Yeah We Do That

Is a water softener the right choice for you?

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 14:52:54 EST

Welcome to yeah we do that’s tip #38. This week I want to discuss a question I get asked frequently and that is… Do I need a water softener in my home? In this article we will look at the advantages and disadvantages of water softener’s as well as possible alternatives.

Before we go over the pros and cons of water softeners let’s take a minute and talk about how a water softener system works and the difference between hard and soft water. If you live in an area like mine you have heard people say that they have very “hard” water, all this means is that the potable water coming into their home has a very high mineral content. To soften water is filtered through a tank containing salt which causes a chemical reaction where the ions are exchanged from the calcium and magnesium in the water with the sodium ions in the salt which results in the calcium and magnesium being in able to bond to surfaces and create lime scale. To put it in simpler terms the water softener simply treats the water and keeps the stuff that’s in it from sticking to your pipes, showerheads, shower doors, your close and you.

Now let’s talk about the pros and cons of having hard water, while hard water is not harmful to drink as it must pass minimum safety standards it can cause problems in your home. Some of the signs that you may have hard water may show up in clog showerheads, dishes run through a dishwasher having noticeable spots, reduced water pressure/flow throughout the home caused by calcification buildup in your water lines in the need to use more detergent to get close in dishes claim. It can also greatly shorten the life of certain appliances such as water heaters, dishwashers as well as refrigerators that have ice makers and through the door water.

Some of the pros and cons of having soft water are you will need to use less detergent and soap to clean clothes, dishes and yourself. You will find that there will not be the heavy buildup of lime scale on your showerheads, faucets and shower doors and your water may smell and taste better. Some of the drawbacks to a water softener system are that there can be health concerns for people who have sodium restrictions on their diets as sodium is added to the water, some people will notice that the water may have a slight salty taste to it. Also another complaint is that while taking a shower you may tend to feel slimy like you cannot wash the soap off of your skin, while initially this may be an uncomfortable and unsettling feeling it is actually a good thing as all of the lime scale in the water sticks to and dries to your skin which can aid in your skin being less dry, flaky and itchy.

If you do not wish to use a water softener system for any the reasons mentioned above a possible alternative would be installing a high-efficiency whole house water filter. Not only will this remove a good part of the magnesium and calcium dissolved in your water rather than just altering it so that it cannot bond to pipes it will also remove other things you do not want in your water such as traces of lead and other contaminants. The filters can be expensive and depending on how hard your water is may reduce the life of the filter causing the need to change it more often.

If you have found this article useful please support us by clicking the like button on the article as well as following and liking us on our Facebook Page. You can also follow us on Twitter and/or add us to your circles on Google Plus where there are exclusive Social Media tips and discount available to our friends.

--Greg

tags: Yeah We Do That, Water Softener, Whole House Water Filter, Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel, Handyman Service.

Yeah, We Do That. Earns Esteemed 2012 Angies List Super Service Award

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 22:46:38 EST

Yeah, We Do That. Earns Esteemed 2012 Angies List Super Service Award

Award reflects company’s consistently high level of customer service

Yeah, We Do That has earned the service industry-coveted 2012 Angie’s List Super Service Award, an honor awarded annually to approximately 5 percent of all the companies rated on Angie’s List, the nation’s leading provider of consumer reviews on local service companies.

“It’s a select group of companies rated on Angie’s List that can claim the exemplary customer service record of being a Super Service Award winner,” said Angie’s List Founder Angie Hicks. “Our standards for the Super Service Award are quite high. The fact that Yeah, We Do That earned this recognition speaks volumes about its dedication providing great service to its customers.”

Angie’s List Super Service Award 2012 winners have met strict eligibility requirements, including earning a minimum number of reports, an excellent rating from their customers and abiding by Angie’s List operational guidelines.

Service company ratings are updated daily on Angie’s List. Companies are graded on an A through F scale in areas ranging from price to professionalism to punctuality. Members can find the 2012 Super Service Award logo next to company names in search results on AngiesList.com.

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Angie’s List helps consumers have happy transactions with local service professionals in more than 550 categories of service, ranging from home improvement to health care. More than 1.5 million paid households use Angie’s List to gain unlimited access to local ratings, exclusive discounts, the Angie’s List magazine, and the Angie’s List complaint resolution service.

tags: Yeah We Do That, 2012 Angie's List Super Service Award, Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel, Handyman Service

What Is The Best Salt For You And Your Driveway?

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 20:02:34 EST

Welcome to Yeah, We Do That’s tip #36. Since we are getting into the time where we have to worry about ice and snow I thought I would cover the different types of salt that can be used on your concrete driveways and which ones are safe and which ones can damage your concrete, yard, plants and trees.

There are four main types of salt you can buy to melt ice and snow and I will cover each of them here along with their pros and cons. They are Sodium chloride (regular or rock salt), calcium chloride, potassium chloride and magnesium chloride. All of these are safe to use on wood decks and asphalt, I am addressing issue when these salts are used on concrete and vegetation.

Sodium Chloride: This is the most common salt sold for ice and snow melting, it is also known as rock salt, table salt and halite. It is commonly clear crystals but can light or dark blue, purple, pink, rust, yellow or grey depending on impurities present when the salt formed. This is also the cheapest ice melt out there but it becomes ineffective below temperatures of 14⁰F which can be an issue with our winters. This is also the ice melt that will cause the most damage to your concrete driveways as well as causes the most damage to the environment. Damage is caused by the release of chloride while the salt melts which pits your concrete and rusts your cars in addition to causing damage to your yard, plants, trees and watersheds if too much salt gets into them. This product is sold locally under the brand name of Safe Step Standard (Yellow Bag) and many other brand names so just ask for Rock Salt.

Calcium Chloride: This is another very common ice and snow melt salt. You probably have seen this salt as it looks like small white pellets. Calcium Chloride can be used effectively as an ice melt to temperatures as low as -50⁰F. It does this because calcium chloride generates heat when combined with water. It is also safer around your yard plants and trees with the exception of pine trees. It will still cause damage to your yard, plants, trees and concrete in large concentrations. Also you should wear gloves when handling this product as it is a skin irritant if your hands are wet. One of the names this product is sold locally as Safe Step Extreme 7300 (Orange Bag) and Prestone Driveway Heat.

Potassium Chloride: This product is sometimes sold as a safer salt to use around your pets and plants. While potassium chloride is used in fertilizer as a source of potassium it’s melting power is limited like sodium chloride as it becomes ineffective at 15⁰F. It will not irritate your skin and is safe to be used around your yard, plants and trees. One of the names this product is sold locally as is Safe Step Sure Paws Safe (Green Bag).

Magnesium Chloride: This is the newest ice melting salt on the market and is my choice. This product is being used more and more by state and local governments as a brine solution since it is less damaging to concrete, plants and trees. Magnesium chloride remains effect until -13⁰F and works very quickly eating through a ½ inch of ice in about 10 minutes at 0⁰F. One of the names this product is sold locally as is Safe Step Extreme 8300 (Red Bag).

You can also get a blended ice melt with both calcium chloride and magnesium chloride sold locally under the brand name of Roadrunner.

If you have found this article useful please support us by clicking the like button on the article as well as following and liking our Facebook Page. You can also follow us on Twitterand add us to your circles on Google Plus. Starting January you will find special Social Media only discounts and promotions that will save you money on services in addition to extra tips.

If you would like to see a How-To guide on a particular topic you can request it by e-mailing me and I will see what I can do.

--Greg

tags: Ice Melt, Driveway Salt, Rock Salt, Best choice of salt for your driveway

Need something custom made? Yeah, We Do That Too.

Sat, 08 Sep 2012 15:24:02 EST

Welcome to Yeah, We Do That’s tip number 35. This week I want to talk about one of the services that we offer that most people don't realize. We can create quite a number of custom-made items and pieces for your home. I can create anything from a dining room table you would be proud to pass down to your children to built-in bookcases or shelving to a variety of unique items for your home.

If you go to my Facebook page you can find pictures of some of the custom pieces I have made. In the link below I have a customer who wanted to replace a permanently fixed outdoor table but wanted something unique. I designed, manufactured and finished the table.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.207740892572855.60938.207703835909894&type=3&l=de739c0985

In this picture I wanted a guitar bench and footstool for myself and created this piece using solid red oak boards and designed with a lift up lid so that the footstool and other items may be stored inside when not in use.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.515454001801541.130500.207703835909894&type=3&l=8594bc46dd

If you are trying to find that special something and don't see it in the stores why settle? Give me a call and let's see if I can custom build it for you.

If you have found this article useful please support us by clicking the like button on the article as well as following and liking our Facebook Page. You can also follow us on Twitter and/or add us to your circles on Google Plus for extra tips and special social media discounts and coupons.

tags: Custom made furniture, guitar bench, custom-made tables, Yeah We Do That, Mason Ohio

How To Unclog Your Sink

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 18:31:07 EST

Welcome to Yeah, We Do That’s Tip # 34. This week I will talk about how to unclog a kitchen or bathroom sink. In most cases these are simple clogs that you can fix yourself. You will need a few tools; I recommend a large pair of channel lock pliers , an old bowl or small bucket to catch the water in the p-trap, some rags, rubber gloves and an old tooth brush or small long handle cleaning brush.

First you will want to clear out anything you have under the sink so you have room to work and none of the water gets on anything as it tends to be pretty smelly. Referring to the picture place your bowl or bucket under the p-trap and loosen the slip nuts holding it. Try loosening them by hand first and if they won’t come loose use the channel locks on them to get them started. Once you have the slip nuts loosened all the way you should be able to gently wiggle the p-trap free from the other pipes. This piece will be full of water so remove it slowly and then pour it into the bucket. Set this piece aside and repeat the process for the pipe that goes into the wall (note: sometimes this pipe is glued in place and cannot be removed). Loosen the slip nut where is connect at the wall then wiggle the piece free, empting anything that will come out into the bucket and set this piece aside too. If this is a bathroom sink there is one more step, again referring to the picture where you see the gray pipe, on the back of this pipe is a small nut with a rod coming out of it that pivots up and down, this is the rod that raises and lowers your stopper. Raise the stopper and loosen this nut. Hold the stopper with one hand and reach under the sink and pull the rod out gently while at the same time lifting up on the stopper, once the rod is clear the stopper will come out.

We now have what we need disassembled. Leaving the bucket in place take your brush and scrub the inside of the pipe starting from the sink, I like to use downward strokes to push the gunk towards the opening and bucket below below. Next from under the sink clean the other end of the pipe pulling everything down and out into the bucket. Repeat the process with the pipe in the wall; reaching in as far as you can without losing your cleaning tool and pulling everything out into the bucket. Last I take the two pipes we disconnect and set aside either to a laundry tub or outside to the garden hose and run a hard stream of water through them to clean them out.

Now go back and reconnect all the pieces together in reverse order. Start by putting the stopper in while putting the rod back in place, this is done by feel and trial and error. You know you have it when you cannot pull the stopper out and it moves up and down with the rod. Don’t forget to retighten the nut on the back of the rod to the pipe. Reconnect the rest of the pipes, only tighten the slip nuts hand tight to start with then check for leaks. I like to put the stopper down and fill the sink up. Then release the stopper and check for leaks under maximum flow. If there is a drip gently snug the slip nut with the channel locks until the leak stops. Over tightening these nuts can strip them and then you will have to replace the pipe and nut. Your Sink should run free now, if it does not there is a blockage further down the pipes in the walls and you should call to have them snaked out.

If you have found this article useful please support us by clicking the like button on the article as well as following and liking our Facebook Page. You can also follow us on Twitter and/or add us to your circles on Google Plus for extra tips and special social media discounts and coupons.

--Greg

tags: How to unclog your sink, handyman tips, tips to unclog your sink, Yeah We Do That