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Archive for August, 2010
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
It’s called Green-Blaster Drain Opener and it works—fast. One of the great features of this handy drain opener is its incredible efficiency. It cleans your drain in sixty seconds and, best of all, unlike many other drain cleaners it’s safe for septic systems and can be used on chrome, polished brass, and plastic. The dry, granular product unclogs grease buildup, destroys hair, and clears other organic materials with ease. It’s also non-acid so you don’t have to worry about the normal health and safety hazards associated with most other drain cleaners.
The directions are simple. Pour ½ cup of Green-Blaster down your drain, run hot or cold tap water, cover opening with a damp cloth and let stand for one minute. Dump another half cup of Blaster down the drain and let the water run until all the granules are dissolved. Pretty easy, no?
Like we said at the beginning, this is the stuff the professionals use. You can find it in almost any hotel, apartment, restaurant, school, condo complex, or nursing home—but, you can’t find it in stores. As much as we love meeting you in person and using our own supply of Green-Blaster to clear your drains, we know most of you would like to be able to just do it on your own. You can purchase your own supply of Green-Blaster Drain Opener directly from us – either give us a call or stop by our office.
Tags: andover mn plumbers, anoka mn plumbers, brooklyn park mn plumbers, champlin mn plumbers, Clogged drains, crystal mn plumbers, elk river mn plumbers, green-blaster drain opener, maple grove mn plumber
Posted in Bath Plumbing, Consumer News, Kitchen Plumbing, Plumber Advice, Plumbing Clogs | Comments Off
Wednesday, August 18th, 2010
It’s the first place we go to get clean, yet it’s frequently the last place we think about when it comes to regular home maintenance and safety precautions. “Shower safety and maintenance” may sound a little goofy, but it’s just as important to think about as any other aspect of your home.
Most people know not to let young children bathe alone due to the danger of drowning, but not many people think about the threat overly hot water can pose. Letting a small child sit in a bathtub full of overly hot water for too long can certainly lead to scalding, but sadly, scalding can also occur in the blink of an eye. Sudden fluctuations of water pressure when showering is the most frequent cause of hot water scalding in children and the elderly. Sometimes this is due to a faulty shower head, which may need to be replaced entirely, but the majority of the time the shower head is simply clogged with mineral deposits.
Cleaning your shower head on a regular basis is quick, easy, and may be the key to preventing unfortunate accidents. Most modern showerheads are self-cleaning, so if you don’t want to bother with monthly showerhead maintenance, buying a new self-cleaning showerhead may be your best option.
In addition to regularly cleaning your shower head, it’s important to clean your shower curtain regularly as well. If left unattended for too long many shower curtains can grow mold and other bacteria, which are an obvious health risk, especially for children and the elderly. It’s as easy as laying the curtain out on a table and wiping it down with soap and water. Or, for certain cloth-based curtains, simply run through the washing machine with the rest of your laundry.
Tags: andover mn plumbers, anoka mn plumber services, brooklyn park mn plumbers, elk river mn plumbers, maple grove mn plumbers, shower safety and maintenance
Posted in Bath Plumbing, Elk River MN Plumber, Plumber Advice | Comments Off
Thursday, August 12th, 2010
If you have small children in your home it is no mystery that they like to play with levers, buttons and turn everything on and off. One way that children are burned each year is by water that is too hot. If they reach up and turn the hot water on while taking a bath or playing in the bathtub they could be seriously burned – it only takes a few seconds.
It is suggested that you turn the temperature on your hot water heater down to 120 degrees to lessen your chances of burns. It takes only a few seconds for a child to get a third degree burn when the temperature is set any higher than that. To learn how to adjust your hot water heater consult your owner’s manual or ask us for help the next time we are out at your house.
This topic was recently featured on The Doctors. Visit their website to learn more about it.
Tags: andover mn plumbers, anoka mn plumbers, brooklyn park mn plumbers, elk river mn plumbers, Hot Water Heater Replacement, hot water heaters mn, maple grove mn plumbers
Posted in Bath Plumbing, Consumer News, Elk River MN Plumber, Plumber Advice | Comments Off
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
Sure, it’s hot out now, but as every true Minnesotan knows it’s never too early to start planning for winter (sorry for the reminder, we promise you’ll thank us later). With the cold comes frozen noses, frozen feet, and, if you’re not properly prepared, frozen pipes. Each year, nearly a quarter of a million families in the US have their homes damaged and their lives disrupted because of unprotected water pipes that freeze and then burst. Even the tiniest crack in a pipe can unleash up to 250 gallons of water a day; and though Nowthen will be there right away to help fix it up, we’d rather save you the time, money, and aggravation later by giving you a few tips on how to prevent frozen pipes now.
Before it gets cold make sure you insulate, seal, and disconnect!
Be sure to insulate the exposed pipes in your crawl spaces and attic. These pipes are the most susceptible to freezing, so don’t be shy with that insulation! Seal air leaks in areas near pipes, especially around dryer vents and electrical wiring. Even the smallest leak can cause big problems. Disconnect garden hoses and drain the water from the pipes leading to outside faucets using an indoor valve if possible.
Before you go on vacation take the necessary precautions.
Whenever you leave your house empty for an extended period of time it’s extremely important that you take the necessary precautions to make sure you don’t come home to burst pipes and major problems. Though we know you’d like to save on heating costs, make sure the thermostat is set no lower than 55 degrees. If possible, arrange for a neighbor or friend to periodically check in on the house to make sure it’s not too cold, or just turn off the water system entirely to be extra safe.
If pipes freeze, act quickly but don’t panic.
If your pipes are frozen (nothing comes out when you turn on the faucet) call a Nowthen plumber immediately. If you’re worried that your pipes have already burst, be sure to turn off the main water valve right away to prevent any further damage until we can get there to help. As with any household problem, knowledge about preventative measures is key. Feeling better about winter already? We thought you would!
Posted in Consumer News | Comments Off
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