When your drain won't drain.

It’s often the small things that go unnoticed and are forgotten. Forgotten, that is, until it stops working. We’ve all dealt with the clogged toilets, the full sinks, even the showers that turn to baths. But there is hope: you do not have to suffer clogged drains forever. We’ll look at common drainage problems, and the best solutions for you, for your pocket book, and for the environment. The answer may be easier than you expect!

Drains, like many things, simply take a few minutes of good habits to maintain. A good habit can prevent clogging in the future, and save money down the road on a plumber. Start with the basics: use what you’re given. Many sinks come with a strainer in place. Keep it there, as it’s there for a reason, and keep it clean. In the bathroom sink, keep your sink stopper clean. The buildup of grime around it will, overtime, slow the flow of water and may cause your sink to fill rather than drain. You can also get small screen covers to prevent unwanted materials such as hair and toothpaste out of the drain. If you’re in the kitchen using a garbage disposal, use plenty of cold water, this will discourage food particles from building up and help them wash away smoothly. In the kitchen, use common sense when cleaning after a meal. Avoid dumping hard to drain substances such as grease. That’s what your trash can is for.

Whichever drain you are using, consider pouring hot water down it once a week. This will help dissolve buildup to prevent pipe clogging. If you do have buildup, or have had drainage problems for sometime, you may consider having your home septic system inspected, as several years of buildup can necessitate pumping.

Once your drain is clogged, though, you do have options before calling a plumber. The temptation for many people is to pick a well-known commercial brand and pour it down. This can be effective, but may not be the most environmentally-safe option, and should be considered after a gentler option. Before trying these though, put on a rubber glove and make sure the problem isn’t as simple as a wad of hair blocking the pipe. For a moderately clogged drain, which can be indicated by slow-draining water that isn’t entirely stopped, the remedy can be as simple as baking soda and vinegar. Start with 1/2 cup of baking soda, and follow with 1/2 cup of vinegar. Note that combining these two will foam and possibly fume, so you should wait a few hours (minimum of three) before replacing the drain cover or running water. If your clog is grease-based, you can use baking soda and salt: a half cup of each. Follow with a few cups of boiling water and let it sit for twelve hours before replacing the drain cover and using the sink again.

If these homemade cleaners will not clear your drain, you can move on to a commercial drain cleaner. However, if you do not have success with those, it may be time to consider calling a plumber. Problems that have been allowed to escalate can cause the pipes to be stuck in areas that will be hard to reach, even underground on occasion. To avoid damaging your plumbing, it is best in this case to bring in a professional that you trust. After all - having it properly maintained and repaired will cost you less time, money and inconvenience than replacing will!

Thinking About Remodeling?

For most families, a beautiful and updated home is a value. We budget for it, invest time and energy into it, and take time to enjoy the space we create. And, on occasion, decide it’s time for a remodel. Especially for those of us with older homes, remodeling can be both exciting and overwhelming. We long for the new look and added equity it can provide us, but dread living in an unfinished house, and putting away the time and money to make a project of that size happen. So let’s help you get started with some steps that can reduce the stress, and give you a plan of action.

Plan Thoroughly

You can do yourself a favor by doing research ahead of time. Start looking at supplies, pricing, design options, and pick out what you’ll like within your budget. Waiting until the last minute, you may end up making the same decisions. However, planning ahead will let you budget more effectively and give you peace of mind knowing a decision has been made. When planning and choosing, also keep the big picture in mind. The changes you make will effect your maintenance costs, energy efficiency, and overall equity. Factoring in the long-term costs of these will help you make a good investment.

Pick the Right Help

Choosing the right contractor is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make. For most people, your home is the biggest financial investment you’ll purchase, and improving it is worth doing right. Hire a remodeler who has a good reputation, good experience, and that you know you can trust. To build that relationship ahead of time, consider meeting with them on a job site, so you can see how they work, and whether they maintain a clean, organized work flow. Also remember to insist on a good contract. It should include a start date, completion date, and details of what will and will not need to be done. Doing work without a contract may leave you with an unfinished project, additional unexpected charges or even litigation. This is another reason you need to have a contractor you can trust. With Responsible Contractors, we have several of the best in the area that we can recommend and connect you with!

Provide Good Relations and Communications

One of the biggest parts you as the homeowner can play in your project, is to treat your remodeler well! Simply being a good listener, and being appreciative goes a long way. It reduces the stress of the contractor working on your job, which will help the overall project. Talk to your contractor before the project for expectations. A reputable remodeler will let you know what to expect before the project begins.

Plan for the In-Between

During construction, which can take between days and weeks depending on the size of the remodel, living in a corner of the house can be stressful. It’s important to plan your living accommodations ahead of time. While it may be simpler to take a vacation or stay with a relative, for many that isn’t an option. Wherever you setup camp, make sure you have a refrigerator and microwave so you can make light meals at home. Also have your valuables safely packed and stored away, to protect them from being moved or damaged.

Proper planning, a good contractor, and effective communication will give you a good remodeling experience, and valuable investment in your home. If you’re doing some remodeling, we’d love to see pictures with you and one of our trusted contractors!

Sanding & Sandpaper

Sanding is an activity people find themselves doing semi-frequently. Whether working on a design project, restoring a piece of furniture, or doing some basic repair, sandpaper can be your ally on numerous occasions. So let’s get a good understanding of it, and what you’ll need to know before you use it.

Sandpaper is made up of sharp edges designed to cut away at wood and metal. This is done by glueing these edges in various shapes onto a backing material with a bonding agent. The sharp edges can be made from any number of materials, and together are called the grit of the sandpaper. The amount of particles per square inch of sandpaper determines the grit size, which is how sandpaper is measured. This is good to know because the sandpaper you will choose will depend on how coarsely you want to sand. The heavier and more thorough the job, the smaller the grit. The larger the grit, the finer the result. Sandpaper will fall between 40 and 600 grit, giving a wide array of options to pick the best one for your job.

Garnet, emery, aluminum oxide, and silicon carbide are four commonly used particles that makeup the grit. Garnet is standard for general wood sanding. Emery is of good use for abrading or polishing metal. Aluminum oxide is a good option for contoured surfaces, or smoothing flat surfaces. Silicon carbide is among the coarsest, making it a good option for stripping or cutting through hard materials, including finishes and paint.

If you are doing woodwork, carpentry, or stripping a surface that is not fragile, a low, heavy grit will do the job. Prep work can be different, however. If you are preparing to prime and paint, your desired result will be a flat, smooth surface. With drywalls, 120 or 150-grit sandpaper will do well, given you don’t apply too much pressure. When sanding drywall, also remember to wear a dust mask, and reduce a breeze if possible, so the dust isn’t carried to settle throughout the house. If you’re preparing to repaint a room, rather than stripping the paint completely, you may first choose a coarser sandpaper to remove the bumps, and then a very fine one to smooth over once it’s complete, even up to 600-grit.

Most jobs that require a finish will benefit from, if not need, to be sanded. Choosing the right paper will allow you to get the best results, even if it means putting in longer work. The coarser the sand, the quicker the job. However, coarse sands can cause scratches that will show up later on. When in doubt, follow up a strong job with a fine sandpaper to finish, up to 220-grit. It’s important not to get impatient, because finish will amplify any scratches that may not have been noticeable on the bare surface. If you have a specialty job, double check with a professional in that industry for recommendations on the correct sandpaper to use, as you don’t want to damage the piece you’d like to refinish.

Finished and Fixed: Wooden Furniture

Most of our homes are peppered with wooden pieces of furniture. And itʼs no mystery
why! Wooden furniture provides a classic, elegant and versatile addition to compliment
any design. With use and age however, wooden furniture is vulnerable to being
blemished. Scratches, stains, and dents, all work their ways into it overtime. There are a
few simple tricks that can help keep your furniture looking new.

1) Hide Scratches with Markers.

One simple solution that is most effective on darker woods, is to use a furniture touch-up marker, which you can find in your local hardware and home improvement stores. These are a very convenient, quick way to color scratches that have caused discoloration. It does not make a mess, and uses a small amount of stain to carefully fill in the scratch.

2) Mineral Spirits
Mineral spirits are a safe way to clean and polish wood furniture to keep it looking its
best! This is important as water will damage finished wood, causing further discoloration
and minor distortion. Because most standard cleaners use water, overtime they can
damage your furniture. Mineral spirits will not only clean, but can penetrate the polish to
remove embedded dirt. Any stronger solvent will damage the finish itself, so the mineral
spirits will be a good option to wipe the dirt away.

3) Rub Scratches Away
If you are careful not to rub the stain beneath the finish, you can use a fine, steel wool
pad to gently remove and buff fine scratches. To do this, mix a steel wool pad, as fine as
you can find, with a Danish oil. Using a flat hand and rubber gloves, rub gently with the
grain. Avoid corners and edges, as you could easily discolor the furniture by removing
stain. This is good only for light scratches that have not penetrated into the stain or the
wood itself. Once this is done, allow the wool to dry outside before throwing it away.
This is extremely important, as it can spontaneously combust if thrown away wet.

Keeping your wooden furniture looking new is a simple and inexpensive task that takes
very little time. It will allow the design of your room to remain clean and tasteful, as well
as preserve your furniture for years to come.

Why Ceiling Fans?

We are still in the full swing of summer, being hit with relentless heat waves! For most, air conditioning is a necessary addition to keep cool over the summer. But for those without it, or those looking for a more cost-effective option, installing a ceiling fan can help save on long-term maintenance costs and utility bills. Air conditioners average around 3500 watts of energy to run, whereas a ceiling fan will average only 60 watts, even on high. This is a significant difference that over the course of the summer will save on your energy bills. While ceiling fans do not cool the air the way air conditioning units do, it does circulate air. This will create a breeze that will make the room feel cooler. 

If you’re replacing a current light fixture in your home with a ceiling fan, the first step is to determine what size of a fan you need to properly circulate air. The larger the room, the larger the fan you’ll need. Ceiling fans commonly come in three sizes: 36 inch diameter, 42 inch diameter, and 52 inch diameter. Small rooms under 12 feet will suffice with a 36 inch fan. Large rooms over 15 feet should use a 52 inch fan. Anything in between will appreciate a 42 inch fan. 

When choosing a fan, also check the blades. In order to get well-circulated air, your blade angle should be at least twelve degrees. Ideally more. Also, because ceiling fans replace light fixtures, it’s usually a good idea to opt for the light assembly as well. 

Installing a fan in place of an existing light is a project that you may be able to do yourself, however will involve some electrical work, and ceiling work. Because fans tend to be very heavy, it’s important not to install one without a brace inside the ceiling to hold the weight. You don’t want your fan to crash in on you! You can purchase ceiling braces with instructions for installation at a local hardware store. If any part of the process is uncomfortable, considering hiring a licensed electrician to install the fan for you.

During the summer, for maximum circulation, you can keep the fan on a higher setting. Newer fans usually give you a choice of counterclockwise or clockwise. Depending on the angle of your blades, one of these options should give you the best breeze. To determine, stand directly beneath the fan. You should feel a breeze almost immediately after turning it on. If you don’t, try the opposite direction. Fans aren’t just for summer, either! During the winter, it will come in handy to move heat throughout the house. Try the direction opposite of the one you chose for summer, and keep it on a low setting. To test this, stand near a wall. You should feel a gentle, warm breeze.

Keeping the air moving throughout the home is a good way to maintain temperature control while keeping your energy costs down. It also can provide an added aesthetic appeal to any design, and provide lighting. When choosing a fan, so long as you go in knowing what to look for, and with a plan for installation, you’ll find the process a simple, enjoyable one.