Tag Archives: Plumbing
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Facts about hot water – tanks vs. tankless
Posted on January 20, 2019 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItIt is very common to have clients ask my thoughts about “upgrading” to an instant hot water tank. These tankless hot water systems are very popular right now and are commonplace in new construction. They take up less space, provide endless hot water, and are acclaimed to be cheaper and more efficient than the traditional, […]
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Basement drains are tricky
Posted on December 30, 2018 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItI’m grateful for my clients who continue to ask great questions. Here’s a recent… Hey Mike! Quick question. I was hoping you could give me advice as to what this means and how I could fix it. In our laundry room we had that funky drain that the previous owner had sprayed insulation around. I’ve noticed […]
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Love at 120-degrees!
Posted on August 20, 2017 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItHow hot is too hot? That’s a relative question, right? Not anymore! Borrowing the tagline from my family’s favorite take’n bake pizza place I have some interesting facts that I have learned concerning the best and safest operating temperature of your hot water supply. First, 104 degrees (F) is the temperature considered safe for bathing. […]
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This is an expansion tank
Posted on August 10, 2017 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItEver felt like your head was going to explode because of too much noise/stress/people/bickering of children? What did you do to decompress? You probably got out of the system to relieve the tension you were feeling. It is possible for hot water tanks to feel the same – though for different reasons! Whether you have […]
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Strap that tank in!
Posted on July 30, 2017 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItIn a recent trip to Europe I noticed how instinctual and cross-cultural it is to wear seat belts, but in France it is a matter of necessity and survival! In a country that hosts the LeMans and Monte Carlo races, belts take on a whole new meaning. Did you know that belts for your hot […]
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Possible plastic plumbing problem
Posted on April 3, 2017 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItPlastic plumbing piping is all the rage nowadays. The PEX supply piping is terrific stuff. What we have today has been developed on the shoulders of some earlier generations of problematic plastic piping. There is one in particular that is especially troublesome called polybutylene. A class action lawsuit brought this material to the forefront of attention. […]
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Quick! Where’s the shutoff?
Posted on January 2, 2017 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItSo you’ve got a major problem and you need to get the water shutoff to your house. Have you figured out where it is located? Take a few minutes this week to find it and label it! Common places the plumbing shutoff might be are garages, near hot water tanks, front entry coat closets, and under main level […]
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Protect your outdoor faucets from freezing
Posted on December 12, 2016 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItLast week we had our first night of twenty-degree weather and freezing. Later that morning I had a client email me about the freezing weather and his outdoor water faucets – also known as hose bibbs. I was so appreciative that he checked in with me. His question is one that many share – how […]
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You might have dirty clean dishes
Posted on September 26, 2016 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItEver wondered what that little cylinder is for next to the kitchen faucet? Are you wondering about it because you don’t have one of these little decorations? This is called an air gap and it is associated with the proper plumbing for your dishwasher. Quite often dishwasher drain lines are connected directly to your garbage […]
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For removal please cut drywall here
Posted on July 25, 2016 by mikew in Fix It & Use ItHow’s your memory? I’ve got a pretty good memory on some things and my wife will tell you I have a terrible memory where it really counts! For all of you who want to make it a little easier for your self in the future I want to encourage you to label things! My favorite […]
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