Things To Consider When Remodeling A Kitchen

A kitchen remodeling project is one of the vital factors to be considered for a better home. At the same time it is one of the most sophisticated tasks and it involves a lot of money as well. Therefore, it is very important that the kitchen is remodeled appropriately. Before remodeling the kitchen, first analyze your needs and figure out the look of the kitchen that suits us. Here are a few other factors to consider when remodeling a kitchen.

VARIOUS FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED

Positioning

There are various electrical appliances in the kitchen that are used more frequently, and they need to be positioned in such a way that we should not face any hurdles while using them. In order to cook food fast, it needs be within an arm’s reach. Before customization of the kitchen, analyze and plan the position of equipment in your kitchen. The equipment should be positioned in such a way that it adds a considerable value to the aesthetic value of the kitchen.

Plan your Pennies

Before considering remodeling the kitchen, you should also calculate the money that need to be spent in performing the task. Your plan should not require so much money that it makes the entire task unaffordable, nor should we hesitate to spend money in some essential things which spoils the value of the kitchen.

DO or BUY decision

After you have planed your budget, you need to analyze whether yourself could perform the task, or if it requires help from a professional. Before contacting out a project, you need to check the reputation of the contractor and you should also convey exactly how the kitchen needs to be remodeled.

See If It Works For You

After the process of remodeling your kitchen, you need to check whether the new model of the kitchen suits you and satisfies your needs. You should make sure you are getting exactly what you want from your remodeling contractor before you start the project.

For more information about what to consider when remodeling a home, contact us at Kirkland & Shaw Plumbing & Heating today.

Common Plumbing Mistakes

In August 2013, a “fatberg” was found under London’s streets in the sewers. The fatberg was a massive pile of grease, oil, and fat that had collected from years of people dumping grease down their drains. People started complaining about clogged pipes and the inability to flush their toilets, which was the direct result of greasy piles of gunk that had collected over the years. The newsworthy fatberg, according to National Geographic, was a fifteen-ton mound of grease the size of a school bus!

Hopefully, the people of London have learned an important plumbing lesson: don’t, under any circumstances, pour grease down your drains! Although hot grease is in liquid form, as it cools, it turns into a solid, gooey mass, which will wreak havoc on pipes. Add some hair, non-flushable paper products, and other objects one might not want to fish out of the toilet (like bouncy balls the cat so kindly dropped in the toilet, or army men your toddler thought wanted to go for a swim), and a homeowner may not only have a mess, but also a steep bill for their neighborhood friendly plumber.

Pouring grease down the drain isn’t the only common plumbing mistake people make. Many people have garbage disposals and are under the impression that the garbage disposal can handle anything. But they can’t.

People who peel pounds of potatoes at a time and dump the peels in the garbage disposal may find dull, gooey blades from the starch in all those peels. Corn husks and other fibrous vegetables also have no place in the garbage disposal. Foods that expand when they’re cooked will also clog garbage disposals and drains. Garbage disposals are great for some things, but if homeowners don’t use them properly, they can expect a visit and a bill from the plumber.

We live in an age of Do-It-Yourself. New homeowners are eager to start projects and make their homes just the way they want them. It’s common for them to want to buy all new fixtures to give their new home their personal touch. People run out to the nearest hardware store to buy new sinks, PVC pipes, new fixtures, and even new toilets. However, many of these new homeowners don’t know the first thing about plumbing. And while they can probably figure out the basics of installing a new toilet, sinks can be trickier. If they don’t know how the pipes fit together, if they strip their threads, or just go after the project with a “I’ll figure it out as I go” attitude, they will probably end up with leaky pipes and leaky faucets.

Even a slow drip can cause major damage to wood and cabinetry below the sink. Rotten wood and mold do not belong in anyone’s house. They can cause illness and respiratory problems, not to mention that that little water drip can severely damage or even destroy parts of the house.

So, before you dump that grease, flush that paper towel, grind up all those potato peels, and try to install a new sink, check with the professionals. You may just save yourself from a headache and a hefty bill down the road.

For more information about plumbing, call us at Kirkland And Shaw Plumbing & Heating today.

How to Prevent Pipe Burst and Other Home Water Damage

Once a water pipe has burst, it can cause a lot of irreparable damage to a home. Similarly, other water damage caused by leaks, bursts, breaks, clogs, or floods can result in costly repair bills, and your home may suffer other damages such as warping and mold. In order to avoid this expensive and damaging situation, it’s best to simply take precautions to avoid pipe bursts and water damage. Here are a few home maintenance tips that will save you money and heartache.

• Check your utility bills each month. Make sure that the water usage is similar each month. If you see a huge leap in water usage, it may be an indication of an undetected leak. As soon as you notice a huge change, contact us at Kirkland & Shaw Plumbing & Heating for help rectifying the situation.
• Do a manual check of your water sources and appliances each month. Make sure to check your appliances for cracks, rust, corrosion, and/or damage. If you notice any damage, get it fixed right away.
• While you are checking your water sources and appliances, also inspect your basement floor and crawl space for leaks or cracks.
• Check for signs of leakage. If you notice water appearing around your appliances or pipes, it may indicate the need for some maintenance. Don’t wait for the water leakage to get so great that it causes damage. Fix the situation as soon as you notice it.
• Make sure your roof and shingles are properly maintained. If you notice any leaks from the roof, call a roofer to fix the problem.
• Check your water tank to make sure there is no rust. If your water tank is older than 10 or 15 years, update your tank.

Damage resulting from leaks, bursts, or appliance corrosion can be expensive. Instead of paying for the results of a flood, take measures to prevent water damage.

 

How to Keep Your Home Cool without Touching the Thermostat

Though summer is technically coming to a close, many people are in for months and months of heat, before things finally cool off. But how do you keep your house cool if you’re tired of seeing a spike in your energy bill each month? You can keep the air conditioner turned off and still have a cool, comfortable home with these five tips!

1. Block the sun. Windows can turn your home into an oven. They let the sun’s rays in and then trap the hot air. If the sun’s rays never get into your home, however, you have a much better chance of keeping your rooms cool. Get some window shutters or thick, dark curtains. Keep them closed during the day and you’ll find your home heats up far less.

2. Switch up your ceiling fans. In the winter, you want your fans to rotate clockwise. This helps to distribute warm air that has collected near the ceiling (because hot air rises). In the summer, you want them to rotate counter-clockwise, to draw hot air upwards and leave cool, fresh air in your room.

3. Invest in stand-fans. These fans use far less power than an air conditioner and they help to move stale, hot air out of a room, making it far more comfortable to sit in on a hot day. There are even fans that don’t have blades at all and which are designed to cool large spaces, completely silently.

4. Toss the incandescent light bulbs. If you’ve ever tried to change an incandescent light bulb while it was on, you know that they give of significant heat. You could solve this problem by simply not using any lights during the day, but you can also simply switch out your incandescent and fluorescent lights for LED alternatives. They’ll last longer and they give off very little heat.

5. Get rid of hot air. Some days, you just can’t avoid turning on the oven or taking a hot shower. That warm air is going to build up in your home if you don’t ventilate it. An attic fan is a great way to suck away hot air while pulling cool air in through open windows. When cooking or showering, turn on overhead ventilation fans.

For more house-cooling tips and tricks, visit our website Kirkland & Shaw today!

Ways to Save Energy

Saving energy isn’t just good for the planet, it’s also good for your bank account. Using less power means lower energy bills, which means more money in your pocket. One simple task can save you hundreds throughout the year and years to come. What the task? Just replace your old appliances with new models designed to save energy (and water). This is a long-term investment in lower energy bills and a better, greener planet.

How to Find Energy-Saving Appliances

Finding energy-saving appliances is as easy as looking for the Energy Star seal. These products have been tested and have been found to use less energy and their production produces less pollution. While you might think that this means that the appliances are less efficient, an Energy Star rating means that the appliances are top-quality, and work just as well as appliances that did not rate this award.

Dishwashers

Dishwashers made before 1994 are notorious energy-sucks. If you are still using one, chances are you are paying through the nose for utilities to keep that dishwasher going. Updating to a more recent model can save you upwards of $50, just in utilities. On top of the power savings, they also use less water, for even more savings on your bills.

Refrigerators

Old refrigerators are just as bad as old dishwashers. Because they are using power all of the time, if your fridge is not energy efficient, you are losing about $200 a year just in electricity bills. Old refrigerators and side-by-sides suck away energy. Replace these models with an Energy Star appliance to put that $200 back in your pocket.

Washers

New washing machines are almost always designed to give you a superior clean, while using less water. They are designed to be “intelligent,” weighing the size of the load and determining how much water to use on their own. If you are still using an old washing machine, you’re probable losing another $200 paying for the extra power and water that new models do not use.

Water Heaters

Instead of using the traditional water heater, opt for a solar water heater, which not only reduces pollution and power usage, but also far outlast traditional water heaters and heat your water just as well.

For more energy-saving tricks, contact Kirkland & Shaw today!

Buying a New Home? Schedule Your Plumbing Inspection Today!

Many people will overlook a plumbing inspection, simply because the plumbing of a house is out of sight, and therefore, out of mind. However, a problem with a house’s plumbing, even a small one, can completely undermine what would otherwise be a beautiful and functional new home. Instead of jumping into a purchase blindly, homebuyers should schedule a plumbing inspection, in order to make sure that the home’s water and disposal system is up to snuff. Don’t wait until you’ve bought the house to call a plumber. Before the sale closes, invest in an inspection.

How are plumbing inspections done?

While it may be possible to see some of the house’s pipes in the basement or on the exterior of the home, most of the plumbing will be inside the walls. This can make it difficult to see what exactly is going on in the pipes. With today’s technology, however, it is possible to use a camera, attached to a snake, to investigate the pipes.

A tiny camera is attached to the snake, which is then inserted into drain, and pushed along the pipes by the inspector, so that he can see the interiors of the pipes, identify any problem areas, as well as see cracks, corrosion, or blockages that may be developing. This will give the home buyer a better idea of the state of the house and what kinds of repairs need to be made.

Why should I have a plumbing inspection?

Some people will rely on the home inspector to identify any problems with the pipes, but in reality, most inspectors are just looking for obvious signs of damage to the pipes, while a plumbing inspector will look for the damage itself. They can also find blockages and determine what exactly is causing the blockage, so that it can be removed efficiently. Plumbing inspections are far more effective and useful than the inspection done by a house inspector, who does not have the time or expertise to really investigate the plumbing.

For more information about plumbing inspections, or to schedule yours, contact Kirkland & Shaw Plumbing and Heating today!

5 Most Common Plumbing Problems

A problem with plumbing can be any homeowner’s worst nightmare, especially since plumbing is something that we use every day, almost all day long. When there is a leak, a breakage, or a clog, most people do not know what to do in order to solve the problem, often making the problem worse than it actually is. While any large problem should fall to a professional plumber, there are several plumbing problems that even homeowners who are not particularly handy can tackle. They are as follows.

1. No hot water, but plenty of cold water. If you have cold water, but no hot water, you most likely have a problem with your water heater. To fix this problem, check to see if your pilot light is lit. If not, light it (or call a professional to light it, if you don’t know how). Then, check to see if you temperature settings are high enough for the number of people that need to use hot water at any point of the day.
2. Your drain is clogged. This is one of the most frustrating problems and usually crops up at the most inconvenient of times. If you know what is causing the clog, you can either remove it, or use chemical means to get rid of it. Be sure to read all of the instructions on the bottle of chemical before pouring it into your drain. If that does not solve your problem, call a professional.
3. Leaks from pipes and faucets. When you have a leak from a faucet, you usually just have to replace a part or tighten a screw. In some cases, it may be necessary to replace the whole fixture. Some leaky pipes can also just be repaired, though in extreme cases, the pipe should be replaced.
4. Toilets that won’t stop running. If you hear a constant humming noise in the bathroom or the sound of water running, check to make sure all of the mechanical parts are working properly, that there are no leaks, and that everything is sealing properly after a flush. If not, either replace the parts or call a professional.
5. Garbage disposal not disposing. In most cases, if the garbage disposal simply refuses to work, it is because a piece has broken. Instead of repairing the part, replacing the entire disposal is generally the best way to go.

For more information about how to solve these plumbing problems and others, contact Kirkland & Shaw Plumbing & Heating today!

5 Tips for Choosing The Right Plumber

Plumbing repairs can be a tough problem to deal with, especially if either your sink is backed up, or you’re having problems with a toilet. Finding the right plumber doesn’t have to make the situation more difficult than it has to be. By keeping in mind these 5 simple tips, you can find a plumber that provides the high-quality service you need.

1. Make sure your plumber is licensed – Licensing is an essential criterion that any trained and skillful plumber should have. In many states, a license is required to practice plumbing professionally. You want to look for a plumber with these qualifications so that you’re guaranteed a professional level of service.

2. Experience – Having experience means your plumber has a positive track record with other customers.  References and recommendations from former customers provides you with some insight into the quality and satisfaction of a plumber’s work. To find out more about a plumber’s experience, read testimonials and reviews about them on their website and on Google.

3. Warranty – Make sure that your plumber ensures that all of the installations and repairs made are under warranty. Not only does this ensure the reliability of his services, but also repairs are free if any part should break unexpectedly.

4. Insurance – Find out if your plumber has insurance. Insurance is useful in the event that there is a mishap. Insurance will not only protect your home from any damage, but the plumber as well, should he suffer any injuries during the repair process.

5. Quality – The last tip for choosing the right plumber is making sure they provide quality work. Feel free to ask them about the products they use when completing a project. While a plumber may fix a problem, if they don’t use quality parts, it may not help you out in the long run.

Finding the right plumber should be an easy solution to your home plumbing problems. You shouldn’t have to struggle with inexperienced or unprofessional plumbers charging you exorbitant prices for their work. Weed out the rabble and you’ll find a caring professional plumber like one of our professional plumbers.

Common Plumbing Problems for Older Homes

Old plumbing is notoriously unreliable and generally fraught with problems. Any house older than fifty years old is likely to have plumbing made from galvanized steel, which corrodes easily and collects dirt and debris, leading to clogs and ruptures. Though old houses are most likely to have old pipes, older homes with new pipes may also have a number of problems.

Corrosion

The older the pipes are, the more likely they are to be corroded, especially the pipes responsible for hot water. Corrosion is caused by metal reacting with water, so it is common in all kinds of pipes, but is especially bad in galvanized steel. As the water eats away at and reacts with the metal, it creates areas for debris to collect, as well as weak points in the pipes that can turn into ruptures during the winter if the pipes happen to freeze.

Poor Planning

Sometimes, it was impossible to plan for the future, when the house might be remodeled or need repairs. However, sometimes, the way that plumbing used to be installed can create serious problems. If pipes doubled as a support structure for the house, the weight of the materials and time may take its toll on the plumbing. The only real fix for this is replacement with a better system.

Leaks

Just as with anything, as plumbing ages, it can develop weakness and leaks, especially where two pipes come together. If these pipes were not properly sealed or have worked themselves loose over years and years of use, you may be experience leaking in your walls and not even know it. If your house is prone to mold or rot, you may have leaking pipes. The older your house and plumbing are, the more likely this is.

The Size of the Pipes

The pipes used to run water today are usually larger than the pipes used to run water even twenty years ago. This can cause a problem if you are trying to renovate your home, as new plumbing may not match up to old plumbing.

For information about how to repair these plumbing problems, contact Kirkland and Shaw today!

Tips to Extend The Life Of Your Water Heater

There’s nothing quite like running a hot bath, or taking a long hot shower after a hard day. Hot water is not only a great comfort, and a great means to help you get squeaky clean, but also necessary to run some of your most valued appliances like your washer and dishwasher. So, what do you do when your water heater either goes out, or you start to notice your once hot water is now only lukewarm? To avoid this situation, consider the following tips that will help extend the life of your water heater.

Clean your Tank

After years of use, water heaters accumulate sediment and other forms of build up. When the sediment builds up, it can affect the way your water heater works. In order to keep your water heater running smoothly, either clean or flush your tank regularly.

Install a PVR Valve

A PRV valve (pressure regulating valve) will help moderate the wear and tear on both your water heater and your water-using appliances. The PVR valve works by making sure your water pressure doesn’t get too high. This is a great way to extend the life of your water heater. 

Get a Water Softener

There really is a huge difference between hard and soft water. Hard water has a very high mineral content that is extremely hard on appliances. Soft water is a quick solution to reduce the wear and tear that result from water with a high mineral content.

Properly Maintain your Water Heater

Some people think that you can buy your water heater and let it sit until it breaks. Most water heaters will eventually break, but you can prolong that situation by years if you simply take steps to properly maintain your water heater.

For more information on how to maintain your water heater, contact us today at Kirkland and Shaw.