Reliable Remodeler Blog » plumbing

Going with the flow: look at energy efficient plumbing

woodrow — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 17:57:09 +0000

Low-flow plumbing fixtures can save you money in the long haul. The jury is still out whether you can quickly gain a return on your investment since water savings may only tally $100-$150 a year. But in the day when many of us are counting nickels and dimes on our water bills, everything that helps [...]

Going with the flow: look at energy efficient plumbing is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Save your basement with a French drain

woodrow — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:52:16 +0000

If your basement is wet, moldy and frequently flooded, it may not be due to a flaw in your foundation. Often the culprit is leaking basement walls that are saturated from rain run-off. It’s a sadly common occurrence when outdoor landscaping or elevations are sloped to drain toward your exteriors. The long-term damage can be [...]

Save your basement with a French drain is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Red flags for buyers: poor home maintenance

woodrow — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 06:27:53 +0000

Do you think your home will catch the eye of a potential buyer in a challenging real estate market? Look again. Even if you’ve put money into home improvements in energy efficiency, plumbing, landscaping and fresh paint, your inattention to routine maintenance across the board can send out red flags to home shoppers. Real estate [...]

Red flags for buyers: poor home maintenance is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

New Warnings About Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing

woodrow — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 18:48:17 +0000

What I love most about the home improvement and building industry is that it frequently takes a close look at what it does and evaluates not only common practice, but the use of materials. Recently, Remodeling Magazine, sent out a “heads up” on Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing (CSST). A product renowned for its versatility and [...]

New Warnings About Corrugated Stainless Steel Tubing is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Tighten Up Plumbing and Irrigation Against Winter

woodrow — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:36:48 +0000

I was reading the annual list of winterizing suggestions from the Portland Oregonian, reminding those of us that experience sub-freezing temperatures during the winter months. For most of us living in the cooler American climes, winterizing is a simple chore of wrapping pipes exposed to outdoor air or freezing cold in basements, garages, attics, and [...]

Tighten Up Plumbing and Irrigation Against Winter is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Basement Conversions and Game Rooms

woodrow — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 17:54:23 +0000

Game rooms are all about expressing the personalities of the people who play in them. Some homeowners like converting a basement space into the ultimate man cave, replete with wide-screen televisions, pool tables, Foosball sets, video games, small kitchens, and wet bars. Others are happy enough with some tables and chairs, a comfortable couch, and [...]

Basement Conversions and Game Rooms is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Beware Failing Appliances and Suspicious Plumbers

woodrow — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 16:59:39 +0000

You’d think that torrential rain gathering in clogged gutters or burst frozen pipes are the largest cause of water damage in the home. Not so, says a vice president at Safeco Insurance in Seattle. Two-thirds of water damage, according to Safeco’s Jim Swegle, is caused by faulty plumbing. The balance? Household appliance failure. SmartMoney Magazine says [...]

Beware Failing Appliances and Suspicious Plumbers is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Assembling Your Plumber’s Toolbox

woodrow — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:55:12 +0000

If you’re a staunch do-it-yourselfer, you don’t want to scrimp on plumbing tools. Like most every tool in the box, when it comes to plumbing tools I’ve found that the greater the quality you can afford outright, the less you spend on replacing broken tools. Of course, that doesn’t matter when it comes to washers, [...]

Assembling Your Plumber’s Toolbox is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

An Easy Plumbing Fix

woodrow — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:16:56 +0000

This week, where I live in the foothills of Northern California, we’re expected to sequence through five storms, bringing a foot of rain over the next week. That means it’s time for indoor projects only. I’m always on the lookout for shortcuts or work-around solutions for problems, so I was delighted to see a simple [...]

An Easy Plumbing Fix is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

When Pipes Burst

woodrow — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:18:27 +0000

Time to be honest. You never read our post on preventative plumbing tips to avoid trouble this winter, did you? Now you have a frozen or burst pipe. It’s nasty, too! You know you have a frozen pipe because you turned on the tap during freezing conditions and all you got was a sudden splat, [...]

When Pipes Burst is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

There’s Money in Your Basement (Remodeling Project)

woodrow — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:57:25 +0000

If you’re looking for a good return on a large remodeling effort this year, consider finishing an empty basement space. While the return on investment (ROI) for remodeling always fluctuates with the economy and the geographical region for each homeowner, recent statistics on 2009 projects show good returns on unfinished basement or lower-level remodeling. Even [...]

There’s Money in Your Basement (Remodeling Project) is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Preventative Plumbing for the Winter

woodrow — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:19:23 +0000

It’s neither fun, nor cheap to repair and replace burst pipes in the winter. If you live where outside temperatures drop below freezing, you can spare yourself money and heartache by wrapping your exposed pipes with insulation. The process is straight-forward, and you should be able to complete it yourself. There is a wide range of [...]

Preventative Plumbing for the Winter is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.

Simplifying Kitchen and Bath Faucet Repair

woodrow — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:43:20 +0000

The bad news is that a leaky, dripping faucet wastes water and the sound can drive you crazy. The good news is that a leaky faucet is one of the simplest repair jobs you can do yourself. The most common culprit is a corroded valve seat, tired gasket, or worn o-ring. And the most common mistake [...]

Simplifying Kitchen and Bath Faucet Repair is brought to you by the home remodeling pros at Reliable Remodeler. Get more of your questions answered at Ask the Contractor.