Ahhh, it’s Spring time my favorite time of the year. That means mowing the lawn, washing the family car after a long weekend drive in the country and maybe power washing your house. That means breaking out the water hose only to find that your frost free spigot is leaking water almost as bad as the cracks in Bagnell dam.

When plumbing leaks suddenly occur You’re first instinct is to call a plumber.

Wait! That’s going to cost you at least a Benjamin, so your date night this week will have to be cancelled.

Remember you are a “do it yourselfer”, tackling a small 10 minute fix is well in your comfort zone because, you’re about to discover “7 EZ-PZ steps for a leak free spigot in less than 10 minutes.”

Let’s get started.

Before we begin with the 7 EZ-PZ steps for a leak free spigot or outside frost free faucet you are going to need a few tools.

1.  A flat head or Phillips screw driver 
2.  a good pair of pliers 
3.  an adjustable wrench or “crescent” 
4.  A roll of Teflon tape
5.  And finally a double 00 flat or beveled washer. (note that you may need a different size washer). 

Before we begin, you need first is go turn off the water supply to your outside spigot, because the last thing you want is to be sprayed with 50 pounds of ice cold water “Burr” or worse walk around like a two year old that couldn’t make it to the rest room in time and have a big wet spot in the middle of your britches , how embarrassing.

If the plumbing for your frost free faucet is accessible by a basement or a crawl space check and see if there is a shut off valve behind it. This might save a few minutes or headaches from water users in your home. If not then go ahead and cut off your house water supply before continuing with following steps.

Now that your house water or shut off valve has been turn off and you don’t have any water flowing from the spigot, it’s time to repair your frost free faucet so you can get to more pressing chores done.

Without further ado here are the 7 EZ-PZ Steps for a leak free spigot in 10 minutes or less.

Step #1: Remove the handle screw from the center of the wheel handle. Place the screw and handle in a safe place because you’re going to need them again.

Step#2: Wrap a shop towel around the body of the spigot this will keep the teeth of the pliers from damaging the spigot when you use it to keep the body from twisting while you loosen the packing nut. Plumbers note: Most frost free outside spigots will have a mounting flange with two screws holding the facet taught to the sill of the house hence, another name for this faucet the “sill cock”. IF your faucet has been installed for years, never trust the mounting screws because they could be compromised by corrosion or the wood itself could be weathered. I have seen many frost free faucets twist while doing step 3 and breaking the pipe.

Step #3: Stabilize the body with your pliers while at the same time loosen the packing nut with your adjustable wrench.

Step#4: Once the packing nut is free pull the stern out of the body of the spigot. The Stern is that long shaft that seats itself all the way back in the body.

Step #5: Inspect the packing inside of the packing nut. If it is flakey and rough looking from water erosion you may need to dig that packing out and repack it. Plumbers Note: Don’t dig it out yet I have a little plumbers trick up my sleeve that may save you some time and trouble.

Step #6: At the very end of the stern is a plastic washer with a screw in the center of it. Remove this screw and replace the washer. Don’t forget to put the screw back in place. Plumbers note: There are many different size washers they range from 0,00,000, flat and beveled. If you do not know which washer you need take the old washer to your nearest hardware store and have it matched to fit. Many NIBCO and Woodford brands use the 00 washer and they are common in my neck of the woods. Ok, now it is time to break out your roll of Teflon tape and in moment you will learn my little plumbing trick I hinted to a little earlier.

Step #7: On the stern there is a stop that looks a lot like a flat washer. This stop is to keep the stern from going too far in the body which would stop the water flow completely. Plumbers tip: With your Teflon tape wrap about 4 rotations in front of the stop behind the packing nut. If you wrap to much tape here you won’t be able to tighten the packing nut to the body, so be careful here and count.

Now that we have replaced the washer and Teflon the stop to help the packing do its job for a few more years, it is time to put all the parts back into the body and tighten everything up. By reversing the 7 EZ-PZ steps to a leak free spigot in ten minutes or less, you will have your frost free faucet or sill cock back in working order in time for your spring time watering.

Most home kitchens these days aren’t complete without this little handy hidden appliance known only as the garbage disposal. because a garbage disposal is such a helpful kitchen aid  to use during food preperations such as composting the waste after peeling potato’s and salad preperation all the way to the clean up; the daunting task of pre-washing.

Yes,the garbage disposal has earned its place in the modern kitchen, Only second to the microwave oven. It is such a handy tool that many appliance manufatures have included the garbage disposal built in to there dishwashers.

Life would be a little harder without your garbage disposal. You might have to walk a few extra feet to dump your refuse. Then you would have to make sure the trash is taken out that evening to keep it from smelling up your house. Life is a little easier in the kitchen with your garbage disposal.

Because your disposal is made with moving parts, sudden mechanical failer could occur at any time. That is why taking care of your garbage disposal now will prolong the life of such a versitile appliance that you will use for years to come.

Below you are about to discover 4 little known tips that will help keep you and your garbage disposal happy and healthy for the life of your appliance.

Tip #1. Be sure to always run water before and after grinding refuse in your disposal. This will ensure the blades work at optimol performance and food particles from getting trap in the belly of your disposal which would cause a stink almost as worse as a decaying mouse carcus in a floor register.  

Tips #2. Be sure you use cold water while grinding food in your disposer. If there are any kind of fats or gelatin in the foods your disposer chomps up it could melt in hot water and re-solidify as it travels down your pipes. Over time this could cause a messy major blockage.

Tips #3. Never use chemicals such as bleches or drain cleaners in your garbage disposal, because it eat at the finish on the dispoals blades and inner lining causing rust and reducing the life of your garbage dispoal. Not to mention the damage it could cause to the enviroment or your septic tank.

Here is a quick list of foods to avoid putting into your garbage disposal and down your drains with a brief explanation after words.

• Rice
• pasta
• Beans
• Egg shells
• Coffee Ground
• Bones
• Gelatin
• Fibrous fruits & vegetables

1. Beans, rice and pasta’s bloat by sucking up moisture even after it has been cooked.
2. Egg shells could cause dulling of your disposals blades and could get trapped to the sides of the waste tank or your pipes because of the super stickiness of egg whites.
3. Coffee grounds is another food product that should be avoided at all cost. Since they are ground and beans not only will they stick everywhere down the drain but, over time will expand and cause a really hard blockage that is almost as hard as cement.
4. Bones will break and dull the blades of your disposer and if you have been lucky so far, could get small chips into the housing which will burn up the motor.
5. Gelatin and fibrous fruits and veggies will build up in your pipes and over time cause a blockage.

These are the worse kind of blockages you could have because sewer rods could bore a hole through the gelatin allowing the water to drain then close back up after the rod has been removed. Water jetting the pipes might not get it either unless special care is taken to ensure the removal of the blockage. this could take several hours and many camera tests during the procedure and cost over a $,1,0000.

Not very many people stop to think about how a simple toilet can affect their health. Let’s face it contractors when building your home don’t think about it. They install a construction grade commode or toilet and you use it for several years. This works fine while you are young and haven’t started a family yet.

But when your family grows and now have 4 or 5 living in your dwelling, your toilet begins to be challenged. Even if you have two or three bathrooms you may find yourself taking the plunge every now and then.

• Children flush toys and all kinds of foreign objects
• Adults will flush to much paper, sanitary pads or tampons
• Over time the tank system begins to break down and repair or replacement is needed.

The average person spends around an 1/8^th of their life time relieving your body of waste.  That is approximately  4 to 7 years we spend on the toilet. This should also make choosing a proper toilet just as important as choosing your household furniture.

So how do you choose a toilet that is right for you and your family? This is a very good question since most home owners have never been faced with this choice before. Toilets are made in many different sizes, colors and functions and taking a quote from the movie Indiana Jones and the last crusade “choose wisely”.

Much like choosing your first home choosing a proper toilet is just as important. Since most toilets are design to last for 20 years or longer you need to play the role of a psychic and look into your future and not only for your future family also a glimpse into your golden years.

Depending on how many bathrooms you have in your home will help with your choice. Let’s say you are a newlywed, right now there are just two of you and you have three bathrooms in your home. It may look like this:

• Master bath
• Common bath
• Half bath

The construction grade toilet the contractor installed may be all you need right now. A few years later you may decide on having a family and pretty soon you will have children to nurture.

Many toilet manufactures make children size toilets that are designed for your child until they reach a certain height of 4 feet 5 inches.  By installing a child size toilet you will eliminate the fear your child will have of falling into the toilet or being eaten by “the toilet monster” when potty training. The best placement for a children’s toilet will be in the half bath. This way you will leave the common bathroom for your company and self.

When you are ready to upgrade your children’s toilet for a standard one this will be a good time to think about those golden years. Believe it or not depending on your height whether you are tall, small or in between the height of the commode will make a difference on your health.

As we age our bodies change and depending on you and/or your spouse’s occupation back or joint problems may arise which makes squatting more difficult. At this point a handicap toilet may not be the solution for many years to come. However, some of the top toilet manufacturers have designed some brand series that are taller than the standard toilet and come with larger traps which is a plus in my opinion because you will have less toilet clogs.

in closing, you need to do some serious research before choosing the right toilet that will best suite you and your family’s needs. Begin with toilet review’s. Then Go to your local plumbing supply or home improvement store to find out how do you measure up to your toilet?

If you haven’t read my first article “5 steps to a perfect solder joint” where I gave away most of my  soldering secrets for creating a professional solder or hot work joint. Click here to read that article first. that way this article will make more sense to you.

The secret 6th step for a perfect solder joint

Even if this is your first time soldering copper plumbing, I am going to let you in on a “Secret” step that most plumbers will not tell you about.

Why? Good question, here is the answer.

Most plumbers believe that if there solder joints look better than there colleagues they are a better plumber. Believe me when I tell you, most plumbers are very “condescend” and competitive.

With that said, I am happy to let you in on the secret 6th step that will improve your soder finishes.

you’re cup overflowing

After you have filled your hub with solder you’re going to see the solder form and start to dry around the hub and may even overflow and run over the fitting.  Here is what you will need to do and have on hand.

You need a damp cloth towel called a wiping towel. or any old rag will do.
You also need a spray bottle filled with water.
While the solder is still in it’s molten form take your damp cloth and wipe the solder around the hub. At the same time as you whipe try to push as much of the solder into the hub of the fitting.

Once you have completed that part of the task, spray a mist of water onto the pipe and fitting. Then wipe the fitting and pipe down again. This last step will remove any excess flux and dirt from your perfect solder joint.

Pretty simple, huh?

Believe it or not it may take an apprentice nine month or more to figure out the secret 6th step that will improve your solder finish. Give it a whirl and remember practice makes perfect.

If you enjoyed this series go ahead and re tweet it and or Digg it. Remember to leave a comment below if this tiny secret has help you or just leave me your feed back.

5 Keys for Attracting Employment

I am a professional plumber. I always wanted to be a plumber from the time I was a young boy.
For some reason this profession is attractive to me. It all started when I saw an Ade Do commercial on television.

There was a grey headed man sitting behind a desk and a voice over asking, ”Who can UN-stop clogged toilets and drains…” and the grey headed man will look up from his desk into the camera with his bushy grey eye brows and said  “Ade Do”. It was a great commercial and it started my carrier as a professional plumber. I still get goose bumps thinking about that excellent Ade Do commercial.

I will tell you that I did set my goals a lot higher than being a plumber. At the age of eleven, I began a journey to become a free lance writer and I am still on that journey today. Hence my blog, articles and reports.

I am also a computer repair tech and an Internet expert. I have been involved with computers and the Internet since 1994. My wife and I have owned and operated our own successful ISP and web hosting company.

Many people that know me are surprised to my answer when they ask me what I do for a living and I tell them that I am a professional plumber.

I do what I enjoy doing. That is the key to becoming a professional. I know a lot of plumbers that think that plumbing is an art form. There is nothing further from the truth. Plumbing is nothing but mechanical. With mechanics there are limitations to how the pieces work together. With art there are no such limitations.

Getting back to the topic at hand, How to attract employment is easy. But, first I need to tell you a story.

In November of 2008, I was laid off from my previous job. I spent 8 months on un-employment. I tried to earn money marketing affiliate programs on the Internet. I spent almost eight hours a day at my computer writing sales letters, learning how to design web pages, writing articles.

I was making more money on un-employment.

Then I started selling and marketing beauty products. Guess what? I made more money than both un-employment and affiliate marketing combined in one month.
I began living the life of a full time internet/network marketer.

Some people will say that I was living a failed life as a marketer. Nothing can be further from the truth. The fact of the matter, I learned from this experience. Will I quit? No way! It doesn’t matter whether or not I made money. What really matters is that I enjoyed every minute of it and I am a better person from this experience.

So, how did I fail?

The whole 8 months that I was out of work I was giving my knowledge and giving my time to help others do the same. I learned a lot. I gave a lot. The Lord provided.

I was never late in paying my bills. I was able to help my family members and friends when they needed me. I bought a new to me car, while I was un-employed and paid cash for it. I have the title to that 2009 Honda CR-V, sitting on my end table right now.

At the time I wasn’t even looking for a job. I was going through the motions of applying for plumbing positions all over the place. Not one of these companies called. Which was fine with me because I really didn’t want to go back to work. I had become fed up with the usual working grind. The old nineteen fifty’s model ” work” wasn’t working any more.

For me it seemed more of a chance of failure working for someone else than it was working for myself.

Then…

A friend of mine and plumbing client, we’ll call him Jeff, called me to tell me about a plumbing position that was available where he was working. He gave me a number to call and I did. The guy on the other end ask me if I could come in that after noon for an interview. I met with him on time. Answered every question he had honestly. Then Glen, ask me if I could start the following Monday. Of course I agreed.

Especially after I found out how much I would be making. It was almost twice hourly rate that I had received from my previous employer. Which is really Good.

How to Attract Employment

Key #1 Notice in the above story, I really stop looking for work. That is one key to attracting employment. Stop looking.
If you are on un-employment you need to keep going through the motions to keep food on the table. Just stop looking. Now don’t get me wrong, you will still need to look for work.

Key #2 is to change your mind set. I had the biggest break through when I re-evaluated me.
Before, I did everything in my power to keep my job. If meant kissing butt, I did it. If I was ask to stay later to finish something I did it. Eventually, I trained my employer how to treat me like a dog and like it. When another treated him like a dog and got whatever they wanted. I never understood this. Now I do. I lost my job, while the other person is still working. I had to change me.

You will be surprised to know that when I was laid off, it was the most liberating thing that could have happened. I spent the time focusing on the things that I needed to change with me. No it’s not your fault that you are un-employed. You are un-employed because your employer has a lack mentality. Which is good for you! If you don’t fall into the trap of lack yourself.

Key#3 Do this first, change the things that need changed in you first and create your own opportunities.

When I went for that interview, I didn’t brag myself up as some great plumber. I really didn’t want the job. I was happy carving out my financial future on my own.

Recently, when I heard they were hiring another plumber the old me started to come out. Aren’t I good enough?

Why would they want to hire another plumber?

Am I going to be fired and replaced by this new plumber. It’s called fear. And I believe it was a personal test for me. Which is great.

Did I care?

At first I did. Because, of fear and lack creeping into my conscience. Then as fast as it came knocking, I had to shut the door on this type of thinking or I would fall back into the fear of losing my job again. Which is fear and lack. The good news, I am not in lack anymore.

A lot of great results have begun to spring up, from just changing my mind set.

Affiliate programs I am promoting are starting to take off. My direct sales business is doing better than ever before. I am still giving my time to family and friends helping them out.

Key #4 to attracting employment is do that which you love doing. If you are working at a job that you don’t like then maybe you need to change what you do. You might not be in the right profession. Look toward your hobby’s or something that you love doing and see if you can make a living doing it. It is very important that you do what you love doing.

I really couldn’t put my finger on what I had done until I read Joe Vitale’s new book “Attract money now”. It has really open my eye’s to some of the thing I have changed in my life to attract employment. It has also help me to realize that I can change and attract even more and not just money into my life, for the greater good.

Key #5 Take Action. For every Action there is a reaction. If you’re Action is to do nothing then you will receive nothing.