Is Now is the Time to Buy a Home?

Well the “Cash for Clunkers” program is over but there is still time to take advantage of another of the Obama stimulus programs. This other program, we’ll call it “Money for Mortgages”, offers a cash assistance of up to $8000 for a first time home buyer, as defined by the IRS, but this program ends December 1, 2009 and all of your paper work must be completed by November 1, 2009.

The news of the day is that for the home prices have increased. Prices were up quarter over quarter for the first time in three years, according to the latest S+P/Case-Shiller data. The 20-city index rose 1.4 percent from May to June. Although down 15.4 percent since the previous June, this is an improvement from -19.1 percent in the first quarter. Cleveland, San Francisco and Minneapolis had the strongest performances from May to June, up more than 3 percent each. The only cities that declined in June were Las Vegas and Detroit. The Case-Shiller home price indices are calculated on a monthly basis with a two month lag time and published on the last Tuesday of every month. Economists Karl Case, Robert Shiller and Allan Weiss developed an approach to calculate the indices from data on repeat sales of single family homes. The data published from these Case-Shiller home value indices typically covers the 20 Metropolitan Statistical Areas used by Standard and Poors in the S&P/Case Shiller Home Price Index.

The dynamics of the housing market may seem to have a language of their own -- median value, appreciation -- it's hard to know where to start. It's a great time for buyers who waited patiently for prices to come down. Why continue to rent when you can buy for 10 or 20 percent less than you would have paid a few years ago? For sellers, it could be time to consider trading up.
There are a lot of questions that you should have regarding this program and I am limited to the amount of space I have here nor time that you should take to make sure you have all of the answers, the following website offers the answers to most of these FAQ’s:
http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/2009/faq.php

The long and short of the program are as follows:
· the tax credit is for first-time home buyers only. For the tax credit program, the IRS defines a first-time home buyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase.
· The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
· The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.
· The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.
· Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.

I believe that now is the time to step into the market and claim your share of the housing deals of today whether or not you are a first time buyer. With or without the $8000 assistance homes are less expensive than they have been in years with many being sold for 50% of their value 2 years ago. During the great depression of the 1930’s the individuals who profited were the ones who stepped out in faith and invested in real estate, stocks and all the material things that represented investments. The losers were the ones who kept their money in the mattress. Our economy will turn around when the people start spending money again and regain their faith and trust in our country. Maybe you don’t have the stomach for the stock market but you have been living in a rented apartment or house waiting for the time that you can buy a home of your own. NOW IS THAT TIME.

Hot water reset Button keeps popping?

Yes even the Faucetman can be wrong. Just ask my ex-wife. As much as it may be hard for you to believe even I am capable of making a mistake, I divorced my first one (and never made that one again) and then there was the following discussion dialog from this weekend on GardenWeb, one of my favorite forums:
Thread
“The hot water heater is 3 yrs old. It is making dangerous scalding hot water which automatically shuts it down. Hubby goes into basement and hits the reset and it starts up again. He adjusts the temperature to less hot. I run out of hot water in the shower everyday so he adjusts the temp back to where it was for the past 3 yrs and so it starts making scalding hot water again. Then it shuts down and he has to go press the reset button again. Cyclical problem. What the heck! Can somebody help us, I'm trying to avoid calling the plumber if we can figure this out.”
MyAnswer
Probably not the answer you want to hear but basically it sounds like you need a larger capacity HWH. You are flirting with danger in allowing the heater to overheat so much that the reset is popping. One day instead of the reset working you will build up enough pressure to blow the Temperature/Pressure relief valve and then you will be in for a major fix if not worse depending on where the TPR is drained to and possibly ruin the HWH. It maybe a good time to look into the newer instant hot tankless HWH. They can be expensive on installation but long term savings on not having to keep water heated constantly usually results in a payoutand will give you all the hot water you need on demand.
The Correct Answer (I stand corrected)
I'm not sure I completely agree with faucetman... some additional information would be helpful. how big is the water heater? 40 gal, 50 gal, larger? Under what conditions does it run out of hot water? Is it when only one of you take a shower? Is it when two of you shower after each other, etc? Is it when you do laundry or some other large demand? I suspect that something else is going on - I suspect that the bottom element is burned out and shorted out - or possibly the thermostat is malfunctioning. My first guess would be the lower element. You do need to fix this problem now. The reset button is a safety device - it works when the normal operational controls fail. It is a second-line defense against catastrophic tank failure. You don't want to count on that to continue to prevent serious damage... it's kinda like the emergency brake in your car...you don't want to drive the car knowing that the regular brakes don't work and count on the emergency brake to stop you. As FaucetMan pointed out, you do have one more layer of protection, the TPR valve- that can cause flood/steam damage if it releases but at least it won't level your house like an exploding water heater can. As I said, I think you will find that the lower element is burned out - but you need to get it fixed now and stop resetting it.
The link below shows what happens when a water heater lets go. It doesn't happen often because of the safety devices, but it's a good reminder of why there are a couple of safety devices on the heater and that we shouldn't ignore a failed operating control.
The result

Hubby checked the capacity of the WH. It is 64 gallons. We are only 2 people here.
Yes it is only recent that the scalding water started happening. He lowered the temp & now we run out of hot water on ONE shower. So he set it back where it was and we got the reset problem every few days. I do not take long showers.

My Mea Culpa
I absolutely stand corrected and agree with the previous answer. A 64 gallon HWH should be sufficient for a 4 person family not just a 2 person family. Obviously the tank is malfunctioning and needs repair and soon. I do still believe that a tankless might be more satisfying and efficient but far more expensive than just repairing the existing unit.

The bottom line, as I have said in so many blogs before, DON’T SCREW AROUND WITH YOUR HOT WATER HEATER! Today’s modern product is manufactured for safety and reasonable efficient service if something malfunctions there is a reason and not something to wait around or more importantly fool around to try to avoid the inevitable. I am constantly reminded of the early Saturday morning thread I answered about a hot water heater forcing hot water into all of the cold water lines including the toilet. Someone had replaced the TPR valve with a plug and the HWH was just before exploding. Thankfully I was up early that morning reading my forums and told the poor guy to turn the darn thing off and call a plumber just before his HWH was going to become a guided missile through the roof or worse through the livingroom, bedroom and out through the garage to the neighbors house.

How do I Replace A Single Handled Faucet Cartridge?

Last week I wrote about how to replace a washer in a normal double handle faucet to repair a leak. A more complicated issue is to correct a leak in a single handled faucet which involves the replacement of the sometimes complicated cartridge which is the fundamental heart of the single handled fixture. These cartridges are pressed into their fittings and most of the time will not come out without some assistance and this assistance can be a hammer and a punch. In the hands of an unskilled handyman this usually ends up with a trip to the supply house for a new faucet. I read the following narrative from a thread in one of my favorite DIY forums this morning:

“Over the weekend I replaced the leaky cartridges in a Moen bar sink...individual hot and cold. The faucet was installed in the mid 70's, functionally clean not loaded with mineral deposits, exterior finish just shy of looking new. The hot cartridge came out with some convincing, the cold did not. The lower half of the cold cartridge broke off inside the valve. Which would explain the drippy faucet, you could tell it must have been cracked for years. My method was crude and while I'm certain, it didn't cause it to break, most likely it didn't help. I ended up removing the faucet from the sink, and finding a small punch to drive the broken part out from the supply side.BTW...this series of Moen faucets now have life time warranty on valve parts, the one installed did not. Moen helped me locate a new part number that "should" work, but did not have them. After getting a referral from Moen, I called the supplier they suggested. They had the out of production part. The parts were not cheap, but the replacement faucet was in excess of $450, so in comparison, $75 in parts wasn't out of the question. The second generation part fit perfectly and the 30 year old faucet works PERFECTLY!” Congrats on your success.

This is another example of the excellence of Moen’s customer service. I have heard many times of situations like this where if they had the part they would replace it free even though the faucet wasn’t the one covered under their “lifetime” warranty and even have replaced the entire faucet. As I have mentioned many times in my blogs this is a reason to buy a quality product and to know the manufacturer’s warranty especially if you plan to stay in your home for a long time.

Now as to the original question, what could he have used to pull the cartridge out without risking the damage? The answer is a cartridge puller as pictured above, which can be picked up at your local box store or hardware store.Tip: when you reinstall make sure you use plenty of plumbers grease on the new gaskets and coat the inside of the fixture also.

Handicap Bathrooms Version 3

As I mentioned in one of my blogs last week, two of my most frequently accessed articles are ones written about the conversion of an existing bathroom to ADA standards or the one about building a handicap bathroom from scratch. I wrote these articles from personal experience because of my own disability situation. It is hard for a well bodied person to understand the barriers that exist to perform even the simplest of daily functions when one is handicapped. Bathing, using the bathroom, or simply washing ones hands can become a real trial without help or in a non handicap friendly facility. I was at our local health clinic (a place where you would expect to be in compliance) on this past Monday and found the bathroom to be so small that one could not get in it with straddling the toilet to get the door shut and it had an old low high toilet. The staff though it funny. I saw it as almost impossible to use. I don’t know how they have gotten away with it except those of us who have to avail ourselves of some charity, when it comes to health care, are wont to complain for fear of losing their access to the care.
I get so many people reading my blogs on this subject that I though today I would give another person’s opinion in the hope that it will provide something that I missed. The following info comes from the following web link for which I give total credit and thanks for the information:

http://homeimprovement.lovetoknow.com/Bathroom_Designs_for_the_Elderly_and_Handicapped

Bathroom Safety is Good for Everyone
Modifying a bathroom for someone with mobility issues has a number of benefits: It aids independent living. To be able to care for one’s personal needs without assistance instills a sense of pride and independence. It maintains strength. Pushing up on support bars or lifting one’s body weight from the tub keeps muscles active. It helps in-home caregivers. Adults helping those with disabilities rely on grab bars and transfer benches to keep both their charges and themselves secure and stable. It creates a safe place for both adults and children. Toilet seat lights, grab bars, and no-slip safety strips help the entire family stay safe in the bathroom.
Other types of modifications for safety and accessibility include:
Raised toilet seats
Walk in tub systems
Water temperature testers
No-slip safety strips
Personal care aids

Guidelines for Bathroom Designs for the Elderly and Handicapped
In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act developed building guidelines for public facilities and businesses to follow in order to accommodate individuals with disabilities. These standards provide helpful insight into what homeowners can do as well.
The University of Missouri’s Extension Office website also offers detailed diagrams and installation advice, as do many bathroom fixture manufacturers.

General Considerations
Here are some basic guidelines for bathroom designs for the elderly and handicapped:
Install grab bars parallel to the floor, not diagonally, alongside the toilet and in the tub/shower area. Adding a vertical grab bar inside the bathing area is also a good idea.
Vanities should be open under the sink to accommodate wheelchairs and benches.
Countertops should be 30-34 inches high for someone in a wheelchair, and 40 inches high for someone who has trouble bending.
Toilets in an accessible bathroom should be approximately 18 inches high, although seat extenders can help achieve this.
Mirrors should be hung lengthwise, along the back of the sink, not at standing eye level.
Bathing benches should be two-to-four inches smaller than the tub width to avoid puncturing the side walls.
Change out bath fixtures and door handles to accommodate reduced hand coordination and grip.
Make sure there’s plenty of room around the toilet for wheelchair maneuverability.
Door entrances should be 32 to 36 inches wide.
While a non-slip surface is perfect for a bath or shower, investigate the option of complete non slip flooriing. Just make sure that the surface is easy to roll across in a wheelchair.
Eliminate the clutter. Decorative knick-knacks on countertops, extension cords, and hampers may impede the progress of someone with a disability to conduct business efficiently.
Adjust lighting based on the individual’s needs. Lighting may have to be lowered or brightened, or additional light sources may have to be added. Reposition all switches, too.

I hope this take on handicspped access as added to your information. Please take a moment to read my other blogs on this subject also. Contact a customer service rep at NBS for assistance and information you may need on any fixtures.

HOW TO REPAIR A LEAKY FAUCET.

I thought, for a change, I would revert back to my original intent for the blog and answer a simple but yet frequent question on most of the DIY discussion rooms. How do I repair a leaky faucet?
This is for double handled faucets not single lever types. Leaky faucets occur for many reasons, the most common being the washer inside the faucet has worn out and needs to be replaced. You don’t need to call a plumber (unless you are Crash and Burn Hennecy, who is capable of getting an electrical shock while doing plumbing) to replace a washer in a faucet, since you can do the job yourself in about 10 minutes with a few simple tools.
Before you begin have a selection of washers on hand (available in mixed repair kits at your local hardware store)to choose from or the specific washer for the brand faucet you have. Many times these washers can be obtained from the manufacturer free of charge with a simple phone call to their customer service line.
To begin the process turn off the water supply to the faucet either with the shut off valve below the sink or if none is located there use the main water supply control valve usually located in line with the main water line coming into your house. If you don’t know where your main shut off is now is a great time to find it even if you have a shut off on the faucet. Once the water is turned off turn the faucet to release any water pressure then turn the faucet off. Take a crescent wrench and loosen the lock nut at the base of the faucet. This is done by turning the nut counter-clockwise to loosen it. Some water may leak out when you do this but it will only be a small amount. The washer you want to replace is in the bottom of the faucet. Lift the faucet up from the sink and turn it over and look up inside the faucet itself. You will see the washer for the faucet in its base. Using a flat head screwdriver, pry up gently in the middle of the washer to remove it. Replace the washer in the faucet with your replacement part, or match the size of the old washer to a new one and install it in the same position as the old. Turn the faucet back over and replace it in the sink. Retighten the lock nut by turning it clockwise. Turn your water supply on and test the faucet for leaks.
Now that you have your confidence up and you think plumbing is maybe your long lost avocation maybe it’s time to add that new bathroom your spouse has been wanting. Forget it! Call a good licensed plumber.

MY T&P VALVE IS LEAKING WHAT SHOULD I DO?

As most of you that read my blogs on a regular basis know, I spend part of each day reading, learning and contributing to a large group of my favorite discussion groups and forums on DIY issues. Each time I run across a thread about T&P or TPR valves (temperature and pressure relief valves) I wonder why we don’t read about exploding houses on a daily basis. Yesterday I participated in a thread where the writer wrote that he had replaced his TPR valve because it was leaking and much to his surprise the new one leaked too! He felt he couldn’t have a problem with his hot water heater because it was only 10 years old and was producing great hot water, even too hot water at times. So should he replace the TPR valve again? Well there were differing opinions. Some thought he should install an overflow pressure tank, others thought that indeed he must have gotten a bad TPR valve or when he “tested” it to see if the new one worked he might have corrupted it with dregs from the HWH. But one on the ball contributor hit the nail right on the head, in my humble opinion, and said the hot water heater was going critical (over heating) and was either in need of repair or replacement and I whole heartedly agree. The telling point was the “too hot water”. The TPR valve is there for the expressed purpose of keeping the HWH from exploding when it overheats. Watch this video to see what happens when the TPR valve fails, or as when some less than bright folks just don’t install one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGWmONHipVo
The same homeowner then writes a thread about how far from the floor should the overflow pipe from the HWH be. HWH’s don’t have overflow pipes. The pipe that comes from the heater is just a conduit to pipe the hot scalding water that erupts when the TPR valve blows. The idea that a hot water heater simply over flows when it gets too hot is just not true. As to how far from the floor the pipe should stop? Various codes state anywhere from 3” to 3’ and some even require that they be piped out of the house so that damage to the floor and surrounding areas can be avoided and so that the water cannot possibly cause scalding of any person that may come in contact with it. I have agreed with the later idea to minimize damage but this requires some vigilance on the homeowners part so that he will know when the TPR blows.
The bottom line? Let the TPR do its job and if yours is “leaking” get a professional to check your hot water heater for problems before things get dangerous.

National Builder Supply Complaints?

I have written, in previous blogs, that I subscribe to a statistics/metering service entitled “Sitemeter”. This service allows me to know many things. I know how many folks visit my site daily, where they came from or what question they asked that got them to me, their physical location, what internet service they use, how many pages of my blog they read, how long they stayed, and what they exit from or to. This enables me to keep up with what interests my readers the most, what questions they are looking for answers to and where they are finding out about my blog. The reason we set this blog up originally was to meet the needs of the DIY public with interesting articles and information and frankly to occupy my days of being homebound. The most popular blog, thus far as been the series on “what’s that smell?” followed in close second by my series on ADA and handicap access bathrooms and fixtures and then in third place “how to build a bathroom in your basement”. These three bring a constant flow of traffic to the site and I am grateful that I have been able to provide this info to the public and strive to find more subjects that people want to read about so if something comes to mind leave me a comment or drop me an email.
That said the purpose of today’s blog is further answer another frequent inquiry that I have addressed several times but still comes up. People will go to Google and ask “Are there any complaints about National Builder Supply?”. In the past the answer was simple….NO. I have followed this answer up with at least two blogs containing compliment letters and several other blogs about Marcus Morgan (NBS owner) and his dedication to customer service. You can view some these at the following links:

http://nationalbuildersupply.blogspot.com/2009/06/last-word-on-complaints-and-compliments.html

http://nationalbuildersupply.blogspot.com/2009/06/last-word-on-complaints-and-compliments.html

http://nationalbuildersupply.blogspot.com/2009/06/sitemeter-resultswhy-buy-from-nbs.html

No complaints of any sort, no Better Business Bureau issues, no nasty letters to the customer service department…NOTHING. Then back on July 13th their record was slightly tarnished by a misunderstanding and assumption by a customer that got so upset that he wrote a complaint about NBS at “My3Cents.com”. He priced a certain faucet all over the internet found NBS to have the best price and placed an automated order for it late on a Saturday night. The automated computer system at NBS began the order processing found that the inventory was incorrect and that the item wasn’t available. Unlike most internet/online merchants, NBS actually stocks their merchandise and fills their own orders. Their inventory consists of 100,000+ individual items with a large cash value and regardless of how up to date and automated your inventory system is it still subject to human error. Finding the item to be unavailable the automated system sent out an email informing the customer of this and offering an upgrade to a similar more expensive product at no additional charge, to offer a discount on the product or a future purchase, the opportunity to cancel the order, or at the very least to notify the customer that the shipping date would be changed. All of this occurring within about 3 hours of the original order. Unfortunately the customer determined that this could not be happening in the middle of the night on a weekend, decided that it was a devious trick to try to up sell him on something else. Up to that point NBS was in the right and the customer was mistaken. But when he angrily called the customer service department to inform them of his decision to cancel the order he perceived a less than courteous response from the agent and says he was hung up on. This was inappropriate. I make it a habit, because of the question being asked of me so often, to monitor Google and other search engines on a regular basis looking for these types of problems and I found this one on the following Monday morning and reported it immediately to Marcus. Marcus dealt with the employee so that wouldn’t happen again and personally called the customer to apologize and although he had purchased a replacement the customer was offered a generous discount on a future purchase. Although the customer is now happy and satisfied that his complaint was dealt with the complaint still remains on the internet and probably will for posterity. So if you are reading this today looking for complaints about National Building Supply and in case you haven’t seen that one I am honest enough to call your attention to it and Marcus wants everyone to know that as is expressed in his customer service policy on his website, they continue to struggle to give every customer the best products at the best price with the best service of any online merchant. The fact that you can only find my comments and that one complaint should speak for itself.

MORE ON SHOWERS

As I was saying in Friday’s blog, shower technology has changed from a simple bathing experience, using rudimentary ideas such as my son’s bucket solution or the first “shower”, I ever remember seeing , a rubber hose that snapped onto the tub faucet. Today it takes an engineering degree to figure out the choices available. I discussed, on Friday, the code requirement of a protective safety shower valve. Today let’s talk about some of the choices, and there are many, of shower heads.
Single Head- you can choose the single head with no adjustment for water stream or with infinite control for massage and spray. This is the most basic type of shower and is most frequently replaced, at least, with the massage option. It’s an easy transition because all you have to do is replace the head. No real plumbing changes and doesn’t take a lot of talent, just unscrew the old basic head, apply a little pipe dope or Teflon tape and screw on the new head. If you haven’t done this simple change you will be pleasantly surprised as to how wonderful one of these adjustable spray heads can be.
Hand Held Shower – The next step past the above is the hand held shower head. This option gives you all that the adjustable spray head does but puts it on the end of a hose that allows you to hold it in your hand and spray yourself all over rather than just standing under the traditional shower. This option is great for getting to hard to reach spots, for shampooing, and can be exciting when you are trying to be “green” and saving water by showering with a friend. This is also a simple solution requiring the same thing as the single shower head, no plumbing changes or experience. Just remove the old head and screw on the new hand held assembly. These hand held models can be very affordable starting at less than $20 and going up into the hundreds depending on options and quality.
Multiple Head Systems- Usually requiring provisions during the initial installation, these shower heads are basically more than one shower head attached on a single pipe from the wall (a simple change as the ones above) but can be as complicated as heads on different areas of the tub/shower and having different valve controls allowing for different water temperatures on each head. There are multiple head systems that work on sliding bars, on forked pipes and that, as I mentioned above, may be each installed on their own piping. In this latter form think “body sprays” around the inside of a shower coming from all directions. These can be very expensive because they require multiple outlets, valves, diverters and controls.
Rain Style Heads- by far the newest trend in showers, the “rain” head provides a spray that simulates a rain stream. These can be mounted on a pipe from the wall, thus can be a simple change as with the first two above, but more likely are ceiling mounted and will have to be plumbed during the initial construction. Mounted from the ceiling one or multiple rain shower heads allow you to stand in a spray of water that will feel like you are out in a nice spring rain. A warning…as nice and popular as these are they can be very expensive based on quality and size with some of these showerheads as large as 12” across.
Because of expense and the potential need for some very complicated plumbing you should examine all of the options and decide what you want before starting a new bathroom or the renovation of an old one. With the right choices you can create a great shower environment that will make bath time fun for the whole family, almost as fun as a flock of rubber duckies from your childhood.

What is a Shower Safety Valve and other Shower info

Back in the good ole days when I was young, and so was dirt, taking a shower was simple you either stood outside while your parents sprayed you down on your way back from the outhouse or if you were lucky enough to have indoor plumbing you just adjusted the hot and cold water knobs to the temperature you wanted and turned the knob to divert the water from the faucet to the shower head. Along the way you hoped no one flushed a toilet or decided to use hot water in some other part of the house. My oldest son, John, lives the “green” life to the max even these days, living on a small farm in central Tennessee. He has an outhouse and for a shower he heats water on a wood stove to pour into a 5 gallon bucket which he stands under and dumps on himself to rinse off. Needless to say, we stay in the local motel when visiting.
Today building a new home or remodeling an old one requires some careful thinking when it comes to your plumbing choices especially the shower equipment. Unlike a simple bathroom sink faucet or maybe a little more complicated kitchen variety, the shower system is hard installed when the wall is still open and unfinished and the components from one manufacturer to the other do not match nor fit one another. If something breaks in the future it can be a real problem to repair or replace and so I recommend that you spend the most money you can to get the best possible quality.
There are many things to consider beyond whether you want chrome or oil rubbed bronze. You have to choose the type of safety valve, more on those below, the type of shower head, hand held, wall or ceiling mounted, rain style, etc and even the style of diverter and tub filler faucet. The choices are endless and expensive. So the best option is to choose your brand and style carefully and buy the complete package all at one time. Many manufacturers and vendors offer these packages at special prices. As always start and finish your shopping at www.nationalbuildersupply.com for the best selection and pricing and for the most help in selecting your needs.
Now as to "Safety Valves" they are now mandated, by code, throughout the United States, thermostatic temperature control valves and pressure balance valves insure maximum bathing safety for everyone in your household.What is a Safety Valve? We’ve all been there before. You’ve just stepped under your nice hot shower when someone else in the house either turns on a faucet or flushes the toilet; suddenly the temperature of your shower plummets to freezing cold or becomes scalding hot – leaving you with soap in your eyes as you try to manually adjust the temperature back to a comfortable level. While style and versatility are important when it comes to planning a new bathroom, so is safety...and particularly important for small children, physically disabled people, and elderly people. Safety valves prevent the temperature shocks associated with accidental scalding and falls in the shower.
Thermostatic valves work by constantly mixing hot and cold water to a preselected temperature. No matter what effects the water supply to your shower (temperature or pressure), the thermostat reacts by recalibrating the quantities of hot and cold water required to maintain the correct temperature. For convenience, peace of mind and economy all in one, a thermostat is a must.
Pressure balance valves mean peace of mind for you and your family with economical, reliable shower protection from scalding and cold shocks. If a toilet is flushed or a dishwasher is turned on, the available hot or cold water supply has an immediate pressure change.

Safety Valve Comparison Chart
Thermostatic temperature control valves and pressure balance valves both offer scald protection for you and your family, but there are differences.

Thermostatic Temperature Control Valves and Pressure Balance Valves
Both offer the following:
Compensates for hot or cold water pressure fluctuations and maintains selected shower temperature. No matter how the water pressure is effected by someone washing dishes or laundry, watering the lawn, or flushing a toilet, etc., you are protected.
Protects against scalding if the cold water supply is cut off by automatically shutting off the flow of hot water.

Additionally Thermostatic Temperature Control Valves offer the following that pressure balance valves don’t:
Automatically maintains your selected shower temperature (within 1° F) regardless of changes in the temperature of your hot or cold water supply. Eliminates the need to manually re-adjust the temperature setting as your hot water heater empties.
Allows you to precisely pre-select your water temperature before you step into your shower which saves water and energy.
Allows you to run multiple shower outlets simultaneously while accurately maintaining water temperature at each outlet.

The safety valve is the most important part of your system. Now use the above info to decide which will work best for you then choose a diverter to switch water from faucet to shower head, decide on a shower system as I mentioned earlier and lather up. Well you have to wait for it to be installed so get the garden hose out for the rinse cycle or put the water in the stove to heat, like my son, until the bathroom is finished.

Toto Washlet Update

As many of you who follow my blogsite know, about 3 months ago I got the idea that I could really use a Toto Washlet to better my quality of life. As I mention all the time I am disabled and as my infirmaties increased I found that even the simplest of day to day functions became more difficult including those toilet functions that we don’t need to go into here but suffice to say I was having a difficult time in the bathroom keeping myself clean. I had always considered a Washlet as an item that only the very rich would have and am fairly certain that the manufacturer has marketed it as such but was informed, while reading a forum thread, that a Washlet would be ideal for older or disabled folks and I began a series of blogs and urging of Toto that they market it to that segment also. I don’t know if they listened but I still feel very strongly about the need and equally grateful that I have one for myself.
With these thoughts in mind I thought I would stir the pot one more time and at the same time give you an update on my own Washlet experiences and hope that a few more people will read my blog and see how helpful one can be for themselves or someone important to them. When I first wrote about mine I was immediately flooded with questions from readers who wanted answers to a lot of their questions, how easy was it to install? How did it work? Did it do a good job? Do you still have to use toilet paper? And the list goes on and on. I guess people figured that if I was willing to write about having it I was willing to answer questions. Yes it was easily installed, so much so that “crash and burn Hennecy” (my best friend of 42 years) did it without either crashing, burning or damaging himself or the Washlet. In fact he had it installed in less than 30 minutes and everything he needed to do the job, other than a screw driver, came in the box including quick connect adapters, pex tubing and electrical connections. How does it work? Very well. The one I bought has both the rear and front washing ability and does just that. At the touch of a button a small nozzle extends out of the device and proceeds to spurt high speed water, at your chosen temperature, and even oscillates, when you choose, to assist in the cleansing. It does take some getting used to as to how long to keep it washing but it would be safe to say probably not even 2 minutes and frankly I haven’t timed it. When you’re through, with that step, a warm air dryer kicks on and proceeds to blow the affected areas dry. This air, just like the water, is adjustable, temperature wise, to your desired heat. At no time does any part of the device come in contact with your body. The Washlet also includes a heated seat, which I haven’t felt the need to use as yet, and a self closing device which would satisfy most ladies in the household that they would not unceremoniously drop into a gaping toilet. Is there still a need for toilet paper? Probably not but I still have to be safe and usually check to make sure the job was done properly but so far it always has been.
In summation I feel that I made a wise purchase and would be extremely helpful to any one in your family that needs the help that a Washlet can give. Additionally it makes a unique conversation piece in my home along with the casket in the spare bedroom. Casket in the spare bedroom? That’s another story for another day.

Great DIY Ideas to use The $2000 you can win from NBS

In studying, over the weekend, the idea of how I could use that $2000 NBS is giving away in their "Update your out of date bathroom” contest (see details in last Friday's blog), I ran across this series of DIY projects on AOL and felt that over all they were too good for you to miss and not to pass on. All of this info comes from AOL , Sunset Magazine and My Home Ideas Magazine and is reproduced here giving them full credit for the contribution and the links to take you to each element of the articles. I hope you enjoy these projects and will take time to try some of the projects especially the ones about the bathroom & kitchen projects and remember National Builder Supply for all of your needs for these projects.
The entire article can be found at the following link:
http://home.aol.com/diy?icid=mainwelcomedl5link4http%3A%2F%2Fhome.aol.com%2Fdiy
A SEW RENAISSANCE
On the heels of knitting, sewing is the latest traditional craft to make a huge comeback. Meet six talented women who are part of the new indie craft movement, and learn what motivates them.
> Read Full Article
REINVENT YOUR STUFF 20 IDEAS TO CHANGE THINGS YOU ALREADY HAVE
Create great new uses for things you already own
> Read Full Article
KITCHEN MAKEOVERS ON A BUDGET
One lucky homeowner got a new dream kitchen. Learn how you can do it on a budget.
> Read Full Article
7 EASY KITCHEN MAKEOVERS
Use the space you've got and create a new-and-improved kitchen within the existing floor plan.
> Read Full Article
3 BATROOM RENOVATIONS
These small spaces needed big help. With some creativity and hard work, they were given a much-needed makeover.
> Read Full Article

MY OUTDATED BATHROOM CONTEST...WIN $2000

It’s your bathroom. If you’re like the rest of us, it’s where you spend more than 30 minutes per day. On a busy day, you may not find time to recline in the living room or even catch a meal at the kitchen table, but try as you might you will experience 30 minutes with your toilet.
How is your experience?
Welcome to National Builder Supply’s My Outdated Bathroom Experience. We’re providing a $2,000 bathroom upgrade to the individual who can portray the most compelling view into their outdated bathroom experience. Here is what we suggest: You’ve got 30 minutes today, why not take a look around? Soak it all in. Then tell us about it. Have fun with it and tell your friends because some of those 30 minutes is spent in their outdated bathroom. After all, 30 minutes a day becomes 8 days a year! Share your experience for the chance to upgrade your bathroom today.

Prize: $2,000 Bathroom Upgrade!

Prize Eligibility : This contest is open to people at least 13 years old that
reside in United States.
Contest Starts : July 22, 2009 at 11:32 am (PDT)
Contest Ends : September 30, 2009 at 11:59 am (PDT)

Official Rules :
Each entry needs to include at least one photograph with some commentary
Individuals can vote on each submission once throughout the contest
Bathroom photos need to be legitimate (your bathroom) and in good taste (not in use ;)
The entry with the most thumbs-up votes at the end of the contest period will win
The sponsors reserve the right to bar any entry deemed inappropriate or fraudulent
Thanks for sticking to the rules!

CRASH FOR CLUNKERS?

In my continuing concern for the environment and "green" solutions for our basic needs I greeted with much interest and on this past Monday blogged about the much anticipated “Cash for Clunkers” program giving you some details and some websites to go to for further info. Well apparently it has been such a success that after only 6 days in operation it is either cancelled or on life support depending in which un-named source you care to believe. This morning the AP is reporting that the White House was assessing its options amid concerns the $1 billion budget for rebates for new car sales may have been depleted. Transportation Department officials called lawmakers earlier Thursday to alert them of plans to suspend the program as early as Friday. White House official said later the program had not been suspended and they were reviewing their options to keep the program funded and was working to assess the situation facing what is obviously an incredibly popular program. Originally the program was scheduled to last through Nov. 1 or until the money ran out. As of Wednesday the AP reported that 22,782 vehicles had been purchased through the program and nearly $96 million had been spent. But dealers raised concerns about large backlogs in the processing of the deals in the government system. A survey of 2,000 dealers by the National Automobile Dealers Association found about 25,000 deals had not yet been approved by the government, or nearly 13 trades per store. It suggested that with about 23,000 dealers taking part in the program, car dealers may already have surpassed the 250,000 vehicle sales funded by the $1 billion program.

The news programs have been rife with reports from dealerships of the vast success of the program with many dealers testifying, on camera, of their inability to keep up with the traffic in their showrooms and equally stating that even though they had originally thought that the program would be a bust instead it has been a boon to the car business which has been on the ropes for some months now and as we all know the government has had to step in to rescue both Chrysler and General Motors. An east coast Florida dealer reported selling 50+ Toyotas since Monday where he hadn’t sold 50 cars total in the last 3 months. Additionally there have been reports of confusion both from the dealers, buyers and the Government office in charge of the program with arbitrary changes to old EPA ratings on older model cars being changed after deals have been made. In this case dealers are demanding that the buyer either pay the $4500 or bring the car back.
I’m sorry to say if your plans were to race out this week end and trade the old buggy in on something new and economical you may have waited too long but watch the news and check with your local dealers for updates. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES MAKE A DEAL AND DRIVE OFF WITH THE NEW CAR UNTIL YOU KNOW AND HAVE CERTIFICATION THAT YOUR DEAL HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE TRANSPORTATION DEPT. There are desperate dealers out there that could easily mislead you to believe that your deal is done and then in a few days call you back with a demand for more money.
I will also try to give you any updates that I run across and will post them here and on our Twitter site @NBSUPPLY.

Vacation Prep...Do I turn the water off?

This may come a little late in the vacation season but well worth discussing anytime of the year. The question was asked, the other day, on one of the threads I watch, “should I shut my water off in the house when on vacation?” The answer is positively yes. You never know what can happen when you're away and how much damage can be done by out of control water in your home. I call to mind friends who, several years ago, left their home for an extended vacation and while gone a shut off valve on one of their plumbing fixtures failed and started water flowing all over their single story ranch home (a very expensive home by the way). I do not remember how many thousands of gallons they were billed for but the damage was incredible. Not only was their carpeting soaked but the hardwood floors buckled and popped off the floor, kitchen cabinets were ruined, the sheet rock soaked water half way up all of the walls, clothes wicked water up into the closets, the appliances were ruined, all of the electrical outlets had to be replaced, much of their beautiful wooded furniture was ruined and any upholstered furniture that was in contact with the floor was ruined. I was absolutely dumbfounded by the damage. The home was almost considered by the insurance company to be a total loss and everything in it was totaled. What would cause a valve like that to fail? It can be many things, too much water pressure from the meter over a long period of time can cause valves to fail, a sudden burst of pressure can cause it, and face it some shut off valves just get old corroded and fail. Other things that can happen are the hot water heater can go critical and the T&P valve can blow off or worse yet not blow, pipe joints can fail over years, toilets can be stuck and overflow, cold weather can cause freezing of pipes, even an unknown crack caused in a previous winter that has had just a small indiscernable leak can suddenly burst and cause vast damage. The list can go on and on including vandalism when a home has been broken into and the vandals turn the water on…think “Home Alone”..lol.
The bottom line is if you’re going to be away for more than a brief period of time it doesn’t hurt to turn the water off at the main shut off or at the street (if you have the tool). Additionally anytime you are going to impede the water flow especially hot water, shut the circuit breaker or gas line off to your hot water heater because you can do permanent damage to a hot water heater that has no water in it. You should also refer to an earlier blog I wrote about how to winterize your home to get details on how to properly drain a house for cold weather.

CASH FOR CLUNKERS

Today’s blog is going to veer from the DIY realm somewhat but nonetheless is a subject close to my heart and something that I continue to address every chance I get. I am a car fanatic without the means to pursue that fanatasism and more so I am involved in and a strong proponent of “green” topics and initiatives. Being an ex-accountant and by nature and education an economist I am also very concerned with the state of the economy, today, both here in the US and in the World. With all of these issues in mind I wanted to put some information into the flow about the US “Cash for Clunkers” program. Here from the official US Government website are the particulars of the program in a nut shell and applicable links for further info. I urge everyone to look into this opportunity to both take a gas guzzler off the road, to better our economy by increasing demand for the auto industry and to beautify your driveway with a new car. I had to get a DIY purpose in there somewhere.LOL

The CAR Allowance Rebate System (CARS) is a $1 billion government program that helps consumers buy or lease a more environmentally-friendly vehicle from a participating dealer when they trade in a less fuel-efficient car or truck. The program is designed to energize the economy; boost auto sales and put safer, cleaner and more fuel-efficient vehicles on the nation's roadways.
§ Your vehicle must be less than 25 years old on the trade-in date
§ Only purchase or lease of new vehicles qualify
§ Generally, trade-in vehicles must get 18 or less MPG (some very large pick-up trucks and cargo vans have different requirements)
§ Trade-in vehicles must be registered and insured continuously for the full year preceding the trade-in
§ You don't need a voucher, dealers will apply a credit at purchase
§ Program runs through Nov 1, 2009 or when the funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.
§ The program requires the scrapping of your eligible trade-in vehicle, and that the dealer disclose to you an estimate of the scrap value of your trade-in. The scrap value, however minimal, will be in addition to the rebate, and not in place of the rebate.
Consumers will be able to take advantage of this program and receive a $3,500 or $4,500 discount from the car dealer when they trade in their old vehicle and purchase or lease a new one. Consumers you do not need to register anywhere or at anytime for this program. However, to find out eligibility requirements click here.
What is NHTSA doing to guard against fraud? Click here for more information. Allegations of fraud may be reported by calling our toll-free 24-hour hotline at 1-800-424-9071
§ Qualified consumers may participate in the CARS Program between July 1, 2009 and November 30, 2009 on authorized funds are no longer available.
§ Qualified consumers will receive a credit of $3,500 or $4,500 for an eligible trade-in toward the purchase of lease of an approved vehicle under CARS Program.
§ Qualified consumers will receive the $3,500 or $4,500 credit at the time the purchase their new vehicle.
§ Dealers must provide consumers with any other advertised rebates or discounts in addition to the credit they receive through the CARS Program.
§ Consumers should expect to conduct their deals at their dealership of choice, not on the Internet.
§ Consumers should expect the dealers to provide their best estimate of the scrap value for their eligible trade-in vehicle. Dealers are allowed to deduct $50 from this value for their administrative costs.
§ Consumers should expect that all information collected through the CARS Program will be kept confidential. Social Security members are not required for a CARS transaction.
For further info consult the links above or get out to an authorized new car dealer, kick some tires and see what the program can do for you

Should you buy a $400 faucet?

I answered a thread on GardenWeb/bathrooms the other day where a writer was asking for opinions or permission to pay $400 for a Grohe faucet she was in love with. As I have written in past blogs faucets can be a very personal purchase and involve a lot of emotions. After all a housewife may spend more time with her kitchen faucet than any other item in her day to day life, including her husband. With this thought in mind it should be pleasant to the sight, comfortable in the hand and certainly should be reliable, sort of like her husband. So would you scrimp on money or less be careful on choosing the spouse or maybe the solution is a spouse with money?? LOL. Well maybe that’s a bad analogy but does point out that a faucet can be an important purchase and money may not always be the determining factor. Long term quality is important to me, whereas another writer stated that he wasn’t going to buy an expensive faucet because they were easily replaced and he figured he could spend $100 instead of $400 on a faucet any time over 1 year of service was profit to him. His opinion was that faucets are easy to replace. I wonder how long it takes him to get around to replacing it? How angry does his spouse have to get to have him do it? How do they get by when the faucet falls apart in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner and his local big box store is closed? I answered the thread that I felt there was no replacement for quality. I drive a Mercedes, all be it a very old Mercedes, but it is still a quality automobile and even after 20 years when I get in it to go somewhere it fires right up and takes me down the road and safety and never ceases to make me feel good driving it. Could I have bought a car that would have given me good service? Maybe but would I have loved it all these years? Probably not. So should the lady buy her $400 faucet because she loves it? I say absolutely.

What is Kerdi?

As I venture forth day to day reading and commenting on forums and discussion groups another phrase that I see come up often is “Kerdi”. After doing a little research I find that Kerdi is the name brand of a series of components used to install shower stalls and to insure their water tightness. The following is cited from an article by Schluter-Kerdi, the manufacturer of this system, and included in today’s blog with my thanks for using it and giving them full credit for the information herewith. To read the article in full and to get further information on and questions answered about the system refer to http://www.schluter.com/3783.aspx

“The hygienic and maintenance-free characteristics of finished tiled coverings account for the prevalence of this ideal surface in bathroom and, specifically, shower applications. However, because the integrity of the tiled surface relies upon a system of water management to protect the sub-shower assembly from moisture penetration, tiled showers have always represented a considerable challenge for installers.The traditional method of installing a shower receptor has some obvious drawbacks. Typically, an installer must place a mortar bed, sloped to the weep holes in the sub-drain, prior to installing the pan liner. Once this "pre-slope" has cured to the point where it can be walked upon, the pan liner is installed - with its tenuous connections to the clamping ring in the sub-drain, seaming, and carefully fitted corners around the curb area, all of which must be bonded with the appropriate solvent-based bonding agent. Each of these steps must be completed, and the weep holes protected from being clogged with mortar, before the shower pan is ready to receive the setting bed for the floor tiles. This conventional methodology requires substantial time and labor. However, since shower pan liners are placed below the mortar setting bed in a conventional assembly, receptors successfully constructed in this manner allow moisture to saturate the mortar bed. This can increase the risk of leakage, cause efflorescence, lead to deterioration of the mortar bed itself, and foster bacteria and fungus growth.
The industry responded to this situation by developing bonded waterproof membranes, which bond directly to the mortar bed and protect it from becoming saturated. In 1987, Schluter-Systems supplied the industry with an effective seaming and waterproofing solution, SCHLUTER-KERDI. KERDI is the most user-friendly, sheet-applied waterproofing membrane in existence. Because it is so thin and lightweight, it hangs as easily as wallpaper. “

As with all the blogs I write I hope this one will help you to understand this to be one of many solutions for your DIY project and will give you a starting point for research to lead you to your best alternatives

What about Tankless Hot Water Heaters?

I see questions and comments about tankless water heaters on the forums I follow almost on a daily basis. It is a new technology that I have no experience with and because it is ill advised that they be installed by the layman DIY’r my friends at National Builder Supply have chosen not to sell them. But when has my not knowing about something kept me from finding out information and passing it on? Much of the following info comes from the website, http://www.tanklesswaterheaterguide.com/ to whom I give the credit and thanks for the use of their info.
So let’s start from the beginning and answer the basic questions. More thorough answers and diagrams are available on the above website.
What is a Tankless Water Heater? also called Instantaneous or Demand Water Heaters, provide hot water only as it is needed. Traditional storage water heaters produce standby energy losses that cost you money. We only heat our homes when there is a demand for heat. In the same way, a Tankless Water Heater is used only when there is a demand for hot water.
How do Tankless Water Heaters work? Tankless water heaters heat water directly without the use of a storage tank. Therefore, they avoid the standby heat losses associated with storage water heaters. When a hot water tap is turned on, cold water travels through a pipe into the unit. In an electric Tankless Water Heater an electric element heats the water. In a gas-fired Tankless Water Heater a gas burner heats the water. As a result, Tankless Water Heaters deliver a constant supply of hot water. You don't need to wait for a storage tank to fill up with enough hot water. Typically, gas-fired Tankless Water Heaters will produce higher flow rates than electric Tankless Water Heaters. Some smaller Tankless Water Heaters, however, cannot supply enough hot water for simultaneous, multiple uses in large households. For example, taking a shower and running the dishwasher at the same time. To overcome this problem, you can install a “whole house” type Tankless Water Heater or install two or more Tankless Water Heaters, connected in parallel for simultaneous demands of hot water. You can also install separate Tankless Water Heaters for appliances—such as a clothes washer or dishwater—that use a lot of hot water in your home. Other applications for Tankless Water Heaters include the following a remote BBQ, outdoor sinks, pool house or pool shower, remote bathrooms or hot tubs. ATankless heater may also be used to serve as a booster, eliminating long pipe runs, for solar water heating systems, dishwashers and sanitation.
For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, Tankless Water Heaters can be 24% – 34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. They can be 8% – 14% more energy efficient for homes that use a lot of hot water, around 86 gallons per day. You can achieve an even greater energy savings of 27% – 50% if you install a Tankless Water Heater at each hot water outlet.
Selecting a Tankless Water Heater: Before buying a tankless water heater, consider the following:
1.Fuel Type:(Electric or gas)
2.Location, size and demand
3.Application

1.Fuel Type: If you choose electric you must ensure that you have a circuit or circuits that will support your Electric Tankless Water Heater. It may be necessary to put your Electric Tankless Water Heater on its own circuit or circuits. You should consult with a qualified, licensed electrician for more information.
If you plan to purchase a Gas-Fired Tankless Water Heater, consider the gas-type and venting requirements: You will first need to identify whether your gas type is Natural Gas or Propane. It is imperative that you examine your current gas line to ensure that it will meet the requirements of your new Gas-Fired Tankless Water Heater. The requirements of the Tankless Water Heater may exceed that of your existing tank-style water heater.
Next, you will need to consider venting requirements for your specific installation scenario. There are a few important things to keep in mind when purchasing the gas venting accessories for your Gas-Fired Tankless Water Heater. Be sure that you purchase Category III stainless steel (UL1738 certified) venting for your Gas-Fired Tankless Water Heater. "Type B" venting accessories are not acceptable. Also, be sure to check local building code to ensure that your specific needs will be completely met.
Additionally, many Tankless Water Heater manufacturers offer gas venting "kits". It is recommended that customers evaluate the needs of their specific installation to ensure that they will be getting all of the necessary gas venting accessories. Depending on where you will be installing the Tankless Water Heater, a pre-made kit will probably not meet your needs. Ensure that you measure out the vent route and consider where the discharge will go through the wall or ceiling, consider the necessary clearances, and consider ample access to air for combustion, then buy the appropriate gas venting pieces.
Note: Gas-Fired Tankless Water Heaters may still require a minimal electrical connection. Be sure to review installation requirements for the units you are considering for purchase.
2. Location, Size, and Demand: When deciding which Tankless Water Heater to purchase, you will also need to consider where you will need hot water. Are you looking for a unit that will heat the water at one bathroom sink (single point application), an entire bathroom (multipoint application), or an entire house, apartment, or condo (whole house application)? It is important to recognize the number of fixtures that will require hot water. Each fixture will have its own demands. The flow rate is especially important, since Tankless Water Heaters will generate a temperature rise based on the flow rate demanded. Next, you should look at your ambient incoming water temperature. If you live in a cold climate, like New York, your incoming water temperature will likely be much lower than if you live in a warm climate, like Florida.
3.Tankless Water Heater Installation and Maintenance: Proper installation and maintenance of your water heater can optimize its energy efficiency. Proper installation depends on many factors. These factors include climate and local building code requirements. You should have a qualified, licensed plumbing and heating contractor install your Tankless Water Heater.
I hope this helps to give you an overview of tankless water heaters. This blog should not be considered, alone, as the final information that you need to make a decision about the use of a tankless water heater for your home. The ultimate guide should be a licensed professional.

Does Your faucet Have a Lifetime Warranty?

I see many inquiries and discussions, on the many forums I follow, about leaking faucets. As you read these discussions you begin to see that there is not always one simple answer as to why a faucet leaks. In the old days when faucets were simple it was just a bad washer or something that had loosened that could have just been tightened. With today’s complicated faucet systems it can be a buildup of sand stuck in a valve or too much water pressure over a long term which can cause that valve to fail. With the new style single handled faucets the valve and its components are the heart of the mechanism and if it fails you can experience anything from a leak to complete failure to be able to control the faucet. The obvious long term durability of any faucet can come from its components and the materials they are made of. The best fixtures are brass and ceramic but there are products that are mostly plastic. The better quality fixtures are both more easily repaired as well as being worth repairing where you might find a less expensive fixture easier to cast aside in favor of a new one of similar value or the experience may have taught you that you would be better served to buy a more expensive faucet that will provide better life expectancy. Along with the better fixtures also comes a better warranty with most of the more expensive products on the market today offering “lifetime warranties” of parts and finishes. The most prominent of these product lines is Moen. As best I can tell Moen began this warranty program guaranteeing their faucets for the life of the original owner covering products manufactured back to 1995 but I am aware that they hace extended this coverage to faucet much older. The following is the exact language of Moen’s warranty from their website:
“Moen® products have been manufactured under the highest standards of quality and workmanship. Moen warrants to the original consumer purchaser for as long as the original consumer purchaser owns their home (the "Warranty Period" for homeowners), that this faucet will be leak and drip free during normal use and all parts and finishes of this faucet will be free from defects in material and manufacturing workmanship. All other purchasers (including purchasers for industrial, commercial and business use) are warranted for a period of 5 years from the original date of purchase (the "Warranty Period" for non-homeowners). If this faucet should ever develop a leak or drip during the Warranty Period, Moen will FREE OF CHARGE provide the parts necessary to put the faucet back in good working condition and will replace FREE OF CHARGE any part or finish that proves defective in material and manufacturing workmanship, under normal installation, use and service. Replacement parts may be obtained by calling 1-800-289-6636 (Canada 1-800-465-6130). Proof of purchase (original sales receipt) from the original consumer purchaser must accompany all warranty claims. Defects or damage caused by the use of other than genuine Moen parts is not covered by this warranty. This warranty is applicable only to faucets purchased after December, 1995 and shall be effective from the date of purchase as shown on purchaser's receipt.”

Additionally I can tell you that I am aware of many occasions when Moen has simply sent the customer a complete new faucet when either parts were no longer available or when they deemed the faucet not repairable. I can also tell you that I have shared this info with many Moen owners who were unaware of the warranty as well as owners of several other major product lines that have chosen to match this warranty.
The bottom line, before you tear apart a leaky faucet or pitch it in the trash and buy a new one determine the manufacturer and explore their warranty you may certainly be able to save yourself at least the cost and search for parts but may also gain an entirely new fixture.
National Builder Supply is a proud Moen dealer as well as the Moen premium “Show House” brand as well as many other quality brands.

What are the Effects of Hard Water and How do I Fix it?

With the popularity of my 3 blogs on “What’s That Smell?” one of the issues has been what to do about hard water situations. This is a subject that , I personally, have never had to deal with and admit that my knowledge is limited. Last week I wrote that I had started playing around with “Twitter” and while I find it to be mostly full of spam and get rich quick schemes, I have managed to establish some new friendships with folks in various elements of the home improvement business that I am not well versed in. One of these friendships and cooperative efforts comes from Ian Adams at Crawford Supply. They own a division called Charger Water and deal in several home based water treatment systems. In reading the material Ian sent me the one that intrigued me the most and seemed to fit the scenarios that I have been running across lately was one called the “Iron Breaker”(AS PICTURED LEFT). From this material here is a brief explanation of what hard water does to your home and appliances and how a water softener system such as the “Iron Breaker” works.
Hard water causes unwanted mineral buildup in appliances, on glasses and silverware, and stains shower curtains and doors. It also robs much of the cleaning power of expensive soaps and detergents. A water softener system reduces the minerals that cause rust stains, damaging build-up, unnecessary money spent on cleaners and are the simplest and most dependable. Conditioned water means a softer Iife style and all of your water using appliances will lead longer lives. Dishwashers, automatic clothes washers and, of course, your water heater will benefit from reduced scale buildup. Adding years of life to major appliances and postponing expensive replacements. Your home's plumbing system is vulnerable to mineral scale accumulation inside the pipes. As hard water build up closes the pipes, water flow is restricted reducing water pressure. Soft water prevents scale buildup, preserves water pressure and helps prevent serious plumbing problems and unnecessary repairs.
How does it work? Hard water passes through the media tank containing resin beads coated with sodium ions. The calcium and magnesium ions are exchanged for sodium (or potassium) ions, thus softening the water. When the beads have trapped the hardness and need to be incinerated the system’s meter-driven valve recharges them with brine from the brine tank Regeneration occurs automatically at metered intervals. Calcium and magnesium ( hardness ions) are freed from the beads and replaced with sodium or potassium ions and the system is ready to soften water, agaln.
The Crawford Group of Companies, like National Builder Supply, are a family owned company based out of Morton Grove, Illinois. They have been in business for over 30 years. They touch all facets of water – kitchens (water and cabinets), baths, and even radiant heating systems. The Crawford Group of Companies provides solutions for plumbing, heating and kitchen cabinets. They are strategically located in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania, a distribution network that proudly serves the Great Lakes Region. The Crawford Group is made up of Inland Supply, KDA of Wisconsin, Builders Plumbing Supply, Builders Heating Supply, Plumbers Equipment Company, Crawford Supply and Charger Water, the division that deals with water softener products such as the one discussed today. http://www.chargerwater.com/ for further info and many thanks to Ian Adams for helping me today.

Whats the Definition of High Efficiency Toilets?

In past blogs I have addressed the need for more "green" technology and attitudes. Of late I have run across more and more forum threads from readers that don't understand the new low flush and dual flush toilets so borrowing from Toto, the undesputed leader in this technology, here is a discussion of the differing types of water saving fixtures.

High Efficiency Toilets
If a toilet is “high efficiency,” flushing twice to clear the contents isn’t exactly efficient. TOTO’s rigorous flushing performance testing methods have proven to be more extensive than current industry standards, helping to ensure outstanding one-flush performance and true water savings.
High Efficiency Toilets (HETs) should be able to flush using at least 20% less water than is mandated by law and should not need to be flushed more than once to do their job. They should require minimal cleaning with environmentally unfriendly detergents. They should flush quietly. They should be user friendly and comfortable. And they should be available in a wide variety of design styles that fit with the existing (or future) bathroom décor. These are the guiding principles that drive our design of high-performance, High Efficiency TOTO Toilets.
TOTO offers more HET choices than any other manufacturer.

TOTO High Efficiency Flushing Technologies
TOTO engineers have devised a revolutionary way to harness the powerof water and gravity to create a more powerful 1.28 GPF flush that maximizes cleaning action. Using two nozzles (instead of rim holes), water can be used more efficiently for a better rim and bowl wash, while directing more water to the siphon, for a more powerful flush.Double Cyclone features:
Hole-free rim design means less trapped dirt and bacteria. and that means less cleaning.
The dual-nozzle water propulsion system allows more water to be directed to the siphon.
Unlike pressure assist toilets, which can be noisy and are made with more complicated moving parts, E-Max is a simple, elegant and quiet solution for effectively flushing 1.28 gallons. Utilizing the same proven engineering as our legendary one-flush performance 1.6 GPF G-Max Flushing System, the 1.28 GPF E-Max reinforces TOTO’s performance reputation, while offering an additional water savings of 20%.

E-Max features:
Wide 3" flush valve provides a quick, consistent and powerful flush.
Large 2-1/8" trapway is glazed to optimize waste passage.
Pilot operated fill valve ensures quiet operation and a clean shutoff at any water pressure.
Extra-large siphon jet works in conjunction with the large glazed trapway; the siphon jet pulls away waste with incredible force.

The TOTO Dual-Max Flushing System

is the leading choice for dual flush performance and conservation. Traditionally, dual flush toilets sacrificed either performance or conservation. Our goal was to optimize water conservation and set a high bar in flushing performance.Dual-Max features:
Allows you to select the appropriate amount of water usage from 0.9 GPF to 1.6 GFP.
TOTO Aquia® toilets with Dual-Max flushing feature a clean, skirted bowl design, offering an unmatched convergence of style and efficiency.

In summation the choice is up to you, dual flush, 1.28 gpf or 1.6 gpf but whatever the choice Toto has the toilet for your needs and National Builder Supply is one of America's leading Toto dealers offering both price guarantees and free shipping whether you are buying one or 100 toilets. Call them today with questions or ask me in the comment section below and Ill be glad to get you answers.

Is it Tweet or Chirp?

Man I’m feeling especially old today. Most of you know that I am a very young 61, which is defined by my children as the number of years since dirt was invented on earth or just a few days short of when the serpent tempted Eve. In my thoughts I always relate to the fact that I graduated from college the year that the digital hand held calculator was brought on the market and I have been trying to play catch up on understanding computers and such ever since. I first laid hands on a PC in 1988 I didn’t own my first PC until 1997 and then there was the internet. I got AOL at the same time and I am still so afraid of it that I have never even changed my provider or email address in those 12 years. I have struggled to keep up with each new operating system and although I currently have a computer that uses Windows Vista the view isn’t so great from here in my opinion and my best friend (Crash and Burn Hennecy…now you get the idea where the “crash” came from?) has been telling me that I should change to Mozilla? Wasn’t that Godzilla’s mother? What did she have to do with computers? So what has provoked all this today? My good friend, Marcus Morgan, the owner of National Builder Supply , called yesterday with the great idea that I should start “Tweeting”. I told him I was just too old to take up bird watching and besides my disabilities would make it tough to hang around in the forest listening for tweets from some bizarre long missing exotic bird. Now Marcus is not only persuasive but used to getting his way so the next thing I know he’s got a “Twitter” expert on the phone and has me set up with an account complete with followers and followees. At least I think that’s what they have me set up for but the first message I received went something like this “I would love 2 hear tips on home improvement (that use your parts) with link to the part. Make the tip juicy!!”. Now I am not so old as to not understand that one! But that’s not the kind of helpful tips I’ve been offering here on the blogsite but I guess I’m flattered? The damn thing keeps asking me what I’m doing? Hell I’m old and infirm. I’m trying to take my next breath, worried about when I am going to pee again and what’s for dinner! Why would anyone want to know about that?
My heart much less my brain can get wrapped around anymore new technology so if my blogs over the next few weeks seem, strange blame it on me trying to learn how to whistle like a bird. In the meantime of you want to ‘TWEET” at me, follow me at NBSUPPLY and I will try to chirp back atcha or whatever it is I’m supposed to do. Somebody help me or just take a gun, shoot me and mercifully put me out of my computer/internet misery!

A Quick Fix for an Old Bathroom Mirror

A couple of weeks ago I detailed the fiasco that my little remodeling project had turned into. If you missed it I had an unscrupulous contractor who did a poor job and didn’t fulfill his obligations. I joined Angie’s list and reported him and spread the word amongst my neighbors and friends to spare others the trials that I experienced in dealing with this guy and taught me a good lesson to read my own blogs on ”how to hire a contractor” all of which I feel as if I ignored completely. In the meantime my saving grace was my old friend Erik who came in and made sense of the whole mess and got me in a much better mood.
While Erik was doing his magic he did something that I think was noteworthy and is a great idea for those of you who may have an old medicine cabinet in the wall that drives you crazy and you don’t know what to do about it. As long as we had the bathroom torn up I decided to buy a new vanity to replace an old one that had only doors and no drawers. The vanity I chose came with a great oriental influenced sink and the drawers that I needed. When we opened the box we found that it had come with the bonus of a free matching dark framed beveled glass mirror(see pic above) but with a medicine cabinet over it with the most horrible mirror on it (see pics above) I could not see a use for it. It only took Erik a moment to point out that the old mirror was simply attached with a “piano” styled hinge that would easily adapt to the new mirror. In a matter of a few minutes he had removed the old mirror and attached the new one to the piano hinge and we had added a great new feature to the bathroom. Why tell you all this? You may very well have the same problem. A built in medicine cabinet with the old fashioned or maybe even damaged mirror on it and have just learned to ignore it because of the trouble and expense involved with taking the entire medicine cabinet out and replacing it with a new fancier one. Save yourself some time and effort and look at the hinge. Is it attached to the mirror with screws? If so you can make a simple replacement by just shopping for a new mirror with the correct dimensions and remove the old one from the hinge and replace it. You could easily find a great antique or high styled mirror that would change the entire look of your bathroom without having to give up the convenience of the medicine cabinet.
As seen in the pictures, my next project has to be paint, tile or new wallpaper. My apologies and admitted embarrassment for the old stuff seen in the pics. I just don’t know whether my nerves can take another project for the time being. I wonder if Erik can do tile???

What is That Smell?....Yet Again (Episode Three)

One of my first blogs remains the most read and commented on blog that I have written in my last 9 months was entitled “What’s that Smell?”
http://nationalbuildersupply.blogspot.com/2008/11/what-is-that-smell.html

I followed this one up with “What’s that Smell…Episode Two”
http://nationalbuildersupply.blogspot.com/2009/03/what-is-that-smell-episode-2.html

as I ran across more different cases and provided the answers. With these two blogs I thought I had covered all the bases and all of the fixes until this past weekend when I ran across yet another puzzling case on one of my favorite forum sites “The DIY Chatroom”.
http://www.diychatroom.com
The thread went something like this:
“Gentlemen,I'm a 29 year old first time homeowner. I recently bought a 14 year old home on 5.35 acres in southwestern Illinois. I am on a well/septic, and have had a few plumbing problems.I am somewhat handy, and know enough to be dangerous. I recently replaced my propane water heater myself, so I no longer am taking cold showers. However, my hot water seems to have a grey tint to it, and smells. I suspect my anode rod may need replaced. As far as I know, I am only on a small filter on my side of the well pump. I have no softener, and the problem is limited to the hot water. From what I have gathered, bacteria in the water heater are causing the color and sulfur dioxide smell which makes my hot water unpleasant. Does this sound like a correct assessment to you, and the anode rod replacement will fix it?”

With my answer as follows:
“It does sound like a possibility but you wouldn’t normally think about having to replace anode rods on a new HWH. But if your well is producing high iron content water the anodes do convert the iron to sulfur dioxide and produce some pretty vile smelling water. Take a sample of your water to your local county ag. agent or to the health department and get an analysis. You may have to invest in some form of water treatment to cure the problem. I am no pro in that department so hopefully another reader will chime in and help us on this one.”

Following my answer was this additional idea from another contributor with a solution that I had not heard of before but makes sense:
“You have bacteria in your well and you need to shock it. Simply pour 1 or 2 gallons of bleach down the well head and let it set for 3-4 hrs then turn on an outside hydrant and let it run untill you get the smell of bleach then let this set for 24 hrs. After 24 hrs turn on the outside hydrant and let it flow until the smell is gone. This should get rid of the smell.Color is another issue. If it is black more than likely it is the bacteria in the well. It could also be the well itself if it is an old well that is lined in steel or an old jack pump that is steel as well. Start with the bleach and work from there. On my well I have to put a gallon of bleach down the well every other month.I would also suggest that when the water enters your house it run through a sediment filter then a carbon filter and then a UV light.”

Then one last idea which should cover all the bases:
“Shocking the well will kill the bacteria there now and as soon as the chlorine is gone, new bacteria comes in with the water recovering the well and you're all but back where you started except, some bacteria were not killed' because they produced slime that now hardens and then chlorine can't penetrate it. So you've made things a bit worse but in short time your odor is back in the hot water. So turn the temp up on the heater to 140f for a few hours or overnight and kill'em that way. Then turn it down until the odor comes back. The bacteria is a group of harmless sulfate reducing bacteria. Or buy water treatment like a chlorination system or remove the rod and void the warranty or replace it with a different type.”

I have the feeling this is just another one of the many as yet undiscovered and undiscussed “smell” issues that can come up with your plumbing plus we have yet to even begin to discuss the potential smells that can be produced by the constipated husband, the teenager who will eat anything and suffer the consequences later or the polite female in the family who swears that smell could not have come from her and instead defers to one of the former possibilities.
My thanks to my fellow DIY’rs at the DIY Chatroom for the use of their words of wisdom and I hope it that this, or one of my other blogs, helps you get past the question of “WHAT IS THAT SMELL” in your home. As always questions and comments are welcomed and much desired.

More on How to Install a Bathroom in the Basement

I wrote yesterday about the ADA and have in the past blogged about the how to build an ADA compliant bathroom in your home from scratch or how to convert the bathroom you have to ADA standards.
http://nationalbuildersupply.blogspot.com/2009/04/how-to-plan-handicapped-ada-compliant.html
This subject along with my blog about adding a bathroom to your basement continue to receive a lot of “google” hits meaning there are a lot of you out there thinking about putting that bathroom in the basement that you’ve been promising your family for a while. I see this as one of two trends in the U.S. today, the first being the economy and the need to upgrade your home to get more value from it and the second being the proliferation of “mancaves” further defined as a place in the basement for ole dad and his buds to watch the games on a big screen TV and knock back a few without the interruption of kids and the wife. Both are worthwhile projects. Consistently additions of bathrooms and renovation of existing bathrooms and kitchens list very high on the return of investment scale. Converting useless empty space in a basement to a family room, guest quarters or other uses including the addition of a bathroom equals big money return on sale of the home. The problem with adding a bathroom to a basement is almost always a matter of “lift” or ejection of the sewage from a location below grade to the drain line in your home or in simple terms your basement is below the level of your septic tank or sewer line. Additionally there is usually a concrete foundation floor that doesn’t allow for the laying of the plumbing lines for the toilet. In my previous blogs I showed examples of two types of units that can facilitate the solving of this problem. One a self contained sewage ejector system that can be neatly buried in one hole which will allow you to establish a drain and ejector for the toilet, sink and shower in one simple hole in the foundation or basement floor. The other is a simple device that mounts on the floor and simply allows you to mount the toilet on this device and either step up to the toilet or build a false floor to the level of the device. There are many such devices on the market but good examples are found at W.W.Grainger at the following website http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/productIndex.shtml?from=Search&newSrch=yes&operator=keywordSearch&search_type=keyword&action=Go%21&QueryString=basement+toilet&submit.x=27&submit.y=6
For further info on this type of project take a look back at my previous blog on the subject at
http://nationalbuildersupply.blogspot.com/2009/05/can-i-install-toilet-in-my-basement.html
I usually publish blogs 3 days a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays but because of the July 4th Holiday I’m posting today so that I can wish you all a safe holiday and maybe jog you into a great weekend project to start planning.
Thanks to all who read and follow my blogs and PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMMENT OR TO LET ME KNOW OF FUTURE SUBJECTS YOU WOULD LIKE COVERED.