Thursday, March 31, 2011

South Saint Paul Plumber

Do live in or near South Saint Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Eagan, Mendota Heights, Roseville, Woodbury, Saint Paul, East Saint Paul, West Saint Paul?  We are running a special on 10% off our root drain cleaner.  It naturally cleans out the roots in your drain.  Call us today for more details.  651-451-2775.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Early Greek Plumbing

People tend to believe that the advances in technology we have today have been discovered recently and that is not quite true with most facts out there. Talking strictly about plumbing, one example that was laid out in history stands in the Greek plumbing system, which is much more similar to what we have in our homes today then you would have imagined. Also, the Greek were very strict on hygiene and most houses in ancient Greece were equipped with latrines or closets that were built so that they would drain in a sewer located beneath the street. Flush was performed with the use of waste water and some sewers were even equipped with ventilation shafts.

The water supply lines were protected in order to prevent severance by a possible enemy attacks and this was done by laying aqueducts underground at a considerable depth. Deeper lines connected with the surface with the use of huge wells. A very good example of craftsmanship in plumbing was the city of Athens. It relied on many aqueducts in order to bring water from the mountains. Due to the size of the city, the inhabitants needed deep wells that were very difficult to dig through layers of rock. Needless to say that they also had to be secured and the water supplies were moved towards storage cisterns. These structures gave water to many street fountains. What is special is the fact that some of them are still being utilized today. Water porters carried water supplies to homes.

Besides the incredibly complex plumbing structures visible in Greece for that time, there was a discipline when came to the individual’s body that was amazing. Everybody took constant baths and hygiene was extremely important. This is because water played a huge role in the development of Greek culture. Springs and fountains were considered to have medicinal powers and they were imbued with pantheons of gods that people worshipped. The truth is that the examples given by Greeks were very important in the development of complex water systems hundreds of years after their inventions. Early Greek plumbing was very well built and very similar to the regular systems that bring us water in the big cities across the world. We are aided by technology but they did a great job with just shovels and simple metals.

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Upgrading your Plumbing System

Have you been thinking about upgrading your home's plumbing and HVAC system and have a good idea on where you want to start?  If so give Franke Mechanical a call and we can show you some really different and cost effective ways to improve your home's plumbing system.  Thinking about selling?  New and different plumbing fixtures installed in your home could be the difference between sold or not.  Call us today and we will help you get started on some spring plumbing! 

Monday, March 28, 2011

Installing Plumbing Fixtures for Pets

Domesticated animals, particularly pet dogs, need love, care and attention in order for them to remain loyal to their owners. Pet dogs must be, for example, bathed daily so that they will always stay clean and fresh, and appear presentable in front of guests as well. For this reason, dog owners should install special plumbing fixtures for use in bathing their pets inside their bathroom.  Did you even know such fixtures existed?  Well Franke Mechanical does.  We can show you how to maximize your space and time by providing you with options and solutions to your pet's bathing needs.
As a pet dog owner, you must add a separate bathtub and shower in your bathroom for your pet so that you can get to bathe it everyday with ease. You may find these special types of plumbing fixtures for pets at  Franke Mechanical's plumbing supplies stores. A shower with an attached hose is highly recommended because it enables you to rinse your dog thoroughly. Also, install a separate urinal for your pet in your restroom.  Even a paw washing station!  Call today for more details 651-451-2775!

Friday, March 25, 2011

washless faucets

Washerless faucets can be either single handle or the two handle type. In washerless faucets, the control of the water flow is done by a replaceable cartridge or arrangement of seals that allow water flow when the holes or ports are lined up in the proper configuration. Giving the handle an extra hard twist to stop water flow will be ineffective. This type of faucet does not use compression strength to stop water flow.
A washerless faucet does not mean it will never leak, but rather because of the way it is designed, the parts will last much longer, as their design minimizes friction and wear.
When repairing this type of faucet or requesting service on one, it is vital that you know the brand name, or have a sample of the part you require, as there are hundreds of faucet cartridges and parts kits on the market today.
Your licensed plumber will carry an extensive assortment of faucet parts in his service truck, but it is impossible to carry absolutely every part. So it can be very helpful if he knows in advance, the brand of faucet.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Copper Pipes

Copper plumbing tube has been the industry standard in the U.S. for the last half century. In the year 2000, 750 million pounds were installed in the U.S. ( Figure 1 ). This translates to 1.2 billion feet installed in that year. Since 1963, the year CDA was established and began tracking consumption, more than 28 billion feet or approximately 5.3 million miles of copper plumbing tube has been installed in U.S. buildings. That is equivalent to a single coil of copper plumbing tube wrapped around the earth 200 times. By any measure, copper has been very successful as a plumbing tube material. However, failures do occur, but they are few and infrequent. Additional information on copper plumbing tube can be found in various locations on our site.
Figure 1 . Amount of copper plumbing tube installed in the U.S.
In response to an aberrant increase in pitting failures in one water district in the U.S., a one day symposium on copper plumbing tube pitting was organized for technical personnel in companies which produce copper tubing and fittings, as well as others. The intent of the symposium was not to provide a solution to the pitting failures in this one water district, but rather to review the state of the knowledge in pitting in order to provide direction for future efforts. For additional background, a search of peer reviewed technical articles related to pitting is easily conducted on The Copper Data Center . The Copper Data Center is a searchable database of technical articles, to which newly published papers are added each month. For example, conducting a search with one keyword, pitting, will yield 1002 citations. Using a second keyword, water, will reduce that number to 695 and combining it with a third keyword will reduce it further to 34 references, including authors, titles, keywords and abstracts.
Over the years, analysis of failed copper tubes has been regularly conducted. As shown in Table 5 , failures related to flux corrosion are the most common mode of failure and are occurring at an increasing frequency. A great deal, but not everything, is known about corrosion of copper but theories that have little scientific basis are constantly surfacing. Some of these are listed in Table 6 .
Table 5 . Corrosion Failures (Statistics)
Corrosion Cause 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Cold Water Pitting 0 4 2 1 5 3 2
Concentration Cell 6 5 3 4 3 8 15
Flux Corrision 10 18 12 32 17 28 23
Underground Corrosion 0 2 5 8 10 13 5
Green Water 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
Erosion/Corrosion 3 4 7 6 8 20 7
Sulfide Attack 1 0 2 1 0 1 0
Stress Corrosion Cracking 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Hot Water Pitting 3 2 5 11 14 10 5
Workmanship 1 1 2 2 0 1 1
Glavanic Corrosion 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 24 37 38 66 57 85   59  

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Too Much Water Pressure?

What makes the water come out of the sinks, bathtubs, or showers in your house? Simple: the water in your house's plumbing is pressurized. If your house follows the standards set in the Uniform Plumbing Code, it will be pressurized to about 50-70 pounds per square inch (PSI). If you don't know your home's water pressure, you can measure it with a water pressure gauge. These can be purchased at most hardware stores, and will attach to one of your faucets. If you get your water from a city or other municipality's water grid, the water actually comes to your house at a higher pressure than your home plumbing can handle. If you were to connect your house's plumbing directly to the city's water supply, it would soon destroy your water pipes and appliances. So how do homes handle this? They need a pressure reduction device installed between their internal plumbing and the city water pipes — this device will reduce the water pressure to an acceptable level for your home.
Conversely, if you get your water from a well, the water pressure is much too low for your house. Your well will simply pull the water out of the ground, but it won't pressurize it at all. If you hooked your home plumbing directly into your well, you would get little more than a trickle out of all your faucets, bathtubs and so on. If your faucet was physically located above your water store — say, on the second level of your house — you wouldn't get any water out at all! So instead of the pressure reduction devices that your city friends' houses need, your house will actually require a pressure addition device. This device is basically a large tank that fills up with your well water and increases its pressure to the correct level for your home plumbing.
Pressure reduction devices and pressure addition devices, like any other piece of home equipment, will eventually wear out over time. If your pressure addition device starts to wear out, you will begin to notice reduced water flow in your household's faucets, especially on higher floors. If the problem remains unchecked, it will put additional stress on your well pump, which will eventually cause it to burn out.
If you have a pressure reducer device that is starting to wear out, the water pressure in your home plumbing will start to increase beyond its recommended levels. One of the first victims of this increased pressure are your appliance pipes and any other soft, non-metal pipes — they can burst and flood your home. The increased water pressure will also cause leaks in your pipe joints and toilet valves. In a worst-case scenario, even the metal pipes in your house can burst.
If you need to inspect, repair or replace your house's water pressure device, it is better to call a licensed plumber than to try and do it yourself. Licensed plumbers will be familiar with your region's water pressure regulations and can examine your home's internal water pressure specifications. Then, whether you need a repair or complete replacement, they will be able to plan and implement a solution that is appropriate for your personal housing situation

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Check out Neorest from Toto-Think how nice it would be to own it!

To the designers at TOTO, it’s about creating a new way to live in the modern bathroom; a refining of humanity’s relationship with water. Here, technology and design bond to form a sense of relaxation like no other. The result is a suite that is as luxurious and intuitive as any can be. The Neorest suite is living, breathing proof of this. And we do mean "living" and "breathing". It remembers the water temperature you prefer and how deep you like your bath. It even "senses" your approach and prepares accordingly. In this respect, connecting human need with human desire has become a design philosophy. The restorative benefits of water are enhanced by pure innovation. We like to think of it as "ergonomic technology". It makes every single experience more rewarding. And that, we see as the peak of luxury. Let Franke Mechanical make it happen!  We promise you won't be disappointed!  Call today 651-451-2775!
Neorest Airbath 
Neorest Air bath Neorest Sensor Faucet & Lavatory
   
 
Neorest II Lavatory with LED Lighting Neorest 550

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Plumbing Seasonal Tips for Spring


Kitchen/Bathrooms
Check faucets for drips or leaks. Make repairs to save water.
Ensure that all drains have strainers to prevent hair, soap and debris from clogging the drain lines.
Check toilets for hidden leaks. Add six drops of food coloring to the toilet tank. If the toilet is leaking, color will appear in the bowl within 30 minutes.
Inspect tank and bowl for cracks or leaks.
Exercise water supply valves under sinks and toilets to prevent them from sticking.
Make sure toilets flush properly. If the handle must be held down for a thorough flush or jiggled to stop the water from running you may need to replace worn tank parts. They're inexpensive and you'll notice a lower water bill.
Clean mineral deposits from showerhead. Unscrew it and soak in vinegar or fill a plastic baggie with vinegar; place it over the showerhead and hold in place with a rubber band. Soak overnight then remove and gently scrub with an old toothbrush to remove deposits.
Appliances
Check the temperature setting on the water heater. It should be set no higher than 120°F to prevent scalding and reduce energy use.
Carefully drain several gallons from the water heater tank to flush out corrosion causing sediment, which reduces heating efficiency and shortens the life of the heater.
Consider replacing a water heater more than 15 years old. (The first four numbers of the serial number represent the month and year it was made.) Newer water heaters are more energy efficient.
Make sure flammables are not stored near the water heater or furnace.
Check dishwasher, washing machine and icemaker supply hoses for bulges or leaks. Replace hoses showing signs of weakness or older than ten years.
Clean out washing machine lint trap, if equipped, and place a wire trap or a piece of pantyhose over the end of the hose that drains the washer.
General
Pour a gallon of water into infrequently used drains (including floor drains) to fill the trap and prevent odors from entering the house. Slow floor drains should be snaked to ensure they will carry away water quickly in the event of a flood.
Check exposed pipes under sinks and in the basement for signs of leaks.
If your home has a sump pump, make sure it operates properly by pouring a few buckets of water into the sump pit. The pump should quickly turn on, discharge the water then shut off without any problems.
Install a backflow valve in the floor drain if you live in an area where sewers sometimes back up into homes. This device will prevent future backups.
Inspect for slow leaks in your home by taking a reading on your water meter before bedtime. The next morning, without using any water overnight, take another reading. If the reading has changed you have a leak that should be repaired.
Install flood alarms. Like a smoke alarm, a flood alarm is a battery-operated device that sounds an alarm when it comes in contact with water. It alerts you to potential flooding or leaks.
Outside
Make sure yard drains, gutters and downspouts are cleaned out, open, and free of debris.
Check for bird nests in plumbing vent pipes.
Check faucets and hose bibs to make sure water flows freely. If an outdoor faucet drips or if there is leakage inside your home the first time the hose is turned on, you may have had a frozen pipe that cracked and needs to be replaced.