Should I Repipe My Drain Pipes?

Repiping drain pipes is something most homeowners often overlook, but they really shouldn’t. It can turn out to be a much bigger problem than you may think, for reasons we will discuss in this post.

Drain pipes are responsible for removing waste water from your home and allowing it pass into the city sewer system. While it might seem you don’t need to repipe your drain pipes if the water is being removed from your home, it’s not as simple as that.

image:jbplumb.com/repiping

This is because this process must be done properly and effectively by the drain pipes. If there are issues like leakage in the pipes, any kind of water damage, growth of harmful agents like mold, clogging issues, as well as any kind of cross-connection between the waste water and drinking water, then they can turn out to be very harmful and dangerous for the health and safety of yourself and your family.

After all, if you and your family end up consuming waste water instead of drinking water due to the cross-connection, then you need not be told what kind of consequences that could have on your and your family’s health.

Now, coming to whether you should repipe your drain pipes or not, then you probably should if you have an older home. This is because older homes often have galvanized steel lines which are known for getting corroded over time.

If this is not taken care of in time, it would eventually result in the lines getting rusted and then ending up encountering leakage issues. When this happens, you may experience an ugly smell coming off from underneath your home, which would be due to the leakage. And if this is not fixed in time, the damage could very well get much worse.

Similarly, it’s also a good time to repipe the drain pipes when remodeling the house. After all, when you’re already investing so much into the project, you wouldn’t want things getting ruined due to drainage issues like the ones we mentioned above.

As for the type of pipes to go for when repiping the drain pipes, cast iron ones are believed to be a great choice. This is because they are very long-lasting, and usually don’t encounter the type of issues the traditional ones do.

They also come with a sound-suppression quality, which is another great plus. However, if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative, then the ABS pipes would work well too, as they are both durable and considerably less expensive.

Highly-Useful Tips for the Most Efficient Packing for Your Move

So, you are moving to a new location – congratulations! Your move could be for professional reasons, or it could be for personal reasons, but whatever the reason for your move, there's something that you need to do – and do right. We're talking about packing your belongings, of course. It is one of the biggest chores related to your move, and not everyone looks forward to it. It can be a challenge, but the good news is it can be done and done efficiently at that. Are you a first-timer at packing your belongings, or do you have so many items that you don't know where to start? Here are the most useful tips you should know about efficient packing for your move.

• Decide whether you think you need help from a professional packer. Do you have a lot of stuff through which you have to sort? Do you have time to pack, or are you pressed for time? While packing everything yourself can save you some money, professional packers can give you the speed as well as the safety you require.

• Once you sort through all your items, it's the perfect time to do away with things you no longer use. Sorting through your belongings gives you a chance to de-clutter, and you can decide whether to throw something away, recycle it, give it away, or donate it. Remember, the fewer items you take, the less hassle you will have, and the more money you will be able to save when you move.

• Another fact to bear in mind is this: pack as early as possible. Once you have confirmed that you are moving, you can start sorting your items and packing bit by bit. Come up with a strategy, such as doing it room by room and doing your packing according to places which you use the least (such as the garage and loft, which tend to have a lot of clutter). The sooner you begin, the better. Create a calendar and make sure to follow it so you can save time. 

• You have to make sure you have the right packing materials. There are many packing supplies which you can use, such as bubble wrap, packing paper, sticky tape, labels, markers and pens, and, of course, boxes. Another thing: go for sturdy cardboard boxes; the sturdier the box, the better, as you don't want it to break and the contents to spill on moving day itself. 

• Here’s something that many homeowners fail to realize: it’s a waste of time packing certain items which are considered hazardous, such as flammable items and items that are explosive or corrosive. Don’t try to pack items like these anymore as they can even pose a threat. Just dispose of them properly before you move.

• When packing your furniture, dismantle it first if you can, and if there are any small parts, place them in plastic bags and tape them to the side of the furniture, so it's easy to reassemble the furniture when you arrive at your destination.

You can get the help you need from professional movers, and you have different options for the kind of service you want. If you are planning to transport items yourself, you can opt for a man with a van service such as the man with a van Cheltenham service from Advanced Removals & Storage. It's best to look for a local service as it will be cheaper and more reliable, and with a man with a van, you have the benefit of a driver plus someone who can help you load and unload all your belongings.  

5 Easy Steps to Finding a Quality Electrician

Electricians with a good reputation at the right price are hard to figure out if you do not have anyone that can recommend you a good contracting service. Therefore, it comes down to research and due diligence on your part to ensure you get the right balance of price and quality.

1.   Look at their website for reviews

A reputable company will have great reviews. Check out 2E Electrical Reviews page. This is a company in New Zealand that has plenty of good reviews from customers. On their review page they include the name of the person that hired the company as well as the name of the company that hired 2E Electrical for the job.

2.   Look on Google for Reviews

In the image below, you can see that 2E Electrical has a 5-star rating on Google Reviews. This is always a very good sign of a great company. If someone did not like the services provided by this company, they could simply type in ‘2E Electrical’ into Google and leave a bad review. 

There is nothing stopping people from leaving a bad review, so if you see no bad reviews, this is a good sign of a reputable company.

Although, sometimes there will be the occasional jealous competitor leaving a bad review, and it can be hard for the company to get rid of these bad reviews – you need to make your mind up by weighing up all the reviews you see.

To look at the Google reviews for the company you are interested in, surf to www.google.com in your country. In the search bar, type in the name of the company and hit enter. 

You will see the company you are looking for in the Google search results. Next, on the right-hand side, you will see the Google reviews section for the company. In our example, we are using 2E Electrical from New Zealand because they are a re local business to us.

3.   Look for a Social Media Presence

In the above image you can see that 2E Electrical also have a Facebook page in the search results. This is a good sign because the company is allowing people to have a voice in their industry. That voice means that anyone can comment on 2E Electrical’s business operations publicly on Facebook.

As you can see on further investigation of the 2E Electrical Facebook profile reviews, the company has 15 5-star ratings on Facebook. This is another very good sign of a very professionally run electricians company. Again, as with Google Reviews anyone can leave a review here about the 2E Electrical services. This is completely open to the public, therefore, if you have a Facebook profile, you can leave a review.

You will also be able to browse every review left for the company. Make sure you read all the reviews, so you can find reviews specifically related to the type of job that you want completed.

There are also other Social Media outlets you can investigate such as:

·         Google+ Business Reviews

·         Twitter (Although uncommon)

·         Instagram (Still quite uncommon)

       4.   Check Local Directories

Local directories such as Yellow Pages. Here you can see that 2E Electrical have a presence on the New Zealand Yellow pages directory and 1 positive review.

So far, breaking down the 2E Electrical business’s reputation online, we have seen nothing but positive reviews. Let’s take a look at wheat the person on Yellow Pages had to say.

As you can see, the feedback is very positive. At this stage in your investigation, you can be very safe in the knowledge that 2E Electrical is a safe, professional, and trustworthy company to work with within the Hamilton area of New Zealand.

       5.   Book for a Free Quotation

All that is left to do now is for you to decide whether you like the company in person. You have already done your due diligence, and during that process you can see that the company you are researching has left numerous ways for you to get in contact with them.

Now it is time to test their sales processes and customer services responsiveness. Once you have booked an appointment for the free quotation, you just have to sit back and wait for their staff to turn up so you can assess their professionalism and quotation.

Good luck and happy hunting!