Home Improvement Center : Performing Home Plumbing Checks

Owning a home comes with many responsibilities, and one of the most important ones is making sure your home's plumbing is in good working condition. Catching a problem early on can mean the difference between a quick simple fix and a big expensive plumbing disaster later down the road. At least once a year check for those leaks and run those faucets to make sure everything is OK and you won't have to call for a plumber. Here's a quick checklist of what to look for.

Home Improvement Center : Performing Home Plumbing Checks

First thing to do is visually inspect all of your plumbing fixtures including your kitchen sink, bath tub, shower valves, toilet, and bathroom sink. Make sure everything is properly secured and aligned, with no leaks or rust. Flush the toilet and make sure the water does not continue to run. If after 3 to 5 minutes the toilet continues to run, that may be a sign of a slow leak.

Water pressure is another issue to watch out for. Run all the faucets in your home to make sure the water runs around 30psi. If the water pressure is low, it could mean a dirty shower head or faucet, a clog, sediment buildup, or a problem with the aerator. Likewise, check all drains to make sure water drains away quickly and without any bubbling, which may require the service of a plumber.

If you feel you are up for it, your water heater should be checked as well. If it's electric, make sure all heating elements are working. If your water heater runs on gas, it's a good idea to check for rust in the burner chamber. Also, the flame should be blue. A plumber's help may be required for more advanced checks such as draining the water heater to examine the sediment level at the bottom.

Home Improvement Center : Performing Home Plumbing Checks

If you have a basement, check the pipes going through it and into the rest of your home. This includes both water and sewer pipes. As with other pipes, check for leaks, tightness, or drips. If you smell sewer odors, this could mean you have a septic problem in which case you may need to call a plumber.

If left unchecked, there could be many potential plumbing problems waiting to happen when you least expect it. However, checking everything once a year can easily help prevent future disasters and visits from a plumber. If the time comes a professional's help is needed you can rest assured that your plumber will have the experience, skills, and tools needed to solve your plumbing problems.

Home Improvement Center : Choosing the Right Water Heater Supplier

Are you in the process of shopping for water heaters? If so, the one of the most important decisions for you to make is not simply which unit to buy but from whom you should buy it. There are several factors that can make a difference when choosing the right supplier for your unit. It is important that you choose a supplier that can install the unit for you, offer you a reasonable service contract, and give you a fair price on the unit itself.

Home Improvement Center : Choosing the Right Water Heater Supplier

Home Improvement Center : Does the Supplier Provide Installation?

One of the most important things to look for when shopping for water heaters is a supplier who is willing to install the unit for you at a fair price. Most homeowners do not have the expertise to perform an installation, and it can be much more expensive to hire a different company to come to your home and perform the installation for you. This being the case, you should look for a supplier who is willing to come to your home and install your unit.

Home Improvement Center : Does the Supplier Offer a Service Contract?

Another thing to look for when shopping for water heaters is a supplier who offers a service contract. Many new units will come with a warranty, but it is a good idea to look for a supplier who offers service calls as well. If you can negotiate a service contract with your provider, this will often be much less expensive than hiring a private plumber to service your unit for you. Try to find a supplier, then, who can offer service calls after your warranty expires.

Home Improvement Center : Are you Getting a Fair Price?

Finally, and most importantly, when shopping for water heaters you should always look for someone who will give you a fair price. Do some research prior to shopping to get an idea as to what the current market value is of various models. This will help you to know whether or not your prospective supplier is charging you a fair market price for the unit you buy. You need to keep in mind, however, that a higher price can be offset by a supplier who offers low installation fees and a reasonable service contract. Therefore, it is important for you to weigh these features against one another.

All in all, there are several things to look for when shopping for water heaters. You want a supplier who can install your unit for you, offer a good service contract, and give you a fair price for the unit.

Home Improvement Center : Some Facts on Shower Panels

Shower panels provide you with the secure knowledge that the floor in your bathroom will not be damaged by water when people are bathing. Plastic curtains that are used to cover these bathing units will often be left partially opened on one end or the other and will cause damages to the floor of the bathroom.

Shower panels can also reduce the amount of condensation that is caused from the steam escaping from the unit. The condensation can form on surface areas like the mirror and on tile floors causing them to become slick and hazardous. Reducing the formation of condensation in the bathroom can reduce the number of serious injuries that are caused by slips and falls in this room.

Home Improvement Center : Some Facts on Shower Panels

Shower panels can be made from different thicknesses of glass. You can get these items in 3/8" thick panes or in ½" panes. The glass these items are manufactured from is safety glass and is extremely hard to break.

Shower panels that are made from glass can be made from different styles of this substance. You can purchase panes that are completely crystal clear if you buy the low iron style. You can buy a clear pane that will be translucent and some of the clear panes will have somewhat of a green hue to them. There are acid etched panes that have pictures created by the acid etching. Some of these glass panes are done in patterns and some are done all over to create a somewhat smoky appearance.

You can buy shower panels that fold like the bi-fold doors do. You can buy then that are hung on hinges like regular wooden and steel doors are. You can buy some of them that are made to pivot from a bolt that is placed in the ceiling and floor of the structure. You can buy some of these items that are frameless and some that are semi-frameless. You can get these items that are designed to slide in a track like sliding closet doors do. There are many different choices that will change the look and feel of your room.

Home Improvement Center : Some Facts on Shower Panels

The sizes that these items are made in make them capable of being applied in almost all bathrooms. You can even have them custom designed to create sizes that are larger than normal or smaller than normal. These items come in many different price ranges so most people can find one that fits into their budget.

The shower panels are good choices when you are doing new construction. They are easy to install and they can be purchased in so many different sizes. They are also good for people who are doing remodeling of their bathroom. These items are easily incorporated into existing designs. They can be placed on existing shower enclosures and they can be placed on bathtubs.

At one time there were only bathtubs. Then the shower was invented and of course with that invention the necessity for a way to stop the water from being splashed onto the floor was created. The plastic curtain was the first answer. Now we have the amazing shower panels.

Home Improvement Center : Benefits of Water Softeners

Are you tired of feeling like you can't get clean enough in the shower? Are you sick of that disgusting layer of soap scum that you find in your bathtub? If so, then one way that you might solve your problems is by shopping for water softeners. One of these units can help you in a variety of ways. They can help you to feel cleaner after your shower, they can get rid of soap scum, and they can keep your pipes from getting clogged.

Home Improvement Center : Benefits of Water Softeners

Home Improvement Center : Helps You to Feel Cleaner

Water softeners help to filter your water and remove various contaminants from it. This means that these things are not ending up on your skin while you are in the shower. This being the case, you will be able to work up a better lather with your soap, and you will feel cleaner after your shower is over. A softener will make you feel cleaner, and it will make your showers more enjoyable.

Home Improvement Center : Gets Rid of Soap Scum

Another benefit that water softeners provide is that they keep your tub and shower cleaner after it has been used. In a home that is not equipped with one, it is not uncommon for a layer of soap scum to be left behind in a tub or shower after it has been used. This is because the contaminants in the water make it impossible to wash all of the soap out of the tub, and this results in a layer of soap scum being left behind. Installing a softener in your home will help to keep your shower cleaner.

Home Improvement Center : Keeps Your Pipes Clean

Finally water softeners can help you to keep the pipes in your home clean as well. In many cases a home without this device will have chemicals such as calcium in the water. These chemicals then flow through the pipes and can leave deposits behind. These deposits eventually build up, and this makes the pipes more susceptible to blockages or, in severe cases, cracks. A softener can help you to keep your pipes clean, and this will be good for the long-term health of your pipes.

In all, there are several benefits to water softeners. They help you to get cleaner in the shower, they help you to get rid of that disgusting layer of soap scum in your tub, and they help to keep the pipes in your home in good working order.