The Sprinkler!

Large Scale Remodel?

2010-01-13T14:27:00.000-08:00

If you think you might want to invest in a large scale remodel, consider these suggestions*:

Deconstruct in place of demolition, extra incentive is tax credit! Taking a building apart piece by piece may seem like a lot of work but much of the deconstructed building can be repurposed and recycled. The tax credits available to homeowners who choose this method are substantial and can offset the cost of demolotion

Hire a LEED Certified contractor

Install a radiant barrier sheathing on sub roof

Install radiant heating/domestic hot water system

Use FSC-Certified wood materials

Install Solar Photovoltaic system

Use Fly Ash and Slag in concrete mixes

Use cast concrete counter tops with recycled aggregate

Install recycled material insulation such as cotton insulation

Locally source materials and furnishing (lower carbon footprint)

Use environmentally-friendly materials for cabinets, trim, shelving, doors, flooring and countertops

- Local
- FSC-Certified woods
- Reclaimed/salvaged materials
- Rapidly renewable
- Finger jointed
- Recycled content
- Exposed concrete

Use Less Save Energy Save Water Save Money Save Our Planet

*The above listed information was graciously provided by:

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T10:50:00.000-08:00

The year 2010 is finally here, and with it, the promise and opportunity of a fresh new start!

2009 was a somewhat difficult year for most Americans, we all felt the effects of the current economy and had to "tighten our belts" in order to make ends meet.

At Lunt Marymor, we weathered the storm together with our Clients: we eliminated our fuel surcharge, lowered our service rates, and began accepting MasterCard and Visa as a form of payment for service invoices.

There were a few times when we went out of our way to work out payment plans for long-time Clients that needed immediate services and couldn't afford them right then and there.

Lunt Marymor is not just another business servicing a community, we ARE part of the community, and we are committed to providing high quality products and services at a fair price.

With this new year, we renew this commitment to you: our Clients and friends; our community. We are here thanks to you, and will always be thankful for the opportunity to work with you.

May this year be full of health, joy, and prosperity!

Sincerely,

The Lunt Marymor Family

Greening your ways, one small remodel at a time...

2009-10-13T11:59:00.001-07:00

If you are considering investing in a mid budget remodel, try to use the following:

Install new windows with Low-E rating and double glazing

Install a 90-96% efficient condensing water heater

Install a re-circulating pump

Replace your furnace with a high efficiency unit... better yet: invest in a hydronic heating system

Replace toiltes and plumbing fixtures with low-flow units. By replacing a conventional 2.5gpm showerhead with a 1.5gpm showerhead, you save over 3,300 gallons of water per person, per year. By replacing a 3.5gpf toilet with a 1.28gpf toilet, you save close to 5,000 gallons of water per person, per year

Install occupancy sensors and dimmers on room light switches

Install a drip irrigation system to cut down on wasted water

Plant Xerescape (native plants), requiring no added water

Use Less Save Energy Save Water Save Money Save the Planet

Some of the above listed information was provided by Matarozzi / Pelsinger Builders. Visit their website at http://matpelbuilders.com/

Small Steps Toward Sustainable Living

2009-09-25T10:02:00.000-07:00

If you want to take small steps toward sustainable living, try these simple suggestions:

Caulk windows and doors

Add or tune up your weather stripping

Put an insulation blanket around your water heater

Insulate plumbing pipes that are accessible to mitigate heat loss

Add and use curtains during the day to limit solar heat gain

Replace shower heads and faucets with low-flow fixtures

Choose low VOC paints when sprucing up the house

Have a licensed plumber perform a Residential Water Audit

Repair all leaks: According to the USGS, one in every 318 homes in the US has a water leak. These leaks can account for as much as 20% or more of the home's monthly water consumption. Look for dripping faucets and spigots, as well as toilets that are constantly running or 'ghost-flushing'. These are big water and money wasters

Lunt Marymor's Green Certified Plumbers have been trained to analyze your plumbing system and provide you with sustainable solutions specific to your lifestyle and your home.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call us at 510 985-2889, request service, email us, or visit us at luntmarymor.com.

10 Things Science Says Will Make You Happy!

2009-07-28T09:36:00.000-07:00

(While this post may not be related to the Plumbing World, it is related to all of us Human Beings, and... couldn't we all use a big helping of Happiness?)

By Jen Angel, YES! Magazine

In the last few years, psychologists and researchers have been digging up hard data on a question previously left to philosophers: What makes us happy? Researchers like the father-son team Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener, Stanford psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, and ethicist Stephen Post have studied people all over the world to find out how things like money, attitude, culture, memory, health, altruism, and our day-to-day habits affect our well-being. The emerging field of positive psychology is bursting with new findings that suggest your actions can have a significant effect on your happiness and satisfaction with life. Here are 10 scientifically proven strategies for getting happy. 1. Savor Everyday Moments

1. Pause now and then to smell a rose or watch children at play. Study participants who took time to “savor” ordinary events that they normally hurried through, or to think back on pleasant moments from their day, “showed significant increases in happiness and reductions in depression,” says psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky.

2. Avoid Comparisons
While keeping up with the Joneses is part of American culture, comparing ourselves with others can be damaging to happiness and self-esteem. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, focusing on our own personal achievement leads to greater satisfaction, according to Lyubomirsky.

3. Put Money Low on the List
People who put money high on their priority list are more at risk for depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, according to researchers Tim Kasser and Richard Ryan. Their findings hold true across nations and cultures. “The more we seek satisfactions in material goods, the less we find them there,” Ryan says. “The satisfaction has a short half-life -- it’s very fleeting.” Money-seekers also score lower on tests of vitality and self-actualization.

4. Have Meaningful Goals
“People who strive for something significant, whether it’s learning a new craft or raising moral children, are far happier than those who don’t have strong dreams or aspirations,” say Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener. “As humans, we actually require a sense of meaning to thrive.” Harvard’s resident happiness professor, Tal Ben-Shahar, agrees, “Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable.”

5. Take Initiative at Work
How happy you are at work depends in part on how much initiative you take. Researcher Amy Wrzesniewski says that when we express creativity, help others, suggest improvements, or do additional tasks on the job, we make our work more rewarding and feel more in control.

6. Make Friends, Treasure Family
Happier people tend to have good families, friends, and supportive relationships, say Diener and Biswas-Diener. But it’s not enough to be the life of the party if you’re surrounded by shallow acquaintances. “We don’t just need relationships, we need close ones” that involve understanding and caring.

7. Smile Even When You Don’t Feel Like It
It sounds simple, but it works. “Happy people…see possibilities, opportunities, and success. When they think of the future, they are optimistic, and when they review the past, they tend to savor the high points,” say Diener and Biswas-Diener. Even if you weren’t born looking at the glass as half-full, with practice, a positive outlook can become a habit.

8. Say Thank You Like You Mean It
People who keep gratitude journals on a weekly basis are healthier, more optimistic, and more likely to make progress toward achieving personal goals, according to author Robert Emmons. Research by Martin Seligman, founder of positive psychology, revealed that people who write “gratitude letters” to someone who made a difference in their lives score higher on happiness, and lower on depression -- and the effect lasts for weeks.

9. Get Out and Exercise
A Duke University study shows that exercise may be just as effective as drugs in treating depression, without all the side effects and expense. Other research shows that in addition to health benefits, regular exercise offers a sense of accomplishment and opportunity for social interaction, releases feel-good endorphins, and boosts self-esteem.

10. Give It Away, Give It Away Now!Make altruism and giving part of your life, and be purposeful about it. Researcher Stephen Post says helping a neighbor, volunteering, or donating goods and services results in a “helper’s high,” and you get more health benefits than you would from exercise or quitting smoking. Listening to a friend, passing on your skills, celebrating others’ successes, and forgiveness also contribute to happiness, he says. Researcher Elizabeth Dunn found that those who spend money on others reported much greater happiness than those who spend it on themselves.

Fun and Unique Bathrooms

2009-07-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

(a light-hearted post!)

The following picture is of a public restroom in Houston, Texas:

Now that you've seen the outside, take a look at the inside:

It's made entirely out of one-way glass!

This next bathroom is located on the tenth floor of a hi-rise building.

Imagine walking into it and seeing this:

This unique floor may not be suitable for the faint of heart!

What if everybody in the United States flushed the toilet at the same time?

2009-07-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

What if everybody in the United States flushed the toilet at the same time?
by Josh Clark (from http://home.howstuffworks.com/home-improvement/plumbing/everybody-flushes-toilets.htm)

Nov. 19 is World Toilet Day, a time to reflect upon how far modern sanitation has come. In the United States in 2005, less than half of one percent of the country's more than 124 million households didn't have a flushing toilet [source: U.S. Census Bureau]. In comparison, 71 percent of India's total population of more than one billion people had no access to a toilet that same year. There were an estimated 350 million public and private toilets in the United States by the mid-1990s [source: Flushmate] -- a lot of toilets by anyone's measure. So what would happen if everyone in the United States decided to flush their toilets at the same time in celebration of World Toilet Day?
Since as far as we could find out -- no one's ever tried it before -- we can't say for certain exactly what would happen. But we can take a pretty good guess: "It would be ugly," says Steve Cox, one wastewater treatment facility operator we interviewed.
If everyone in the United States flushed the toilet at the same time, sewer systems across the country would be overwhelmed with wastewater.
The average home in America is outfitted with sewer pipes around four inches in diameter. The pipes from your home are connected to subdivision systems, which connect together at street systems. Street systems tie into road systems, which go to main road systems, and, ultimately, waste treatment plants. Underneath your town is a wastewater system as complex as a spider's web. The closer you get to the treatment plant, the larger the inside diameter of the pipes becomes. So a four-inch pipe from your house connects to a 12-inch pipe and so on, until -- in larger cities -- pipes may be almost 10 feet in diameter. A pipe this size can hold a lot of water, but can it hold enough for everyone to flush at once?
If everyone in each of Milwaukee, Wisconsin's 330,584 households all flushed just one toilet at the same time, and each of those toilets expelled 3.5 gallons per flush, then Milwaukee's sewer system would suddenly be inundated with 1,157,044 gallons of wastewater [source: NexTag]. Even with the city's new 108-inch pipes, this could be a problem, and we're not even counting all of the public toilets in the city.
Of course, the earth isn't level underneath many cities, and to overcome changes in elevation, sewer systems use lift stations, wastewater plants that push sewage uphill toward its final treatment destination. These stations would be the first overwhelmed by unanimous flushing. There would simply be too much wastewater trying to pass through the pipes at the same time -- kind of like trying to force an orange through a drinking straw -- and the flow of sewage would stop. Sewage already past the lift stations would return downhill, and as the lift stations flooded, the lines leading to them would back up.
Eventually this sewage would find its way to the place where this whole debacle originated -- your home. Backflow valves probably wouldn't help. Not only would your toilet overflow, but so, too, would every wastewater line in your home, including your shower, kitchen and bathroom sinks, and even your dishwasher and washing machine.
Outside, the manhole covers dotting the street would also flood and overflow, leaving people in sewage possibly more than ankle deep. Depending on how many people live in your city and how large the sewer pipes are, it could be even worse.
But with low-flow toilets, this scenario wouldn't be quite so bad.

To learn about low-flow toilets, give Lunt Marymor a call at 510 985-2889.

Drought Tolerant Plants

2009-06-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

Drought-Tolerant Landscape Plants
Perennial Flowers, Drought-Tolerant Plants
By David Beaulieu, About.com

If you wish to grow perennial flowers in an area pounded by the sun all day, consider a landscape plan that focuses on drought-tolerant plants. The use of drought-tolerant plants will reduce time and money spent on irrigation. Descriptions of the perennial flowers to be planted in one such landscape plan are presented below.
To view the arrangement of these perennial flowers in a drawing, an accompanying drought-tolerant landscape plan has been provided. This landscape plan indicates which perennial flowers should be placed in the back row, which plants belong in the middle row and which plants will go in the front row. The perennial bed in this example is approximately 15’ long by 11’ wide. Adjust spacing accordingly for your own perennial beds, depending on their dimensions. Pictures of individual perennials included in the landscape plan are provided in the photo gallery atop each page in this article.
Many drought-tolerant plants are also tolerant of poor-to-average soils. Some even prefer poor soils. Consequently, in addition to drought tolerance, the following perennials were also selected with an eye to soil-quality requirements. Namely, none of them are plants on which you need to waste valuable humus. Save your hard-earned humus for plants that require a rich, fertile soil. The perennials in this landscape plan prefer soils that are well-drained, and nothing facilitates drainage like plain old, infertile sand.
"Longwood Blue" bluebeard (Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Longwood Blue') is a drought-tolerant deciduous shrub that reaches a height of 3’ x 4’ and a spread of 2’ x 4’. It can be grown in zones 5-9, but in zone 5 and 6 it should be treated as an herbaceous perennial; cut above-ground growth back in winter, and await its rebirth in spring! Also called “blue mist” or “blue spirea,” its prominent features are its dense clusters of fragrant blue flowers and its silvery-gray foliage. Flowering begins in late summer and continues into autumn. Bluebeard’s blooms attract butterflies.
Because of its healthy height, bluebeard is a good choice for the back row of a bed of perennial flowers.

Now let's turn our attention to the middle and front rows in this garden of drought-tolerant perennials. While the tough-looking "Autumn Joy" sedum is a favorite perennial for sun-battered gardens, don't think you have to give up the more delicate-looking "Moonbeam" coreopsis.
A popular choice for drought-tolerant perennials is “Autumn Joy” sedum (Sedum "Autumn Joy" or Hylotelephium "Autumn Joy"), also known as "stonecrop." This sedum is a perennial favorite in rock gardens, as the "stone" in its alias would suggest. Autumn Joy sedum's foliage consists of succulent leaves in whorls. The leaves are sometimes variegated and can range in color from bluish-green or greenish-yellow to reddish-pink or almost off-white.
But sedum is not just a foliage plant. It produces an unusual flower well worth growing in its own right. Sedum's flowers can be yellow, orange, red, or pink. Flowers usually bloom in clusters above the foliage. Grown in zones 3-9, this perennial’s dimensions are roughly 2’ x 2’. Autumn Joy sedum is a butterfly magnet.
Moonbeam coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’) is one of the threadleaf coreopsis varieties. Reaching 2’ x 2’ and bearing clusters of light yellow, daisy-like blooms, these perennials are grown in zones 3-9. Can be invasive. Like the next entry, purple coneflower, this bushy plant is valued for its long blooming period; but coreopsis is the more consistent bloomer of the two.
Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) can be grown in zones 3-8 and is a native of the Eastern U.S. Reaching 2’-3’ in height and 2’ in width, its daisy-like flower color ranges from pink to purple. Divide every few years to increase your stock and keep plants healthy. The seeds of its “cone” attract goldfinches. Valued for its long blooming period (throughout the summer and into fall). It is from this plant that “echinacea supplement” is derived, an herbal remedy for cold and flu sufferers.
Lamb's ears (Stachys byzantina) provides wonderful texture in rock gardens and spreads readily. Indeed, it is invasive; but just this quality can make it an effective groundcover, if you don’t mind it taking over. Although not grown for its bloom, lamb's ears does produce light purple flowers on tall spikes. It is grown for its silvery foliage, which has a velvety texture. The shape and texture of its leaf readily explains how lamb's ears got its name. Lamb’s ears is deer-resistant; apparently it is this same texture that makes lamb's ears unpalatable to deer.
Like bluebeard, coneflower, coreopsis and stonecrop, this plant is an herbaceous perennial. Because it usually reaches only about 1’ in height (with a similar spread), perennial Lamb's ears is an excellent choice for the front row in a perennial bed consisting of a multi-tiered bed (with taller plants residing in the back row).
Complete the plant selection for your garden of drought-tolerant perennials by choosing one tall ornamental grass variety and another that stays short.

Maidengrass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gracillimus’) is a fine choice in zones 5-9 for a tall drought-tolerant ornamental grass, as it reaches as much as 7’ in height, with a spread a bit less than that. Place it towards the rear of the middle row, and center it, for this will be our focal point. Maidengrass bears coppery tassels as a seed-head in early fall, eventually growing lighter in color and adorning the plant as a “plume.” Don’t cut the clump’s stems back until after the bleakness of winter passes, since the graceful stems and puffy plumes of this plant will provide some visual interest on an otherwise barren December-February landscape.
Blue fescue (Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’) will provide your drought-tolerant landscape plan with a shorter ornamental grass (usually a bit under 1’ x 1’). Grown in zones 4-8. The popularity of this clumping grass lies in the blue color of its foliage, which will beautifully complement the silvery foliage of our lamb’s ears. Meanwhile, its spiky appearance will stand out in contrast to the smoothness of the lamb’s ears. The plant rather resembles a pincushion bristling with blue pins. As with maidengrass, cut back foliage in early spring. Divide every few years to rejuvenate.
Although it is not in the landscape plan provided here, mention should also be made of a drought-tolerant ornamental grass of intermediate height to complement the perennial flowers discussed on Page 2. Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) is an ornamental grass that grows 24"-36" high in loose clumps of green foliage. Its name derives from its seed pods, which look like oats. This deer-resistant ornamental grass is cold hardy to zone 5. Should you wish to mass together several clumps of an ornamental grass variety in the middle row, northern sea oats would be an excellent choice.
To view the arrangement of these plants in a drawing, an accompanying drought-tolerant landscape plan has been provided.

PG&E Test Report: Phoenix 96% Water Heater is Top Performer!

2009-06-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

Interesting article from the "Hydronic Times"
http://www.sensibletechnologies.net/HydronicTimes/JTG/HT_JTG_PGETestPhoenixNumber1.html

Gorgeous Faucet at a GREAT PRICE!

2009-06-09T11:46:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a sleek single handle lavatory faucet at a great price, look no further!

The Grohe Concetto faucet is here, and it is only $179 plus installation!

For a little bit more than the cost of repairing that leaky faucet, you can have this gorgeous brand new Grohe faucet.

Affordable style... Now, that is beautiful!
And if contemporary is not your thing, there are many other beautiful and affordable faucets. Give us a call and let us help you find the right faucet for you!

From the Grohe website:
"Exploiting the beauty of the cylindrical form, the Concetto collection reflects the core values of Cosmopolitan design, resulting in a precisely executed meeting of lines, angles and curves that combine superior ergonomics with a modern aesthetic.Concetto’s new high spout design ensures that there is a faucet to match every basin permutation. Featuring an extra-wide operating angle, its elegant arch is highlighted by GROHE StarLight® technology – our renowned chrome finish. The combination of GROHE SilkMove® technology with a long lever handle, delivers fingertip control of the water."

A Career in Plumbing (originally published in the 1900's)

2009-05-29T12:38:00.000-07:00

The advances in the study of sanitation have brought the work of the plumber into prominence. The plumber of today must be more than a mere mechanic; he must be somewhat of a sanitary engineer, for it devolves upon him to help maintain the health of the community. Sanitary plumbing is a protection against disease and is a necessity for healthy homes, and so the plumber has not only a good trade, but one which advances the welfare of the community in which he lives. Epidemics, fevers and other ills are often directly traceable to faulty plumbing; and the conscientious workman, who makes his trade a scientific one, performs a real public service. The hygiene of the dwelling house as well as of the factory and office building must receive due consideration if the productive power of the workers is to be kept at its highest point, and this work to a large extent devolves upon the plumber.
Modern plumbing, as a trade, consists in the arranging and running of pipes to supply water to buildings, the setting up of fixtures in order that the supply may be utilized and the installation of other pipes for resulting waste matter. The plumber must also have a knowledge of hot-water and steam-heating systems, although such work often is done by a steam fitter, whose duties will be discussed later. The young man who desires to become a plumber, must first serve as a plumber's helper. He carries the tools, supplies the plumber with materials, cuts pipes and threads and makes minor fittings. As an apprentice or helper, he has an opportunity to learn by observation and gradually to acquire skill in his trade. The period of apprenticeship is dependent upon the ability of the man and upon local conditions, and may last from two to four years. The plumber's helper acts as an assistant until he has fully demonstrated his ability to install plumbing, when he attains the rank of journeyman plumber. His duties then include the installation and repair of all plumbing and fixtures, which involve the running and connecting of pipes, brazing and wiping of joints and the connecting of traps, vents, cocks, etc.
The journeyman plumber may develop into a foreman, who supervises the installation and maintenance of all classes of sanitary plumbing and fixtures. To become a foreman he must be an all round licensed plumber and must be able to work from drawings and to lay out all types of work. He must have had wide experience on contracts while a journeyman plumber, and be an expert in his line.
If the plumber desires to specialize along one line, he has an opportunity to do so. He may, for instance, become a marine plumber, whose duties are to install and repair all plumbing equipment and fixtures on ships. Such a man must have served his apprenticeship with a marine plumber and must be an adept in handling large sizes of lead pipe.
The plumber may prefer to build up a business of his own in the community in which he works. Since he owns his tools, they, with his experience, can form the foundation of that business, even if he has only a limited amount of capital. It is the usual thing for the plumber in the smaller cities to run his own business and, if he has the tact and determination to accomplish that much, the business may become a growing one.
The plumbing trade has now often come to be a merchandizing business, and the plumber who owns his business is now also selling supplies. This is a very satisfactory method of combining merchandising with a trade, for the plumber does not have to keep a very extensive stock, but handle just the type of goods that will be needed for his work.
Since all plumbing must be installed properly, as the building departments inspect not only the plans but also the buildings, there is an opportunity for the wide-awake man to become a building inspector. An inspector must have a wide knowledge of the plumbing trade and should have learned it just as thoroughly as though he expected to practice it.
The man who prefers steam fitting to plumbing has a trade which demands a thorough knowledge of the fitting of all types and sizes of steam lines, the making of pump, boiler, oil, air and radiator connections and the connecting up and adjusting of steam thermostats and gages. He must first become an apprentice or helper, and assist the journeyman steam fitter. He must be able to read drawings and make ordinary measurements and calculations, in order that he may qualify as a steam fitter. As a journeyman steam fitter, he must be thoroughly skilled with his tools, understand general pipe fitting, be able to calculate and cut lengths of pipe, be able to install either vertical or horizontal steam lines and understand thermostat heat control.
The ambitious steam fitter may become a foreman and then, in addition to his knowledge of the trade, he must have a knowledge of men and an ability to control them and lay out their work. The steam fitter may own his business, if he proves capable, or he may work with a plumber or be in partnership with him. In small communities, the plumber may also do the steam fitting.
The man who takes up plumbing should have at least a common-school education. If he wishes to advance and become either a journeyman plumber or run his own business, he should have a technical or trade school training. In every large city, and in many of our smaller ones, trade schools are being established to give a preliminary knowledge of the mechanical trades both as to theory and practice. Such schools do not take the place of apprentice work, even though the training is practical, but they do give the theory of the subject along with the practice, and eliminate one or two apprentice years.
The young apprentice can, if unable to attend a trade school, secure instruction in evening technical schools or, if he is not so situated as to be able to attend either, he may obtain a knowledge of the theory of his trade through correspondence courses and books.
Of course, with such work as the technical or trade school may offer on the subject of plumbing itself, the man who desires to advance and assume leadership in his occupation must have a good command of the English language, the ability to interpret plans and drawings in which mechanical and scientific thought find their expression, and a knowledge of physics, chemistry and mathematics. He must understand the principles of hygiene and sanitation and know how to apply them. The expense of the training for the plumber's trade is very low, for the trade and technical schools, as well as the night schools, are usually a part of the educational system of the community and therefore furnish free tuition. Further information as to such schools in the community can be furnished by the local or state Board of Education.
The wage of a journeyman plumber varies from $35 to $50 a week and the average is about $44. The apprentice or helper gets about $25 a week. The man who runs his own business, and does some merchandising along with it, is able to earn a larger amount. A good plumber should earn not less than $2,000 to $3,000 a year and, if he has a merchandising business or employs several men to work with him, he may make from $3,000 to a possible $6,000 a year. The plumbing trade provides steady employment at good wages and with good hours, but the man who does not loaf on his job but puts all his ability and enthusiasm into his work is the one who earns the best income. The small town offers decided advantages on account of the growing appreciation of modern plumbing facilities, while the large cities, where constant building and remodeling take place, offer a practically unlimited field for the plumber and steam fitter.
The young man who wants to be either a plumber or a steam fitter must be strong physically. He must be intelligent, industrious and persevering, and possess tact and determination, or he will never be able to be more than a fair workman. A surly man antagonizes whomever he works for, so a courteous and obliging disposition is as necessary to the man who would become an efficient plumber, as his ability to manipulate the tools properly. His work is often with housewives and persons who do not understand plumbing, so he must, even on the smallest job, combine good temper with his skill. Personality counts in the plumbing business as in every other line of work, and a pleasing personality will prove as valuable to the plumber as his knowledge of the trade.
The trade of the plumber is one that offers a good future, for all over the country more and more plumbing is being used. Farm houses, which formerly depended upon pumps for their water supply, now are being remodeled so as to include sanitary plumbing; or, as new houses are being built, the bathrooms, sinks in the kitchens and other conveniences are installed along with the furnaces. The increasing number of bathrooms that are being installed in these farm houses alone shows the possibilities that lie ahead of the ambitious plumber. The work on sanitation, which is being developed by state and national boards of health, as well as by individual effort, is also bringing work to the plumber.
The work is hard and the plumber is often called upon at most inconvenient times, especially in cold weather. The work is also dirty, though not unhealthy. But the man who is fond of tools and is willing to work hard, will find that there is a steady demand for trained plumbers at good wages and that such a workman has exceptional opportunities to go into business for himself. The plumber who enjoys his work and becomes a sanitary expert in his community and helps to keep that community healthy makes a vital contribution to the welfare of his fellow men.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
COSGROVE, J. J.: "Principles and Practice of Plumbing," Standard Sanitary Manufacturing Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., 1914.
DIBBLE, S. E.: "Elements of Plumbing," McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, 1918.
PUTNAM, J. PICKERING: "Plumbing and Household Sanitation," Double-day, Page & Co., New York, 1911.
STARBUCK:, ROBERT MACY: "Modern Plumbing Illustrated," The Norman W. Henley Publishing Co., New York, 1907.
"Questions and Answers on Practice and Theory of Sanitary Plumbing," R. M. Starbuck and Sons, Hartford, Conn., 1919.

What is hydronics?

2009-05-21T13:08:00.000-07:00

Hydronics is a term that was introduced in the 1940s to refer to a system of heating or cooling of an internal area using fluids in either vapor or water form. These fluids are then circulated throughout a series of pipes or tubes to produce a desired room temperature. Although this official term was established in the 1940s, the process of using hydronics or “wet” materials to first heat, then later to cool, a home has been in existence for many years, beginning with the invention of cast iron boilers.

Initially working on the principle of gravity, cast iron boilers, which were fueled by either coal or wood, forced hot fluids through the top of the boiler and into wrought iron pipes. The heat produced from these fluids was then expelled to radiators or into cast iron baseboards. Meanwhile, as heat was produced, the hot fluids were returned back to the boiler. This cycle was repeated as necessary to produce heat. To regulate the heat generated, a draft damper was used, which was operated manually via a wheel or lever in the home. Another option to regulate the heat was to adjust a valve on one of the radiators.

Although cast iron boilers were popular to use, they had many disadvantages. These included the need for someone to continuously stoke the fire and to remove any ashes produced on a daily basis. Additionally, cast iron boilers were only intended to provide heating for a home. While boilers provided basic heating in a house, many inventors pondered how to cool a home. Some pursued the concept of cooling air temperature by blowing air across ice blocks or by spraying the air with cooled water. These cooling procedures worked well and had many followers. However, it would be some time before both the heating and cooling technologies of the time would combine to produce an energy and cost efficient method of regulating the temperature within a home.
With the introduction of electricity and the use of oil as a furnace fuel, a new hydronics heating system was developed. This system relied on a pump that was controlled by a thermostat, which determined when a heating temperature should be turned on or off. While this system was being developed, air-cooling systems were also developing rapidly, with the process of forced air circulation leading the methods used to produce air conditioning systems. For the first time, both the heating and air cooling industries considered combining forces to see how the two sectors could unite to provide consumers with a single source for their home and business climate control needs.

By the mid 1940s plans were being developed for the creation of heating units other than the iron radiators and baseboards used for decades. Yet, it wasn’t until the mid 1950s when the successful use of the “valance system” was implemented. By establishing a series of pipes or tubing that were suspended in a ceiling, the system produced radiant heat through the floor. However, this system could not be used for successfully cooling a home. Then, in the late 1950s, hydronic heating was combined successfully with conventional forced air-cooling systems to produce a unified climate control system for the home. In the meantime, inventors continued to work on a totally hydronic heating and cooling system that would combine hot water and cool water into one cyclical heating and cooling process.

In the early 1960s after many years of experimentation and hard work, an updated valance system was produced that could generate heat as well as air conditioning. As the popularity of using unified hydronics systems grew, in the 1970s the term hydronics came to represent a new type of technology. Many hydronic valance systems were installed in commercial buildings including in the building that housed the boiler and radiator manufacturers trade association. Because of the success of the hydronics system, in the late 1990s a non-profit association, known as The Hydronic Foundation, Inc. (THFI) was established to pursue the further study of hydronics. Additionally, its goal is to provide economically viable hydronic heating and cooling systems to the public.

While The Hydronic Foundation, Inc. continues to evaluate the future of hydronics, many other reports have been prepared by individuals and firms that propose the use of hydronics, specifically the valance system, for commercial and residential applications. These people note that the valance system is particularly well suited to establish in building that are two levels in height. This is because the first floor can be heated or cooled radiantly while the second floor can be heated or cooled via a forced air handler. Using a hydronic system this way also provides a cost effective alternative to other heating and cooling measures because consumers do not need elaborate heating and cooling appliances to be setup and thus save on equipment and usage costs.
Although hydronic systems can be economical to use, depending on the type of home that you live in and the layout of the house, a hydronics system may not fit into your home’s style. But, where it does mesh cosmetically, it can offer you a wealth of benefits including running efficiency and ease of maintenance. So, if you are looking for a well-designed and developed heating system for your home, ask Lunt Marymor about hydronics!

Leaks Can Hide Outside

2009-05-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

In order to find irrigation equipment leaks, you must be aware that not all leaks are obvious, regardless of the type of irrigation equipment you use (manual, sprinkler or drip).

First check for overly, bright green or soggy spots, where broken spray heads, bubblers or underground pipe cracks will tell on themselves. Buried pipes, hoses or drip lines leaking into sandy, porous soil may not show up clearly. Automatic sprinkler and drip systems that generate a hissing sounds are likely leaking. Also remember to check drip systems for damage from foot traffic or gnawing pets or pests. It is important to note that water from broken irrigation piping will only accumulate and pond when the manual or automatic control valve is on. If the leak shows 24/7, and the "tattle-tail" indicator on the water meter is spinning, then the leak is on the plumbing supply side of the irrigation system. Keep an eye out for leaky hoses and dribbling spray nozzle connections... and fix them!

Remember, saving water saves energy, money... and the planet!

Check your Water Heater!

2009-05-12T13:19:00.001-07:00

Little leaks can make BIG problems!

Most people visit their water heaters only if the hot water stops.

Make it a habit to check yours on a regular basis!

If you notice a puddle of water around the bottom of the tank, it probably indicates a leak created by corrosion - a sure sign of old age, and the most common reason for replacing the tank. If the tank wall is corroding, more problems are coming, and it's time to retire the tank and get a new energy-saving model.

Other common causes of water on the floor near the water heater are leaks on pipes or fittings connected to the water heater, or the activation of the temperature and pressure relief valves. T&P valves should be check annually to make sure they are functioning properly. These valves have a sensor element and relief, that like a pressure cooker, prevent the hot water heater from over-heating or over pressurizing - check the T&P for safety, avoid a dangerous explosion.

Conventional water heater tanks can last up to 15 years with proper care. If your believe your water heater needs a little (or a lot) of love, contact the professionals at Lunt Marymor, and we will take care of it: http://luntmarymor.com/request.html

Be Water and Wastewater Wise

2009-05-12T13:09:00.001-07:00

Choose Products with Care

In your pursuit to save water the home appliances you purchase can make a big difference. However, some water-miser washing machines that you won't find on EBMUD's rebate list are those that use silver ion technology. These machines impregnate clothing with silver ions that may also be washed down the drain. Because silver is an aquatic toxin, many wastewater agencies are concerned that the silver from these washing machines may end up in our waterways, where it can harm fish.

For more information on nanosilver, log on to http://www.ebmud.com/cleanbay or e-mail cleanbay@ebmud.com or call 510 287-1651.

For information on EBMUD's clothes washer rebates, visit the Drought Help Center on http://www.ebmud.com/

Water Pressure / Water Flow

2009-05-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

Water Pressure / Water Flow
A Brief Introduction

For most of us, our water comes from a municipal water system, where it's usually extracted from various groundwater sources and treated to remove impurities. It is then pumped to large water towers that rise above than the highest delivery point in the system. Gravity provides the pressure that forces the water through the water mains and eventually into our homes.
Remember that water in a closed system will possess the same characteristics as it does in a lake or a reservoir. That is to say that the water pressure at a given elevation in any pipes carrying it away from its source will be the same as that found at a comparable elevation directly below the surface level at the source.
This is another way of saying that water seeks its own level. It can be demonstrated by siphoning fluid from one container to another with a rubber hose; it only works when the source is at a higher elevation.
A cubic foot of water weighs 62.4 lb. and exerts .4333 lbs of pressure per square inch on the bottom of its container at a depth of one foot.
Therefore, the discharge pressure of a water storage tower 100 ft. tall will be 43.33 psi. If your house is in a valley 50 ft. below the bottom of the tower, the theoretical water pressure at your house will be approximately 65 psi, reduced by the friction in the pipes.
The pressure of the water delivered to your home will vary depending on your elevation relative to the source, as well as the complexity and condition of the piping system that delivers it. But once established, the pressure will be constant, and will not change based on demand.
Typical residential systems are designed to function under a pressure of 40-60 psi. If the water pressure entering your home exceeds this level, you may need to install a pressure regulator in the line to reduce the pressure to an acceptable range. This protects the equipment in your home from damage caused by excess force exerted by the water.
On the other hand, if the pressure coming from the main is below 40 psi, you may need a pressure-booster to bring it up to acceptable levels.
Do not confuse water pressure with water flow.Water flow is the result of pressure on volume. Volume is the amount of water available for delivery, and pressure is the force exerted on it. There is a big difference between the two.
If the low pressure in your system is caused by an obstruction in a supply line, or if the line to your house is undersized, pressure may not be able to be increased.
A very old pipe may contain mineral build-up or corrosion that reduces its internal diameter by half or more. This would be like a fireman trying to douse a five-alarm fire with a garden hose. It can't be done.
Adding a second hose to the same spigot will only reduce the flow in both by half. Pressure is a one-way street. It can always be reduced, but it cannot be increased unless there is sufficient volume to sustain it, and the volume is strictly a factor of pipe capacity.
Think of your plumbing system as an hourglass, with the city water main on the top, and the fixtures in your house being at the bottom.

Under a constant pressure, such as in a city water main, only so much water can pass through the supply line in the middle in a given amount of time. It is not affected by demand, so adding a booster pump on the bottom will not affect it.
These principles apply not only to the service to your house, but to branch lines within your house as well.
The standard residential supply line is ¾ inches. This can feed two ½ inch lines to full capacity simultaneously.
But most mechanical designs call for a ½ inch line to each bathroom. They can supply two 3/8-inch lines to capacity, but not another ½ inch line at the same time. That is why a person taking a shower will notice a decreased water flow when someone flushes a toilet in the same room.
'Carwash' showers and oversized whirlpools may need increased water flow to operate the way you expect them to, but if the available volume is insufficient, increasing the pressure will not help.
That's why it's important to identify your needs before construction begins so that an adequate water supply is provided where you need it.
In new construction, it's easy to tell whether your home's water flow is adequate because the pipes are new, so all you have to do is measure it. But in older homes, when the flow drops, it's more difficult to identify the cause. If your neighbors all have adequate water flow and you don't, then the chances are there is something wrong either with your supply line or the branch lines inside your house, and the only solution is to replace them.

Things that color our water (and not in a good way...)

2009-04-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

At Lunt Marymor, we’ve performed thousands of house calls on your plumbing, and like your family doctor, our training and experience allows us to quickly identify common causes for common ailments. This brief article outlines a few of the common symptoms, causes and solutions for problems with water quality in the home.

Throughout most of the Bay Area we drink high quality, Sierra snow melt water. It’s clear, it’s cold, it’s clean, and tastes bright. It’s delivered from the mountains to our communities through an amazing web of canals and tunnels, pipes and pumps. The water is stored locally in reservoirs, chemically treated for health and safety, and delivered to our homes via gravity flow or booster pumps through a vast network of under ground utility pipes. Water from the utility company arrives at our property where it is metered, allowing the utility company to measure how much water we use, and to bill us according to pre-established water rates. Sometimes, things get into our water supply, through the distribution piping, or from degrading plumbing fixtures and appliances in our homes. When that happens, we might discover that the color of the water has changed, or we find particles in the water, signaling that it’s time for some investigation and repair.

Black Goo: Some years ago, our local water districts switched from treating our drinking water supply with chlorine to a related compound called chloramine. It didn’t take long to discover that chloramine will actively attack all of the black rubber products in the plumbing system. These include things like the black rubber washers that seal the tank to bowl connection in your toilet, the black rubber flappers and tank balls that are part of the flushing mechanism in the toilet tank, black rubber gaskets in plumbing union fittings, and other similar black rubber products. The chloramines begins to degrade the rubber into a soft gooey mess that will come off on your hands if you touch it, and will slough off into the water. The fix? Locate and replace the black rubber products in your plumbing system with the newer related rubbers that are often red, blue, yellow or clear in color.

White Chalky Stuff: The common storage-tank hot water heater is a fairly simple, largely passive device typically consisting of a glass-lined steel storage tank with a burner in a burn chamber, a gas regulator valve, a vent for combusted gases, a temperature and pressure relief valve, and connections for hot and cold water and gas pipes. A thermostat maintains the water temperature at a preset point, usually 120-125 degrees. The manufacturer has provided a plastic “dip tube” to deliver the cold water from the inlet at the top of the tank, to the bottom of the tank where it is heated. Because hot water is lighter than cold water (just like hot air rising), the heated water will rise and stratify, sitting at the top of the tank, where it is drawn off when needed. In recent years, the plumbing industry suffered from a huge batch of defective plastic dip tubes. They were made of white plastic from a bad plastic compound and were found to degrade over time. The white plastic tube literally falls apart in the hot water heater leaving a chalky white residue that can get drawn out of the hot water heater and clog the faucet aerators at all of the sinks. Many owners of hot water heaters with this defect participated in a manufacturers’ recall and received some compensation for the problem, but unfortunately, the recall period has now ended. The fix? When white chalky stuff starts showing up in faucet aerators, look first to removing and replacing the hot water heater dip tube. The water heater should be drained and the hot water system should be thoroughly flushed clean of all white particulate. A broken dip tub can also cause a drop in hot water temperature at the tap, because the cold water that was being delivered to the bottom of the heater tank is now mixing with the stored hot water at the top of the tank – so replacing the dip tube will solve two problems at once.

Brown Water and Grit: Many older homes in the Bay Area are piped with their original galvanized steel water lines. Over time, the interior bore of a steel water line begins to rust and calcify. In extreme cases, the interior of the pipe will become so clogged with rust and calcium deposits that the water volume flowing through the pipe will begin to diminish. The pipe wall can wear so thin that pinhole leaks will rust through. In the Bay Area, the average expected life for a galvanized steel water line is fifty to seventy-five years. The main water supply buried in the yard will likely have a shorter life span because it is rusting from the inside out, but also because it is in contact with wet soil, it is rusting from the outside in. The most common symptoms seen in older homes with galvanized water lines are, pin hole leaks, loss of water volume, brown water and grit accumulation in the faucet aerators. The fix? Remove and rinse faucet aerators as needed. Leaking sections of pipe must be replaced immediately. Sometimes cold water can be “back flushed” through the hot water line to purge accumulated rust and grit. Ultimately, all old galvanized steel water systems must be replaced – usually with new copper pipe.

Green Slimy Stuff: A more localized problem, seen commonly in certain neighborhoods in San Francisco where municipal water is still stored in old redwood lined storage tanks, is the problem of green slime in the water. Although benign, green algae does grow in these tanks and can get drawn out and end up in your faucets – yuk! The fix: Install a whole house solid core charcoal water filtration system. Water filtration can be designed to remove offending odors, particulates and chloramine. The filter system must be design to match to water volume demand of the house and the correct filter must be selected to address specific water quality issues.

Study: hire pros instead of DIY for home projects

2009-04-22T10:43:00.000-07:00

A national survey commissioned by online review site Kudzu.com found that trying to save money on do-it-yourself home projects might end up costing more than hiring a pro.

One in four Americans have hired a professional to fix or finish a home improvement project they just tried themselves. The study, conducted by Kelton Research, revealed that 35% of Americans believe it is more cost effective to hire a professional for a home improvement project than trying to do it themselves.

With age, people gain more perspective on the issue. More than a third (38%) of Americans ages 45 and older note hiring a professional for a home improvement project would be more cost-effective than doing it themselves, compared to 32% of those ages 18-44.

So, there you have it! Unless you really know what you're doing, hire a professional, and save yourself a headache, backache, and some money as well!

LuntMarymor is now blogging!

2009-04-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

The Sprinkler!

Welcome to The Sprinkler! Yes, LuntMarymor is now blogging!

With the Bay Area water supplies at critically low levels and the mandatory water rationing still in effect, being 'green' is neither a fad, nor a luxury; it is a necessity.

As Certified Green Plumbers, we understand our role in the environment, and feel it is our duty to help you and your neighbors find viable ways to conserve water without jeopardizing health, or sacrificing comfort.

In this blog, you will find helpful tips about small adjustments that you and your family can make in order to save water and money.

With water usage, we must remember that common sense goes a long way, and that if it feels wasteful, it probably is!

You will also find useful information about field-tested products that will conserve water, and improve the quality of your life.

Thank you for joining us in this new adventure!

We are looking forward to your questions, comments, and suggestions. Visit our website at http://luntmarymor.com/ or e-mail me at: angie@luntmarymor.com

Angie McLane
The Sprinkler Editor &
LuntMarymor Service Manager