2011 Home Improvement Trends

50 experts were interviewed about home improvement trends in 2011 and their results were packaged nicely into this infographic.  Use this as inspiration for your 2011 home improvement projects. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding a plumbing project or green plumbing fixtures. Do you have projects planned yet for this upcoming year? Share them below in the comments.


Source: eLocal.com

Plumbing Pipe Candlesticks

In anticipation of Valentine's Day on Monday, we though we'd share this relevant "how-to" guide. Stephen Antonson teaches how to turn spare plumbing parts into an array of industrial candlesticks that are guaranteed to set the mood for any occasion, especially Valentine's Day.



How-Tuesday: Plumbing Pipe Candlesticks from Etsy on Vimeo.


Materials

Plumbing parts can be found at most hardware stores or plumbing supply stores. Here’s a breakdown of all the plumbing parts you can use in this project:

• Bushings — a threaded exterior on one side, and a threaded interior on the other
• Couplings — each end of a coupling connects to other parts
• Unions — two identical interior threadings on either side, unions “unite” two other parts together
• Nipples — a short length of pipe that has two identical threaded ends on either side.

Plumbing parts come in either black or galvanized silver, both of which are quite striking. You have the option of leaving them bare or painting them (See Step 3).  

You’ll also need:

• Candles
• Mineral spirits
• Spray paint (optional)

Directions

1. Thoroughly wipe down the plumbing parts with mineral spirits and a clean rag. The parts come with grease and oils on them to prevent corrosion, so you want to make sure to give them a good once over. If you’re planning on painting your candlesticks, wait for the parts to fully dry before you break out the spray paint.
2. Now it's time to assemble your candlesticks. There are endless combinations of parts you can try, so let your creative candlestick vision guide you. If your union-bushing-coupling combination isn’t looking quite right, try a union and four bushings. Or maybe add a nipple. There’s no wrong way to make a candlestick, so have fun!
3. As we mentioned, if you prefer the original galvanized or black finish your plumbing parts, skip this step. If you do want to customize your candlesticks with paint, pick a color and start spraying. After ensuring that your candlesticks are completely dry and free of residue, apply your paint in short, even bursts until your surface area is fully covered.
4. Pick a candle that complements your creation and you’re ready to go. Now you’ve got a great piece to spruce up your kitchen table or a romantic evening you’ve been planning.

Have a Happy Valentine's Day!

For more information on this and other great DIY projects, check out Stephen’s book, Home From the Hardware Store, available on Amazon or from an independent bookseller near you.

 About the filmmakers: 

Soo Kim and Marcus Ricci are founding members of Brazen Angler Films. They live and work in Brooklyn, NY.

Super Bowl Party Tips

If you're hosting a Super Bowl party this year you’ll want to add these tips to your to-do list.

Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest day of food consumption, according to the American Institute of Food Distribution. It’s behind only Thanksgiving Day. Just like the holidays, your family and friends cram into your home for the big game. And that means your garbage disposal and toilets will likely be working overtime.

Neptune Plumbing has some steps you can take before your guests arrive that will help keep your home’s plumbing in good working condition:

• You should not overload your garbage disposal with leftovers. This can clog you kitchen sink. When in doubt – just throw it out.
• Instead, you should throw scraps in the trash or put in the compost pile.
• You should avoid pouring grease down the drain, because grease hardens when it’s in your pipes.
• Wipe off greasy plates and pans with a paper towel before washing them.
• Remove small objects from the top of your toilet tank that could fall in, causing it to clog.
• Make sure your trash bin is easy to see, so guests won’t flush paper towels, napkins or facial tissue.
• You may want to stock your bathroom with single-ply toilet paper, depending on the number of people attending your party. This can really help.
• You really need to know how to use the water shut-off valve (this is behind the toilet tank).

These tips will help keep your plumbing in good working condition. However, if you have a plumbing emergency, Neptune Plumbing is open on Super Bowl Sunday; you can contact us here.

Have fun and enjoy the game!

Winter Plumbing Maintenance

When the mercury drops during winter, frozen or burst pipes and broken water heaters can cause water damage and costly repairs. Follow these steps to prevent plumbing disasters in your home:

Drain outdoor water supply lines
Disconnect garden hoses and drain water from water sprinkler supply lines, swimming
pools and spigots. Be sure to shut off the water supply.

Check your water heater
If you have an older water heater, replace it before winter hits. Gas heaters normally last 8 to 14 years, and electric ones last 10-18 years. You can find the installation date on the service plate or on the heater’s serial number.

Insulate exposed pipes
Water can freeze in both hot and cold water supply lines, so it’s important to insulate exposed pipes in areas that aren’t well-heated, like under your bathroom and kitchen cabinets and in your basement, attic and garage. To insulate pipes, wrap them with foam insulation and secure them with tape. For added protection, wrap heat tape (thermostatically-controlled electric cables) around pipes following the manufacturer’s instructions for installation.

Take precautions during extreme cold
Even if you’ve already insulated your pipes, leave doors open in crawl spaces and under cabinets to let warmer air circulate. If there are pipes in the garage, keep the doors closed. Allow water to drip from faucets to prevent pipes from freezing—even a dribble helps.

Prep your house before you go away
If you’re going to be away from your home for a month or more, keep the heat on and set the thermostat to no lower than 55°F. A plumber can drain your water system by shutting off faucets, opening the meter in the basement, and using an air compressor to force excess liquid from pipes. Shut off the water heater as well.

Be sure to contact us if you have any questions or needs any assistance with your winter maintenance.

Have any additional tips that you do to protect your plumbing in the winter? Share them in the comments below.