Parrish Construction

Archive for the ‘Plumbing’ Category

Your “Winter’s Coming” Checklist

Thursday, September 15th, 2011 Posted in Advice to Clients, Disaster-Fire, DIY Home Improvements, Freezing Temp. Problems, Frozen Pipes, Handyman/Small Jobs, Heating/Cooling, Home maintenance, Insulation, Money-Saving Tips, Plumbing, Safety Hazards, Seasonal Considerations, Timely Home Upgrades, Waterproofing, Windows & Doors, Winter | No Comments »

Conserve and Protect: that’s what winterizing is about.  Homes can take a beating in our cold Colorado winters, and so can your heating bill. After some education and practice, winterizing will become as natural a rhythm to a homeowner as is flying south ...

Q—We’re building a new fence and will be digging post holes soon. How can we find out if there are any buried utilities in the way?

Saturday, June 18th, 2011 Posted in Building Permits, Disaster-Fire, DIY Home Improvements, Electrical, Exterior Remodeling, FAQ, Flooding, Insurance- Home, Landscaping, Plumbing, Safety Hazards, Summer | No Comments »

A—Anyone who damages an underground utility such as electric lines, cable television, telephone, sewer, gas, or water lines is liable for damages. Fortunately, you can protect yourself by making a single telephone call to an organization which will notify all ...

Q- It’s Fall and will start to freeze soon at night. What can I do to prevent frozen pipes?

Saturday, October 9th, 2010 Posted in Advice to Clients, Basements, DIY Home Improvements, Energy-Saving Tips, Fall, FAQ, Flooding, Freezing Temp. Problems, Frozen Pipes, Heating/Cooling, Insulation, Plumbing, Spring, Timely Home Upgrades, Ventilation, Winter, YouTube Videos/"Larry on the Level" | No Comments »

A--As we all settle in for the upcoming Winter, it is worthwhile to consider one aspect of the new season that is not pleasant—frozen water pipes. Whether you are new to our climate or a “seasoned” veteran, a review of ...

Q—We have hot-water baseboard heat in our home. We’re planning to add a master bathroom addition, and would like to install radiant heat in the floor. Can we use the existing boiler?

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 Posted in Additions, Bathrooms, Energy-Saving Tips, FAQ, Flooring, Freezing Temp. Problems, Green Building Topics, Insulation, Money-Saving Tips, Plumbing, Remodeling Concerns, Winter | No Comments »

A—Assuming your boiler has the surplus capacity to handle the extra heating load, you should be able to heat your bathroom floors by using a mixing valve to moderate the water temperature. Radiant floor heating requires somewhat cooler water than ...

Q—Our home has a bathroom above our dining room. Every time someone flushes the toilet, it sounds like Archie Bunker’s house from the old television program “All in the Family”. Is there anything we can do to quiet the situation?

Thursday, January 28th, 2010 Posted in Bathrooms, FAQ, Humorous Articles, Insulation, Noise Problems, Plumbing | No Comments »

A—The offending noise is caused by water rushing through PVC (plastic) waste pipe either running over your ceiling, down the wall, or both.Plastic pipe is common, relatively inexpensive, and effective, but is also notoriously noisy under the conditions you describe. ...

Q—We just bought a home with a septic system. Is there anything special we need to know or maintenance to perform?

Sunday, January 24th, 2010 Posted in Basements, Bathrooms, DIY Home Improvements, FAQ, Flooding, Historic Homes, Plumbing | No Comments »

A—A septic system consists of two main parts. The septic tank is a watertight vault, usually concrete, that receives the wastewater and separates the solids from the liquid, while digesting the solids. The liquids discharge out the top into a ...

Q—Our hot water heat is noisy, and disturbs our sleep. The plumber told us the noise is normal. Is there anything we can do about it?

Saturday, January 23rd, 2010 Posted in Bedrooms, Energy-Saving Tips, FAQ, Green Building Topics, Heating/Cooling, Historic Homes, Insulation, Money-Saving Tips, Noise Problems, Plumbing, Timely Home Upgrades, Winter | No Comments »

A—There are three types of sound that hot water heating makes—hum, gurgle, and pop. Humming is usually caused by vibrations from the circulator pump. I’ve seen this problem with pumps that are larger than necessary, and with pumps that are ...

Q—I saw a hot water dispenser at a friend’s house recently, and would like one in my kitchen. How do they work? Are they difficult to install?

Saturday, January 16th, 2010 Posted in Design Tips, Electrical, FAQ, Handyman/Small Jobs, Interior Design, Kitchens, Plumbing, Remodels/Additions, Winter | No Comments »

A—These dispensers are miniature water heaters with their own electric heating element and storage reservoirs of 1/3 or ½ gallon, capable of delivering approximately 60 cups of near-boiling water per hour. They are usually installed in the cabinet under the ...