Crawlspace – Underhouse – Floods – Water Under Your House Can Cause a Variety of Problems

Standing water or wet soil in your home's crawlspace can come from a variety of sources. These may include but are certainly not limited to the following.

Crawlspace – Underhouse – Floods – Water Under Your House Can Cause a Variety of Problems

Crawlspace – Underhouse – Floods – Water Under Your House Can Cause a Variety of Problems

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Crawlspace – Underhouse – Floods – Water Under Your House Can Cause a Variety of Problems

Crawlspace – Underhouse – Floods – Water Under Your House Can Cause a Variety of Problems

(1) A leaking freshwater Supply line, usually galvanized, copper, pvc or pex.
(2) A leaking sewer drain line, usually cast iron, galvanized, clay or ABS.
(3) Naturally high groundwater table.
(4) Overs watering of plants around your home (creating a man made high water table).
(5) Sprinklers spraying through the crawlspace vents.
(6) Leaking swimming pools (this is rare).
(7) Improperly directed gutter downspouts.
(8) Stream or river flooding.

Standing water or extremely damp soil in your home's crawlspace (under house) can cause a variety of structural problems and healthconcerns. Excess humidity caused by the evaporation of standing water or wet soil in your crawlspace can cause mold growth on the wooden foundation and the bottom of sub floors. It can also cause warping or buckling of sub floors and mold growth in the living area of the building. If your home has H.V.A.C. (heating, ventilation, Air conditioning) ducting in the crawlspace and the system is compromised with excess moisture, microbial amplification may result. All of these issues can possibly create unhealthy indoor Air quality. A broken sewer line in your crawlspace and the subsequent release of raw sewage onto your crawlspace soil can create an awful odor problem in your home. Also there are possible health concerns to the constant inhalation of sewer gas from an open or broken sewerline.

Some solutions to the problems Mentioned above. Try to determine the source of the water intrusion and correct it yourself. This may be as simple as redirecting sprinkler heads, fixing leaky outdoor faucets or redirecting gutter downspouts. If you suspect plumbing problems, you should call a licensed plumber.

Often, there is too much water under your house for a plumber to properly inspect the pipes, you may need to call a Water Damage Restoration company. Many water damage companies offer crawlspace de-flooding and or sewage cleanup, should be the leak from a sewer drain line. After the water is removed and the crawlspace made accessible a plumber can check for leaky pipes. If your foundation is wet you may need to water damage restoration company to dryit for you, in order to prevent mold growth.

If you have over watering problems or a high water table, you may need to contact a landscape engineer or a water proofing contractor to design a French drain system or other remedy to keep water from accumulating under your home. Many plumbing companies or water proofing contractors will also install sump pump systems in the low area of your crawlspace to help combat water pooling. You may also want to consider having a crawlspace dehumidifier made installed to regulate the relative humidity to a level that will inhibit structural damage or mold growth. Another way to keep Air flowing through the crawlspace (and thereby promoting evaporation) is by installing crawlspace ventilation fans over your existing crawlspace vents. There are alsocompanies who can completely encapsulate your crawlspace with thick plastic, thereby effectively sealing your home off from the ground.

As you can see there are many problems that can arise from excessive water or moisture in your home or buildings crawlspace and just as many solutions. Should you suspect a problem that may need a professional solution, a good place to start is on the internet with your favorite search engine and a search for "crawlspace". This should get you started in the right direction with any crawlspace (under house) issues you may have.

Crawlspace – Underhouse – Floods – Water Under Your House Can Cause a Variety of Problems

How to Replace your Broken Oven Element

The oven eleMent in your electric range can burn out at any time. Unfortunately it always seems to happen at the most inopportune times, such as the week before Christmas or Thanksgiving.

How to Replace your Broken Oven Element

How to Replace your Broken Oven Element

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How to Replace your Broken Oven Element

How to Replace your Broken Oven Element

Most eleMents do not give warnings before burning out. They will often have a bright spot that will be noticed by the homeowner, just prior to burning out. If your element has a bright spot replace it as soon as possible. Waiting for the element to burn out is inadvisable because the oven thermostat or other electric components can be affected.

In all aspects of this Job safety must come first. Use only the manufacturers original parts, not a cheaper substitute. Only attempt this repAir when you have enough time, and patience, to do it properly. Remember, you will be dealing with 240volts-that's twice as much power as flows through your regular household circuits. Only attempt this repAir with another adult present.

If you feel confident in your ability to safely replace an oven element then try the following method:

1. Disconnect range from electrical power, either by unPlugging or turning off breakers. Pull range away from the wall so all sides can be accessed.

2 .. Remove rear panel of range to expose the element wiring. Identify which element you suspect being burnt out.

3. Carefully remove the element wiring. They are usually screwed on connections. Avoid breaking the connections or stripping the screw head with your screwdriver.

4. Go to the front of the range. Locate the screws securing the element within the ovencavity. This may require a flashlight because they are usually covered in debris. Again use caution not to harm the screw heads. The screws may be very tight and will require patience to remove without harming. If the screws will not turn they will have to be drilled out using a high-speed drill. If this becomes necessary use caution not to chip the oven interior.

5. Remove the oven element. If it's broken avoid touching the pieces with your bare hands. The pieces can be very sharp. Plus, the white powdered insulation contains harmful chemicals.

6. Proceed to a parts store to obtain a replacement. Make certain you have your make, model, and serial number. Manufacturers use a vast variety of elements. Each model, type, configuration, and watTAGe requirements willdetermine which element was installed in your range.

7. Install the new element and secure it with the screws. If the holes in the mounting plate don't align you will have to drill holes in the cabinet interior. Carefully drill holes in the cabinet using a high-speed drill. Use caution not to let drill slip to avoid damaging or chipping the interior liner.

8. From the rear of the range reconnect the element wiring. Don't bent the electrical connections or allow the screws to strip the threads. If the wiring is burnt the insulation must be cut back to expose undamaged tissue wire. Cut the insulation back using a knife or wire-stripping tool.

9 ... With the new element installed Plug the range back into the electricity. Start the oven and allow to run for five minutes.Disconnect the electricity and quickly feel the wiring insulation at the element connections. They should feel slightly warm, but not hot. A hot connection indicates a poor connection, or the possible failure of other components associated with the oven. If hot, it will be necessary to remove it and redo. Once satisfied with connections replace the rear panel and reinstall into counter.

10. Test the oven operation. All elements should go off and on as per normal.

11. the Final step is to do a test run of the oven temperatures. If you have an oven thermoMeter allow the oven to cycle off three or four times at a regular baking temperature. The thermoMeter should indicate same temperature at which the oven dial is set. As a confirmation bake something such as muffins or cookiesas your test substance.

As the preceding has shown, replacing a burnt element is not a difficult repair. But, it is certainly one that should only be attempted by someone who is confident around electricity. If you are uncertain about your ability around high volTAGe, telephone an appliance repairperson for help.

An appliance repairperson can have your element replaced, tested, and operating in less than an hour. Less time than it will take you to find the part. Also, they will have all the tools and testers required to do the Job quickly and safely.

How to Replace your Broken Oven Element

Lawn Sprinklers

A healthy and lush lawn is the envy of all homeowners. Keeping a lawn looking great requires a good lawn sprinkler system. There are many options in a lawn sprinkler that will allow you to choose the system that is best for you and your lawns needs.

Lawn Sprinklers

Lawn Sprinklers

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Lawn Sprinklers

Lawn Sprinklers

Initial Considerations

The first thing you need to know before ever choosing lawn sprinkler system is that your lawn has different needs in the different areas. What works for your front lawn may not work for back lawn. Shaded areas may not need the water that sunny spots do. You have to keep this is mind and choose lawn sprinkler according to these factors.

Types of Lawn Sprinklers

Here are is a run down of the different types of lawn sprinklers you willhave to choose from and their characteristics.

Spray Sprinkler:

-Good for small spaces

-Produces a large concentrated spray

-Pop up and stationary models available

-Best used on flat ground

-Best used on a cycle timer

Rotor Head Sprinklers:

-Good for covering large areas

-Produces a small amount of water coverage

-Allows for a good absorption rate

-Single or double head models

-Available in models that spray in all directions

Drip Sprinkler:

-Good for water to specific plant

-Rate of drip varies widely

-As in a tube design

-No spraying on needless areas

Making your Choice

You should choose your lawn sprinkler systembased upon your needs. You need to choose a system that will provide you with the type of coverage and amount of coverage that you need.

Make sure that you choose a sprinkler system that works with your chosen method of application. You need to decide if you are going to go with a timer or manual method of turning off and on the system.

Lawn Sprinklers

Submersible Well Pump How to Replace

Replacing a submersible well pump is not a complicated task and relatively simple if you understand the basics about a system like the placeMent of the pump, how the submersible pump operates and how it is installed in a well casing. An advanced do it yourselfer with knowledge of electrical wiring and some basic plumbing skills is probably capable of replacing a submersible pump irrigation . This is not a step by step installation guide but rather an overview for a general understanding to evaluate whether to do it yourself or hire a contractor. The savings on the cost of labor, if you do it yourself, will be about 50-60% of the total price of a contractor doing the Job. The first factor in deciding whether to attempt doing it yourself is how deep the well is anddo you have a large enough area to layout lay down the pipe in your yard once you start pulling it out of the casing. If your well is 50 ' to 150 ' deep, I would recomMend doing it yourself if you are Ph Meter and this acts as a sleeve in which the pump housing, discharge pipe and wiring go down to reach the water level within this pipe casing. Attached to the submersiblepump is the discharge pipe, usually 1 "to 1-.25" flexible poly pipe and the electrical wiring which also runs into this casing to the depth of submersible pump in the well. The deeper the well, the heavier and more difficult it is to lift out. The weight of the pump assembly may require some rigging above the well casing to help lift and hold the pump assembly in place so it doesn't slip and drop back down into the well casing as you are pulling it out. Once you start pulling up of the pump you must continue the motion until it is fully out of the casing. If you are doing this manually attach to rope beforehand to the top end of well cap so the other person can easier hold on to it and tie it off to something-a tree or fence, in between lifts if you need to take a break and stopfacelift.

If you decide to replace the well pump yourself, here are some tips to remember. Determine that the pump motor is bad by checking circuit breakers, switches and check that power is at the well head. If power is on at well head it is a good sign that the pump is broke. Turn off the power at the breaker panel, TAG and lock it out for safety before you start exposing the well head. Clear the area around the well head, approx. 6 ' to 8 ' diaMeter, of shrubs and plants so you have enough room to expose the pump outlet and electrical connections. Disconnect the discharge pipe and undo the wiring at the junction box near the top of the well. Loosen the bolts on top of the casing cover, this is a type of squeeze cover with a thick rubber ring thatexpands as tightened and loosened as contracts against the casing interior. Once loose, try to lift the cover, as you lift you will be getting an idea of how heavy the whole assembly is of which you have to lift out of the well.

Now you are ready to lift the pump. Rubber gloves, protective Clothing or coveralls should be worn as the pump piping may have an iron and silt left on the exterior and can be quite a messy Job. Fasten a pull rope around the top of the well head for the other person to hold on and tie off if needed. Some wells may have a leading rope or cable already attached from original installation instead of relying on the discharge hose clamps and connection. The person who will do the actual pulling should stand directly above the well to lift the dischargepiping straight out of the casing and the other person should stay with the top end of well cap and guide it to where you lay it down as you pull. Make sure that the person guiding the end has a good grip on the end before you release to get another grip. Continue until pump assembly is fully out of the casing and wash off the enTire pump end so you read the specification TAGs of the pump.

Collect the information from the old pump-brand, model, HP, voltage, phase, 110/220, rpm, 2 or 3 wire configuration, continuous duty and the pumps outlet size and discharge pipe size. Most residential submersible pumps are either 2 wire or 3 wire configuration. The 2 wire type has 2-110v wires along with a case ground to pump housing. The 2 wire pump needs no controls. If it is a 3 wire pumpyou should replace the controls also.

Most submersible pump are two piece unit bolted together to be one assembly and consists of the motor and the pump. You can just replace the motor or pump if you choose, but I would highly suggest that you replace the whole assembly. After you have identified what type and size pump you have you may want to decide to upgrade your system with a higher volume pump of keep the same configuration. For upgrading, you should contact a supplier or contractor for recomMendations as well to be compatible with your needs and piping sizes to which your pump feeds.

Submersible Well Pump How to Replace

Submersible Well Pump How to Replace

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Submersible Well Pump How to Replace

Submersible Well Pump How to Replace Submersible Well Pump How to Replace

Blocked Sinus-4 Ways To Clear It Naturally

Blocked sinus can be a frustrating and irritating condition. It may cause difficulty in eating or sleeping. Blocked sinus can lead to a sinus headache and even equilibrium problems when the blockage reaches the ear. While some prescription medications may provide some relief, natural home remedies can be effective in clearing a blocked sinus. The latter do not have any ill side effects, are non-habit forming and can be used as often as needed.

Blocked Sinus-4 Ways To Clear It Naturally

Blocked Sinus-4 Ways To Clear It Naturally

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Blocked Sinus-4 Ways To Clear It Naturally

Blocked Sinus-4 Ways To Clear It Naturally

Here are 4 natural ways to clear a blocked sinus from the comfort of your home.

1. Increase humidity

Most sinus blockages and infections occur in the winter months. This is the time of year when heating is on and the doors and windows are closed, making the inside Air is very dry.

The easiest fix to this problem isto increase humidity in the Air. You can use a whole-house humidifier that Fasteners to your furnace. If that is not an option you can use small room-sized humidifiers throughout the house. These are inexpensive and can greatly improve humidity levels. Be sure to keep the water filled and clean the containers often to avoid bacteria and mold build up.

Alternatively, boil a large pot of water on the stove. The vapor from the boiling water adds humidity to the Air. Another quick fix is to sit in the bathroom with the hot shower running for 20 minutes or so.

2. Nasal irrigation

This is a method of running sterile water into the nose. You can buy a small irrigation pot from a health Food store and follow the package directions. If you need something tolittle more portable try using a saline nasal spray. Nasal irrigation works by cleaning the nasal passages and sinus cavities of mucus and thereby, assisting the natural cleaning system of your nasal passages.

3. Warm compress

A wet towel or washCloth can be heated and placed on the face, over the nose and sinuses. This will help clear the sinus cavities by loosening the mucus so that it will drain out more easily. You can purchase warm compress that can be heated in the microwave, from health Food stores or pharmacies.

4. Eucalyptus or Menthol

Eucalyptus or Menthol oil can be used in a steam inhalation to relieve nasal and sinus congestion, draining mucus and relieving pressure. Menthol is derived from peppermint. It is a natural anesthetic, germicidaland the vapors are an incredible decongestant. Eucalyptus oil is a powerful antiseptic with antibacterial properties. To create an eucalyptus steam inhalation, pour some boiling water into a bowl and add 3 drops of eucalyptus oil. Look down, with your head over the bowl. Cover your head and bowl with a towel. Close your eyes and inhale the steam slowly for 10 minutes.

You can also put a few drops of eucalyptus on a handkerchief and sniff periodically.

Each of these natural remedies can be used alone or in combination with each other to relieve your sinus blocked. They do not cause complications or harmful effects even if used in conjunction with drug medications.

Blocked Sinus-4 Ways To Clear It Naturally

Chembra Peak

So we started the next day around eight after a breakFast of Appam and stew washed down with a cup of hot tea. We hit the base an hour after few stops on the road side. We then paid 500 to the forest departMent for a permit. A guide accompanied us on the trek. This guide was a tribal named Marthandan, to fit agile young fellow.

Chembra Peak

Chembra Peak

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Chembra Peak

Chembra Peak

You can drive up quite a bit, so effectively the trek is only up the last 2000 ft or so.The road is a kucha road passing through acres of lush tea gardens which is a treat to the eyes. On either side you will find tall teak and pine trees. As you climb higher from certain vanTAGe points you can have a view of the enTire valley below. The valley below is filled with many plantations and the valley combined gives you the perfect opportunity forlandscape photography. If you go early in the morning around 8-9, the sprinklers are on, so you can see a fine spray of water in the Air over the tea bushes. There are some spots on the road where the spray from theIf sprinklers fall on, so you can get out of your car and enjoy the fine mist of water on you. It is an ethereal feeling. This is actually a tea estate called the Chembra summer and you will see many workers returning from the tea plucking work (Tea plucking is done early in the mornings and the work is done by the time we get to work urbanized people). At the end of the road is a gate which leads us to the trekking path. It is here that the estate manager's bungalow is located. It is a old colonial styled building with red Mangalore tiles and makes a good picture.At this point we parked our vehicle and started the climb.

The going was easy initially, but with distance the gradient became steeper and it was quite an effort to climb. But we slowly prod on and after an hour long trek reaches to crystal clear lake welcomed us. This view is simply marvelous and all our exhaustion was lost in this beauty. We stopped for some snacks and played for some time in the cool waters of the lake.

Thereafter we took another 2 hours to reach the summit. The summit offers a superb view of the lower valley Wayanad. The sky is crystal clear and blue, and it was exhilarating to be on the top of the world. From the summit one can have a bird's eye view of the enTire wayanad district and is a treat to the photographer in each one of us. After spending half anhour we made our way down. It takes about 2-3 hours for you to come down.

So by the time we returned to base, it was almost evening and we were very tired. So we decided to head back to the hotel in Kalpeta and rest our tired feet. We reached our hotel by six in the evening and it was kind of cold. So we thought to drown our fatigue in a few shots of Vodka accompanied by roasted prawns and panner tikka. Then after a sumptuous dinner we plonked ourselves on the soft bed and slept soundly.

Chembra Peak

Buying or Building Your Own Water Fountain

Things to Consider

A great deal about fountains has changed over the last decade. Now there are really high class ones made of copper, bronze, concrete, and stone, and some fAirly nice ones made of resin and fiberglass. There are several things to consider, though. As a pump wholesaler, I speak with fountain owners all the time and also look at lots of samples of fountains at trade shows and in magazines. Before purchasing a fountain, there are quite a few questions to ask. What looks good in a store might not look good at your home or business. Or it might look good for the first month or year but then you'll get Tired of it. Fountains are usually around for a long time; in fact, concrete and stone ones last centuries and are hard to remove once they're installed. Here are things to consider.

Bronze Fountains

These are at the high end of fountains, and can retail for ten to twenty thousand Dollars. They are plain classy. But will one of these fit in where you want to put it? Do you have the right yard or business or location for such a classic kind of display? Also, do you like the aging process (the verdigris patina) that bronze undergoes. Can you afford one of these? If you answered yes to these questions, a bronze fountain might be right for you. It will last your lifetime, your kids' lifetimes, their kids' lifetimes, etc. And they are durable enough to be moved from house to house.

Copper Fountains

Like bronze fountains, these too tend to be classy, especially the name brand ones like Water Wonders, which mix copper with glass and slate. These make especially nice wall fountains. We have been selling Water Wonders fountains for several years at Fountain Mountain. There are certain things to think about, though. Are you locating the fountain in a room with good acoustics? Some rooms make the pump noise really echo, especially small rooms with walls that are close together. Do you know someone or can you hire an electrician to hide the cord in the wall? These fountains are a bit too expensive to buy if you're going to let the cord run outside the wall for everyone to see. Finally, it is a good idea to go listen to them run at a store before purchasing. Some of them make little water noise and some make a lot. To increase water sound you might have to turn up the pump to the point of there being slight splash. But if you are careful and go to a store with Water Wonders or other copper fountains on display before purchasing, and are happy with what you see and hear, these are great fountains.

Concrete Fountains

These still provide the most bang for the buck, primarily because concrete is so inexpensive. In fact, a huge part of the cost of concrete fountains is in transporting them to stores for sale and in the labor of painting them. The concrete itself is the least expensive part of the fountains' manufacture. There are some differences in how they are made, though. Some companies, like Brandelli's, use a "light" mix: their fountains are not nearly as heavy as those produced by, say, Avila's. Also, some companies like Brandelli's, use a stain over concrete, whereas others, like Avila's or Lomelli's, use paints (usually more than one at a time) or stains. Also, most concrete companies (though not all) reinforce their fountains with steel. This makes them strong but also means the concrete must be sealed. If not painted (as most fountains from Mexico are not), then they do need to have a clear sealant put on them. Otherwise the water will seep through to the steel, which will rust. Eventually, the fountain is likely to crack. One final word of advice on concrete, beware of "cute." Cute fountains (mama dogs with baby dogs, boys peeing) sometimes don't look so cute over time. Ask yourself if you'll still think the fountain is cute years later. Remember, concrete fountains can last hundreds of years. And they are difficult to move so pick something that will stay put. The traditional Italian 3-tier fountain is always a safe bet.

Resin and Fiberglass Fountains

The quality of these has gotten a lot better, and they have the clear advanTAGe of being more easily handled than concrete ones. Some do look like concrete and stone, though they tend to look much more realistic at first glance than they do after a week has passed. Then it is pretty clear that they are faux. These are also a lot easier on employees who work in tores, as they don't have to worry as much about their backs. We would sell these at our store but just don't like their looks as well as the real thing.

Stone Fountains

These look incredibly good or mediocre. The handcrafted stone fountains out of Mexico and many of the large ones out of China are beautiful. But there are also mass-produced stone fountains, which use crushed stone mixed with resin. These just don't look like real stone to us even though they are.

Making Your Own Water Fountain

There are lots of ways to make your own fountains. The easiest way, perhaps, is to place a pump in a small tub or on some liner. Then place a wire or plastic grate on top of the tub or the liner, and layer pebbles, rocks, etc. over the wire or plastic grate. Your pump and plumbing will be hidden! No one will no where your water is coming from. You can then connect black PVC piping to the pump (black sprinkler pipe is incredibly inexpensive yet professional looking) and let the water rise up seemingly out of rocks in your yard. You won't have to worry much about pets as the water source is covered with stones. Likewise, you won't have to worry about kids drowning. You can also build a little waterfall over such a pit if you want, just throwing in boulders to hide your electric and tubing, etc. Some people use bamboo for spouts. You can also drill holes through slate (we've found it's really easy if you soak the slate for a day first). Slate is so porous, however, you ought to seal it once you're done drilling. You can also find rocks in nature that already have holes in them.

How Big of a Pump do I need?

Basically, if you buy a fountain at a store you should have instructions on the best size pump for that particular piece of garden art. If you are making your own fountain, here is a rule of thumb: for every inch of width you need to pump 100 gallons per hour. But note that a100 gallon per hour pump is not pumping the same volume at one foot head (elevation above the pump), two feet head, three feet, and so forth. If you are making your own fountain, it is likely you will have to guess which size to buy, and you might be wrong the first time you build one. Most pumps are adjustable but often can be adjusted down only a bit. However, magnetic-driven pumps, the most common kind, are inexpensive and durable. You can find them online at many wholesale pumps outlets.

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