Stop Flushing Wipes Down The Toilet

Wipes Don't Belong In The Toilet

I have a giant problem with all these baby wipe companies still putting "flushable" and "sewer and septic safe" on their packages. Let me express to you how much we love baby wipes in our household. We have a child and a puppy who love to make messes all over the house. Not only are baby wipes great when we change his diaper. They are great to clean up his face, his hands, and where ever else he loves to get peanut butter/chocolate/jelly/cheese/etc. on himself.

It's simple, you grab a wipe and clean up the mess. Toss it in the garbage and it's done. Simple as that. Well, toilet paper and paper towel companies wanted to jump in on the baby wipe success. They are doing very well for themselves. They have created several types of bathroom "flushable" wipes. The only problem is these wipes ARE flushable, but will not dissolve. 

They sit in your pipes, get stuck on other stuff and clog up your pipes. Yes, it creates more jobs for plumbers but it's ruining our sewer pipes. How is it that they are allowed to print "flushable" and "sewer/septic safe" on their packages? Some of them are even printing "biodegradable". In their terms, yes they are biodegradable, but not for another 1000 years. 

Until someone does something about these companies printing "flushable" on wipes, please stop flushing wipes down the toilet. It will cost you hundreds, even thousands of dollars to fix. You should only flush toilet paper. 

What I Love To Use Baby Wipes On:

• When I change my baby's diaper.
• After my kid eats.
• My puppy's bum.
• When my husband spills food/drinks/whatever else he is eating on his clothes.
• The table.
• The floor.
• My kitchen cabinets.
• The make up off my face.
• When I get make up on my fingers.
• After I do my hair in the bathroom(it's so easy to pick up the hair off the floor).
• Cleaning inside the car.
• Cleaning leather seats. 
• Getting deodorant off of clothing.
• Wiping down shoes. 
• Wiping down exercise equipment.
• And the million other things that I wipe down with baby wipes. 

Maybe, I should look into buying stock in baby wipe companies. Moral of the story, baby wipes are amazing, just don't flush them down the toilet. 

Kevinszabojrplumbing@yahoo.com

www.kevinszabojrplumbing.net

Are You Wasting Water?

Did you know that the average American household ends up wasting 10,000 gallons of water each year according to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)? That is enough water to do about 270 loads of laundry. If you think about that kind of average, across the country, household leaks could lead to more than 1 trillion gallons of water wasted. Take a breath, breathe that in, and let's take a look around where this mystery wasted water might be coming from.

You might be thinking that little faucet drip, or running toilet can't possibly add up to 10,000 gallons of water per year. If it's just the faucet, probably not - but how many faucets in your home are dripping? How many drips per minute? You could use the Mr. Rooter drip calculator to do a quick estimate. For example, a leaky faucet can easily waste 3,000 gallons of water per year. If your drip can fill an 8 ounce cup in one minute, that's over 32,000 gallons per year. We're pretty sure if you have a leak like that, you would have already called your local Mr. Rooter plumber, however many people might let a smaller leak go for months before finally trying to fix it themselves or giving us a call.

All of this wasted water, also equals wasted money - out of your pocket. The EPA's fact sheet also claims that 10% of homes waste 90 gallons or more of water per day (that would be that drip that fills the cup in one minute).

So where are you wasting water? Common areas where these little leaks spring up are faucets, shower heads, toilet flappers, and other household valves. Leaks are very common outdoors as well with any sprinkler or irrigation system (even the tiniest of cracks in your irrigation system can use more than 6,000 gallons of water per month) you might have set up for your garden or lawn. If you're unsure of a leak, the EPA recommends taking a look at the winter usage. If you have used more than 12,000 gallons of water per month for a family of four - you are exceeding during winter and it's likely your home has a leak somewhere. A much easier way to check water usage is check your water meter. Set a time when you are NOT going to use any water (flush the toilet, wash the dishes, or do some laundry). Check the meter before and after an allotted amount of time. If it changes, your house has a leak and you need to call your local plumber to help you find it.

So if you see that you have a leaky shower head (which can waste around 500 gallons per year), or maybe unexplained damp spot in your home - give us a call. While here in New York, we don't have the same drought problems as other areas, it doesn't mean we should waste water; or the money that you spend paying for that wasted water.

Have questions about a leak? Give us a call at : 315-472-1203. Follow us on Facebook for quick tips and special offers. 

Drink Your Morning Coffee In Your Dream Kitchen

Dream Kitchen I Can Afford!

You're sitting in your kitchen drinking your morning coffee. As you look outside, the sun is shining, the flowers are blooming, birds are out chirping away. How beautiful is Spring? Then, you snap out of your day dreaming and realize we live in Chicago. There's snow in the end of March and your kitchen needs a major facelift.


Often in my free time, I search dream kitchens on Pinterest. I fantasize about having a magnificent kitchen. High ceilings, thick wood trim and crown molding, glorious windows, white cabinets, with a farm sink, and to top it off a giant rustic chandelier. For now, let's work on building a kitchen my budget can afford.

First, what kind of budget do I have? How much should I really spend on my kitchen to make a difference? Let's do some simple math.

Modest Budget: Value of Your Home X 5% = $__________

Great Budget: Value of Your Home X 10% = $__________

Now, after deciding the budget for your kitchen, let's break down the percentage for each category.


Cabinets 40%

Labor 25%
(including plumbing)

Countertops 12%

Appliances 8%
(if you can wait for a sale, or Black Friday, you won't feel like 8% isn't enough)

Flooring 7%

Lighting/Electrical 4%

Wall Covering 3%

Miscellaneous 1%

After we break down how much to spend on each category, the fun part begins. Make a priority checklist.

A. Appearance
      a. What do I want my kitchen to look like?

B. Workflow and Layout
      a. Do I need more room?
      b. Do I entertain in my kitchen?
      c. Do you have kids? Pets?
      d. Where in the kitchen do you want to eat your meals?

C. Storage and Organization
      a. Do I need a simple set up?
      b. Cabinet space?
      c. Pantry?
      d. An area for all my gadgets(phone charging area)?

D. Increasing Value

      a. Do I plan on living here for several years?

      b. Do I want to turn around and sell it next year?

      c. Do I want a functioning kitchen?

If you are like me, and love to get ideas, visit Pinterest, Houzz, HGTV, Better Homes & Garden.

Visit a showroom. When you are in a showroom kitchen, you can have a better idea how you want your set up. Play around with their storage solutions. Think about what you actually need, and what you want. Do I really want that tiered cutlery divider or the different pantry roll out trays? I want it all. The Recycling Center, the Message Center, the Easy Access Wall Cabinet, the Pantry Pull Out, the Super Lazy Susan and of course I want the Gourmet Super Cabinet. 

How do you use your kitchen?

• Cooking and food prep
• Eat meals 
• Use electronic devices
• Feed your pets
• Do paperwork, pay your bills
• Read
• Visit with friends/family
• Do your homework

Remember make your kitchen dream a reality. Start calling licensed professionals and let them know what you want done. Show them your plan layout. Most important, make sure they are licensed, bonded, insured, and highly recommended.

If you need help with your dream kitchen, let us know. We love helping.

Now go get started on that kitchen. It's not going to build it self.

PREVENTING FROZEN PIPES

When water freezes it expands, it can cause hundreds, even thousands of Dollars worth of damage. Be prepared and use that extra money towards a beach vacation, away from this frigid weather. 

ALWAYS KNOW WHERE YOUR MAIN WATER SHUTOFF IS LOCATED.

   -FIND THE LOCATION OF YOUR WATER METER AND YOU WILL FIND YOUR MAIN WATER SHUTOFF(BASEMENT, CRAWL SPACE, LAUNDRY ROOM, EVEN UNDER YOUR KITCHEN SINK).

INSULATE YOUR PIPES.

   -PIPE SLEEVES, HEAT TAPE, NEWSPAPER

KEEP YOUR FAUCET OPEN.

   -LET YOUR SINK DRIP 

KEEP YOUR CABINETS OPEN WHERE YOU HAVE WATER LINES, ALLOWING HEAT TO CIRCULATE. 

WATER LINES THAT ARE ON A OUTSIDE WALL, SHOULD BE EXPOSED FROM THE INSIDE TO LET HEAT GET TO THEM. 

IF YOU HAVE WATER LINES OR YOUR WATER HEATER IS IN THE GARAGE, KEEP IT CLOSED AND INSULATED. 

IF YOUR PIPES FREEZE, USE A HAND DRIER, ELECTRIC SPACE HEATER, HEAT LAMP, TO TRY TO THAW OUT PIPES. 

   -DON'T LEAVE UNATTENDED

APPLY HEAT TO PIPES UNTIL WATER PRESSURE IS RESTORED.

IF YOU CAN'T THAW OUT THE PIPES, CALL A LICENSED PLUMBER.

For Future Protection

• Pipes can be relocated by a professional plumber
• Add insulation to your attic, basement, crawl space, and garage
• For more information contact a licensed plumber

Just remember, our Chicago Summer days are right around the corner.