bids, and now you are trying to decide the best path to take. You would like the project to stay close to your budget and not have a bunch of surprise costs tacked on at the end. Here are some things to look for and some questions to ask before you pick a remodeler and proceed with the project:

1. The proposals should be written and provide all the required details. The bid should not be verbal or hand written on a scrap of paper.
2. The proposal review should be an "Apples-to-Apples" comparison. Are all the contractors bidding on the same work to be completed, and the same style and quality of material? Of course a bid for off-the-shelf oak cabinets will be less than a proposal with well made cherry cabinets.
3. Is there significant detail describing the work that will be completed so that you clearly understand what will be done? The proposal should say more than; "Install New Floor". What? On top of the old floor? What kind of floor? Does the bid say that all work will be done to code? You deserve details and a qualified remodeler should be able to provide them.
4. What is a qualified remodeler? How long have they been in business? Are they insured? Are they licensed? What does the Better Business Bureau say about them or one of the quality customer based review websites? Have they been involved in litigation?
5. What happens to the trash? Is the contractor going to have a bin on-site, use a haul away service, or leave it in your yard for you to deal with? The proposal should spell out how the trash will be disposed of.
6. The proposal should not only spell out the obvious project material such as cabinets, counter top and floor material, building, plumbing and electrical supplies, but who is providing them. You or the remodeler.
7. Smaller items should also be in the proposal like the knobs and/or pulls for the cabinet doors, under cabinet lights, back splash tile, and miscellaneous trim.
8. Are you going to act as the general contractor and manage all the sub contractors or are you hiring a general contractor? What labor is included? Is disconnection and re-connection of your appliances and plumbing? When do you need to present? During the entire project, for the delivery of materials, templating and installation of the countertop?Has the contractor asked how to reach you in case issues arise?
9. Who is doing the labor? Does the remodeler have employees or is everything being sub-contracted out? Are the sub-contractors licensed and insured? Has the remodeler ask to have the sub-contractors, like electricians or plumbers, come by to perform a survey in order to provide an accurate estimate? Is workman compensation insurance a concern? You do not want to be sued if someone is injured and there is no insurance.
10. If you are acting as the general contractor, who will repair drywall if it needs to opened up by electricians or plumbers? Do not assume they will repair the drywall.
11. Is the project price all inclusive? Has tax, delivery and handling and permits been included in the price? Many municipalities require permits to be filed before the start of a project. Has a payment schedule been established? What is the payment schedule based on: work completed, material delivered, or some arbitrary scheme?
12. Is there a process defined in the proposal for changes in scope and cost to the project? Do you have a tentative project time line that says when work will start; materials will be delivered, and lists important project milestones?
13. Does the written contract match the final proposal for scope of work, materials, and price?

If any of these items are missing or they aren't clear, go back to your remodelers and ask that it be fixed. Be sure you understand the project and what each remodeler is proposing. The items listed in 1 through 13 are intended to help create a professional business relationship with your remodeler Issues always crop up in every project, but being prepared ahead of time makes it easier to find solutions. Good luck!

Scott Hanson is the owner of Kitchen Tune-Up, an award winning kitchen and bath remodeling company in Chicago. You can find more helpful hints at http://www.kitchentuneup.com

How to Clean Your Bathroom

1. Windows and Mirrors

The first thing people see when they enter the bathroom are the walls and the mirrors. It is important to keep them clean and aesthetically pleasing, so you must be sure to clean them properly.

The best thing to do is to scrape the walls and mirrors of every bit of dirt and grime. Fill a spray bottle with 1/3 cup of white vinegar and 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol; you can also add 1 tablespoon of automatic dishwashing detergent. Spray evenly and scrub along the walls and mirrors. The alcohol and dishwashing detergent should leave the surfaces clean and fresh.

2. Tubs and Shower Stalls

No one wants to get into a dirty bath tub. How can a grimy, dirty bath tub get you clean? The best thing to do is to scrub your tub and shower stall to make it clean and inviting.

Tap water contains a chemical called alkaline, which leaves spots on shower walls and glass doors. As any housekeeper knows, this isn't good for your bathroom. Put some car wax on a sponge and use it to scrub where the grime tend to build up. Glass is a porous material and the wax is used to seal these pores so the alkaline doesn't get into them.

3. Toilets

You can have a bathroom without a shower stall, a sink, a bath tub or even a window to circulate the air, but you can't have a bathroom without a toilet. The septic nature of the toilet leaves housekeepers wanting more effective ways to keep toilets spot-free from the alkaline in tap water.

To get rid of the stains, the best thing to do is to pour vinegar into the toilet at least once a month. Don't overdo it unless you want to end up with a ruined toilet. This should eliminate the problem and it keeps the toilet clean and fresh.

4. Sinks

The sink is where most of the dirt, except what goes into the toilet, ends up getting washed down the drain. It goes without saying that, if anything, the sink requires regular cleaning. Like the shower walls and the toilet, alkaline in tap water tends to mess up the sink surface with spots and ring marks. The best cleaners use common items in the kitchen like vinegar and baking soda.

Pour baking soda and them some white vinegar down the drain. Wait for an hour and then follow this up with warm water. This ought to fizzle away most of the deposits in the sink. This also works for kitchen drains, showers and bath tubs.

5. Faucets

The best thing to do with faucets is to get rid of the alkaline build up around them and in the drain areas. Soak a paper towel in white vinegar and wrap it around the faucet. Then plug the drain and pour half a cup of white vinegar into the sink, and wait. It takes time for the vinegar to dissolve the deposits but soon your sink will look good as new.

Want to know more? You can read more tips on how to clean your bathroom, plus other cleaning tips only at http://cleaningglow.com/

Basement Finishing 101

So, you have been dreaming of finishing that basement for years now. Every time your family, or friends come over you talk about where your home theater room will be, or where the pool table is going to go, and so on.

Now I know homeowners want to finish their own basements to save money, and more power to you if it can be done.

I just have to say a few things to say about this subject:

1. Most of home owner finished basements I have seen are not top quality.

2. If you plan to sell your home in the future, I just want to say buyers do notice quality.

3. Real estate appraisers may not give you top dollar for work not done right.

4. Home buyers today due hire home inspectors, who will point out issues such as structural, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, etc.

5. Most General contractors have been working in the industry for years and have developed relationships with suppliers/sub-contractors. For example, if you tried to hire my plumber, electrician, framer, etc. they will charge you more money to do the same job. The money General Contractors make is basically the money you would spend on hiring the work yourself, so in the end you will get quality work, pay the same price, and with much less headache.

OK enough of that, if you still choose to finish your own basement, instead of hiring a professional, here is the order of items that will need to be completed. Please hire licensed/professional contractors for all work performed.

1. Basement Layout & Design

2. Permits

3. Framing

4. Plumbing

5. Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC)

6. Electrical

7. Sheetrock/Drywall

8. Prime Sheetrock

9. Trim: Doors, Windows, Base, Crown Molding, Entertainment Centers, Etc.

10. Painting: Caulking, Putty, Wood Filler, Etc.

11. Kitchen Cabinets, Bar, Bathroom Vanities, Etc.

12. Counter tops: Granite, Marble, Laminate, Tile, Etc.

13. Flooring: Tile, Hardwood, Carpet, Vinyl, Etc.

14. Final Plumbing: Toilets, Sinks, Fixtures, Etc.

15. Final Electrical: Switches, Receptacles, Fans, Cans, Lighting, Etc.

16. Final HVAC: Unit start up, Installing grills, Etc.

17. Final Trim: Install shoe molding, tie in misc. trim, Etc.

18. Hardware: Cabinet pulls, door knobs, door bumps, mirrors, blinds, bathroom accessories.

19. Final paint touch up.

20. Cleaning

Thanks for reading

For all of your contracting needs please visit us at http://www.north-georgia-contractors.com

Detecting Moisture Intrusion With Thermal Imaging

What is the difference between Moisture Intrusion and Water Damage?

Many homes and buildings have moisture intrusion problems for a long time without knowing it. Once a moisture problem is noticeable to the naked eye it has become water damage and can be expensive to repair.

Unseen leaks can hide behind ceilings, walls or flooring for some time before becoming visible on the interior surface. These moisture Intrusions are developing mold, rotting framing members and generally degrading the building materials long before they are visible on the outer surface.

A drywall ceiling or wall can hide moisture for a very long time before showing through to the finished surface as a stain or eventually collapsing. In the meantime the insulation is losing its R value and potentially growing fungus in the paper backing. The drywall is degrading, losing strength and also growing fungus. Framing members will degrade much more slowly but can also fail and will grow fungus. The electric wiring and fixtures can develop even more serious problems and cause immediate danger by shorting out or starting a fire. In some flooring materials moisture intrusions will usually show up sooner as we will notice a musty smell from carpeting or see warping of hardwood floors. Vinyl and tile floors can hide moisture problems longer, like the wall and ceiling surfaces.

Infrared thermal imaging can locate Moisture Intrusion problems behind the surface without destructive testing. A Infrared camera can "see" the thermal signature of water and damaged insulation areas through the walls and ceilings. A Trained Certified Thermographer can determine problem areas in most building materials and locate the source of the problem so that it can be prevented from recurring and properly repaired.

Thermal scanning can also be invaluable in determining the success of repair and dry out procedures. We can make sure all moisture was eliminated and insulation was replaced even after the repairs are completed.

Don't let hidden moisture become a mold or major water damage repair!

Copyright 2008 - American Infrared Consultants, LLC - All Rights Reserved

Visit our web site for more information on Infrared Thermography. We have sample photos, videos and general information on many aspects of Thermography.

http://americaninfraredconsultants.com

Damaged Roof Plywood

Her Fix-it Guide to Toilet Repair

Imagine your home without toilets. Yes, the thought itself is enough to make you cringe. The toilet is often the most used, or should we say the most 'misused' fixture in the home. The importance of the toilet can only be felt at the exact point in time when something goes wrong with it. Toilets generally are a fairly easy DIY project that can be successfully completed by anyone. With just a bit of work and the tips you will find in this article, you should be able to quickly fix your toilet.

The first step in fixing a toilet is to determine the problem with the toilet. Your toilet could either be a slow moving toilet, or it could be clogged, or it could even be a running toilet. A slow moving toilet implies that you have to flush the toilet quite a number of times and the water drains away quite slowly. Slow moving toilets are often the result of clogged sewage drain pipes, and are at risk of suddenly clogging completely and overflowing. No one likes to clean up the mess an overflowing toilet creates. A running toilet is one where once you flush it, the water does not want to stop flowing into the toilet bowl. A running toilet can use up a large amount of water over a fairly short period, so it is important to get it fixed as soon as possible.

Make no difference which problem you have, you can fix it yourself. If you happen to have a clogged or slow moving toilet, then the first thing you should do is turn off water supply to the toilet. You can do this can be by turning the knob on the shut off valve to the right until the water supply stops. The valve is normally placed a few inches above the floor on the left when facing the toilet.

Now determine which the problem you have. To do this, pour a bucket of water quickly into the bowl. If it flushes slowly, the toilet has developed a clog. Clear the clog affecting your toilet by first using a plunger. If this removes the clog, then you can turn the water back on to the toilet, if it does not clear the clog, then you should try using a plumbers snake. This tool will allow you to clear most any clog.

Once you have the clog taken care of, then you should clear the mineral deposits that tend to develop in the small holes under the rim of the toilet. This will help your toilet flush much more effectively. These holes can be cleared with a stiff bristled brush, or you can use the bent end of a coat hanger to poke the holes clear. You might also want to make use of a small mirror to see the holes that are being cleared.

If your toilet is letting water into the bowl at all times, then you have a running toilet. First off, remove the toilet tank lid and sit aside out of your way. Some people like to place it in the bathtub. Next check the ball cock, which is the valve that the float is attached to. If water is coming out of the valve, you may need to replace it.

If that doesnt seem to be the problem, then press down on the flap at the bottom of the toilet tank to see if the water stops running into the bowl. Over time, these flaps tend to warp out of shape and cause the tank to leak into the bowl. If this solves the problem, then replace the tank flap.

Whichever needs replacing, be certain to shut off the water supply to the toilet before you begin your repair.

Ruth Campbell owns and operates Her Fix-It Guide

Damaged Plastic Vapor Barrier