How Clogs Can Affect More Than Just Your Drains

Photo by Jingxi Lau on Unsplash

A clog in your drainage pipes is a serious issue. You’ll be able to tell instantly if the clog is related to one appliance or the main sewers by verifying which ones are draining slowly. If it’s just one, the clog is in the appliance pipework. When all the appliances are draining slowly the clog is in the main sewer line. 

There are many reasons for clogs to happen. The most common are:

• Wrong products being flushed

You should only ever flush toilet paper and human waste down the toilet. Anything else, especially wet wipes, is likely to cause a clog.

• Old pipes

Old pipes are more likely to have residue on the inside of them, allowing debris to cling to the inside of the pipe and start creating a clog. If you have old pipes you need to be aware of this.

• Tree roots

Trees generally have roots as large as their canopies. If the canopy covers your main sewer line there is a good chance the roots will too. The roots can damage the pipes and cause a clog.

In all cases, it is a good idea to invest in a drain camera and regularly inspect your drains. You should be able to prevent a clog from happening. 

There are multiple types of damage caused by a clog

Flooding

Perhaps the most obvious issue when you have a clog is flooding. This happens because the clog blocks the pipes and the water has nowhere to drain to. Using the flush or the sink/shower will result in water overflowing into your bathroom.

This may be obvious but it is also very expensive. You’ll be glad you have good flood insurance. If not, you’ll find that the damage to your floor, walls, and furnishings can run into thousands and it takes time to dry everything out properly.  

Bacteria

Wastewater is full of bacteria such as E.coli, Salmonella, and even typhoid. When you have a clog in your pipes the water becomes stagnant. That makes it a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. This bacteria can then work its way inside your house through the drainage system. It’s simply a matter of time before the bacteria infects a family member. 

Pests

Just like humans, pests need water, food, and a warm place to stay. If you have blocked pipes you’re effectively creating a perfect habitat for many different creatures. They will be attracted to the clog and they will then start penetrating your home. 

As many pests carry diseases you don’t want them inside your home. 

Mould

Another common issue with clogged pipes is an increase in damp in your home. This is simply because there is more moisture in the air.

Unfortunately, moist air and dark corners offer the perfect habitat for mould. It grows quickly and the spores can penetrate your lungs, causing a variety of illnesses. This is especially concerning if you have asthma or some other respiratory condition. 

In short, if you have a clog you need to take action quickly to deal with the issue. 

4 Common Signs Your Doors Need Replacing

Photo by Jan Antonin Kolar on Unsplash

Every property has a number of doors, some are external and some internal. But, they all serve the same purpose, to allow people in or out of a space while providing privacy and security. 

It’s a simple premise but an essential one to every property. Doors can be made from a variety of different materials, although the most popular are wood and uPVC. In areas where security is a bigger issue you’ll often find metal doors are used as these are very difficult to break through.

Regardless of what type of door you have and whether it is internal or external, there will come a time when it needs to be replaced. The good news is that there are plenty of great options on the market, such as these stunning Parkwood doors. You’ll be spoilt for choice.

You can change a door at any time but, if you spot any of the following signs then your door needs to be replaced as soon as possible. 

1. Drag

Doors should be hung square to the property. When hung perfectly they don’t swing open or closed, simply sit on their hinges. However, as the door gets older the alignment will start to change. There are many reasons for this but the most common is simply the door and frame have expanded and contracted too many times and become warped.

You’ll notice it is no longer true to its frame, perhaps even having visible gaps. At the same time, it will be dragging on the floor, making it hard to open and close. 

2. Drafts

A gap around your door will allow light in and allow the breeze in. That may be welcome on a hot summer’s day but not the rest of the year. A draft tells you that your door has changed and isn’t sitting as it should be.

Again, it is unlikely that this can be corrected and you’ll need to replace the door. 

3. Sagging

Sagging is similar to drag but your door can sag without dragging on the floor. This will depend on the level of original clearance and where the sagging is. The truth is that the door will no longer fit snugly into its frame and you’ll notice that parts of it are sagging. It suggests the door is rotting and will soon fall apart on you. 

4. Lack Of Security

A door needs to offer security. It doesn’t matter if it's external or internal, the latch should clip together properly and any locking mechanisms should be smooth. If they aren’t there could be an issue with the lock but it is more likely to be the lock is no longer properly aligned. In short, the security is impeded and you need to replace the door as soon as possible. 

Remember, there are plenty of doors to choose from, you will be able to find one that reflects your personal style and provides you with the security your property needs. 

Gutter Services for Home Owners - Importance of Gutter Maintenance

Gutters are a major part of the roofing network. This is because they ensure that water is channeled the right way.

Anything that affects the ability of your gutters to work efficiently will eventually cause certain complications. The truth is that these complications can be quite severe and resolving them can be very costly. If you would like to know some of the possible complications that can show up as a result of not properly maintaining your gutters, you can watch this video.

So, you need to save yourself all of these troubles by ensuring this part of your building is always in the right shape and state. This is why this article will shed some light on the importance of gutter maintenance.

Why Gutter Maintenance is Essential for Homes

There are several reasons you should not make light of the need to keep your gutter in the right state and shape. Some of these reasons include the following:

Protect Your Roof

Many homeowners undermine the importance of this part of their building. Unfortunately, many of them only admit that it is very important when they are faced with the adverse effects of not paying attention to this part of their building.

One of such negative effects is a damaged roof. The roofing materials can be adversely affected by water buildup as a result of faulty water disposal channels. This can happen when the gutters are clogged and so this should be avoided at all costs.

This stresses the need to keep your gutters cleaned and properly maintained at all times. It is very important for the sake of your roof.

Several parts of your roof will be affected when your gutters are not working as they should. Some of these parts include the:

• Soffits – the part that does not allow moisture into the attic
• Shingles – the main roofing sheet
• Fascias – the part responsible for ventilation

These are just some of the parts as there are a few others. So, you need to do all reasonably possible to properly maintain this part of your building.

Protects Your Exterior and Interior Walls

The exterior walls can end up negatively affected as well. This is because moisture will begin to take its toll and this will also affect the interior parts of the walls.

You would likely start having issues such as algae, mold, and mildew growth as a result. The simple explanation for this is that moisture is not properly dealt with.

For example, several mold types can grow in a wall’s interior and/or exterior. However, they all need moisture to thrive. For more on this subject, you can visit: https://www.epa.gov/

The look of your walls will be terrible with these growths. This is other than the negative impact on the health of people in the home. So, you should take good care of your gutters.

Protects You from Insect Nesting and Animal Infestations

Inappropriate maintenance practices can cause insect nesting and animal infestation problems. The reason is that a thriving ground for their presence will be created by not properly maintaining this part of the home.

So, take the right action today to avoid squirrels, birds, and insects from making your home their base. You should not also forget how this impacts your health and the health of everyone that uses the building.

Protect Your Foundation

What the gutters do is make sure water is channeled the right way. Areas such as the foundation are parts that can be affected when the gutters do not work as they should.

This is because of how they can begin to give in to cracks amongst other things. So, you should take good care of your gutters as this also means that you would be taking care of your building’s foundation.

For those asking how moisture buildup in the wrong place can affect a building’s foundation, here is how it works. The inappropriate channeling of water means that the ground will get saturated with water. For one, this will affect the landscape adversely.

But other than this, the prolonged moisture build-up means that the soil will begin to expand. This would happen to a point where pressure will be mounted on the foundation that is underneath. All this boils down to the need to properly maintain your gutters.

Conclusion

There are dangers associated with maintaining gutters. In the same vein, there is the possibility that you do not do it as it should be done.

You are therefore advised to work with a capable gutter Installation & cleaning company to avoid both the dangers and the possibility of not doing a good maintenance job. This is the right way to go.

We have gone through some of the reasons you should take good care of this part of your home. You are advised to take the details shared here seriously going forward.

Different Types of Ethernet Extension

The main benefit of an Ethernet extender is that it can increase the distance between two or more devices within a single network. The newest technology can reach a distance of several miles, allowing for faster connection speeds. 

WiFi and Ethernet are two major connection types. Both come with good and bad sides. Most of you would probably give an advantage to wireless technology due to its simplicity and ease of installation. More on other benefits read on this source. But even though WiFi has significant advantages, it's not always the best choice. That's where a wired connection hops in. 

Simply put, it's a good, old wired connection between router and devices on the same network. Sure, it also comes with certain drawbacks, but compared to WiFi, it's more stable and provides higher speeds. Besides, it's not prone to attacks like the wireless network is. It also needs less power for full efficiency.

Reasons for Ethernet Extension

When you decide to install Ethernet, you usually get a set of cables of a certain length in the package. It usually doesn't exceed 100m, usually enough for home use or some smaller business premises. But the longer the distance, the more risk of a ground loop is present. That's common for copper cables, which are prone to tripping when running through walls and structures.

As the number of devices on a network and the space where you need a wired connection grows, so does the need to physically expand it. You need extenders to cover more workstations. They can extend the distance between connected devices as long as you need. But you can also use them if the current Ethernet network interrupts due to some reason.

The essential reason for extending Ethernet is scalability. Most businesses grow and expand across locations, so they need a stable and seamless connection while maintaining the highest level of data security. Extenders allow you to increase your network's range without requiring additional equipment, allowing you to cover even remote locations.

There are several Ethernet extenders on the market for a home or business use. Each of them has the same purpose, to expand the existing network up to a certain length. They come with various additional features, such as allowing you to control network security, remote controlling, enhanced chassis to withstand extremes, etc.

PoE Devices

Power Over Ethernet (POE) extenders are mostly used for homes and businesses. The name comes from the fact that this type of cable passes electric current along with data. So it allows a single cable to provide both Ethernet and electricity. 

These extenders are great for powering distant locations and hard-to-reach areas with no power or WiFi signal. But if your home or office uses multiple computers, these devices can also be a great solution.

Extenders with UTP Cables

As their name said, UTP or Unshielded Twisted Pairs cables have no intertwined protective covering. This type of design allows them to be increasingly flexible and cheaper to manufacture. That's why they are flexible and cheaper than other cable types. 

The length that UTP cables can cover is 100 meters (328 ft). But these extenders may lack good signal quality, so they are not the best solution for areas with the proximity of powerlines. Today, they are rarely in use for other things than phone wiring, as there are much better solutions for almost the same price.

Ethernet over Coax

Another type of Ethernet extender uses your current coaxial cables. That makes it a budget-friendly option that can enlarge your Ethernet network up to 3500 ft (1000 m). The newest models of these devices can support speeds up to 10 Mbps. They are an excellent solution for video transmission, so you can use them when installing video surveillance in a yard or around your commercial premises. These extenders are a scalable solution when you pair them with coaxial switchers.

More on the benefits of Ethernet over coax see below:

https://howtodiscuss.com/t/ethernet-over-coax/124769 

Wireless Extenders

Wireless Ethernet extenders are an excellent option to extend your network over long distances. These devices are small and pluggable and have a wide range of ports. The advantage of this type of extension is that it can be used for multiple devices and is not limited to just one computer. Also, you can connect these devices without any cables.

You have two options with WiFi extenders for Ethernet. You can connect a cable to this device or match it directly with the router via that same cable. The second option is better as it will provide a more stable and stronger wireless connection. But not all WiFi extenders are intended for these purposes. So when buying, look for those that have Ethernet ports.

Fiber Optics

Fiber-optic technology offers the highest-speed connections and is immune to electromagnetic interference. That's the best solution you can choose, but also the costliest. Still, all the benefits this technology brings are worth the price, especially for commercial purposes.

Cables made of these fibers provide immunity from spikes, ground loops, and surges. So you can keep a high data rate and signal quality with no external interruptions. Standard Ethernet extenders use copper wiring instead of fiber, costing much less than any fiber optics cables. But their transmission is several times slower than in fiber optic cables.

Industrial Extenders

Fiber optics technology for extending commercial-grade Ethernet is great, but it's a high cost for some businesses. Industrial Ethernet extenders can be an excellent and more budget-friendly option. They are designed for point-to-point runs. 

You can use industrial-grade extenders from Enable-IT in residential environments as well. They are classified according to the data rate and length they cover. For example, some devices have a range of up to 8 kilometers. But they achieve a better data rate (up to 100Mbps) over shorter distances.

The different types of Ethernet extenders come with different configurations and prices. Depending on your needs, you can find the best one for your needs. So shop around and do your best to get the best value for your money.

Why You Might Need a Workstation Sink

The kitchen is arguably the pride of every residential space although some people say that title belongs to the living room. But let’s face it, the kitchen is that part of the home that most people are excited about, especially when house hunting. In fact, you’ll find that how the kitchen looks influences many house purchase decisions, especially if the buyers are a couple.

This part of the home is very important because food is important to us humans. Since cooking can be quite stressful for a lot of people, it is important to have a kitchen that makes cooking a lot more enjoyable. For this reason, we see people pour time and money into having a great cooking space. Visit: https://www.forbes.com/ to find popular kitchen layouts. 

Now, a lot of things make a great kitchen, including all the built-ins and equipment. But the sink might be the most underrated part of the kitchen and that’s unfortunate because it plays a very vital role in the kitchen experience. There are different types of kitchen sinks, but the workstation sink is perhaps the best of them all.

What is a Workstation Sink?

A workstation sink is unlike regular sinks. In fact, if you’ve ever used one, the thought of returning to a regular one won't sound appealing to you. They are versatile and configurable sinks that can be used for a wide range of kitchen duties including clean ups and food prep. Anyone who has one of these multi-functional sinks can attest to how superior they are to the traditional options in terms of functionality.

If you’re the type that likes to cook, you’d agree that there can never be enough countertop space. Some dishes require a lot of prepping and often a lot of ingredients are used in these meals. Being able to handle all these tasks in one place will most definitely reduce how long you stay in the kitchen and make your experience more enjoyable.

If you appreciate convenience like this, then a workstation sink is just what you need in your cooking space. Now, let’s go over some of the benefits of this sink over the more traditional options.

More Space

No matter how big your kitchen is, having extra space never hurts. This is where the workstation sink shines. It is called a workstation because it is literally built to be a workstation where you can get tons of stuff done. With this option, you can wash and dry dishes, prep food, and temporarily store food all in one place.

This not only frees up valuable countertop space, but also makes for a more efficient use of cooking time. For smaller kitchens, this can be a game changer. Since space is limited, being able to do nearly every kitchen task in one place will in many ways be helpful. In simple terms, workstation sinks are a must if you want to maximize space and functionality. 

Helpful Features 

Termed workstations, these sinks come with many features that just keep you glued to them until you're done in the kitchen. Really high-end ones come with amazing, helpful features like colanders, drying rack, bowl holders, cutting boards, racks for dirty dishes, and so on. 

They are fully customizable and you can have them built to your exact specifications, assuming your specifications are realistic. The ability to configure them to suit your prep and clean up style makes them all the more appealing. 

Makes Cleanup Easy

Lavish dinners are great until it's time to clean up. Quite frankly, this is one part of family dinners most hosts dread. This is because seeing so many dishes and cutting boards scattered across different countertops and sinks just makes one stare in utter confusion. Like, where do I begin? 

But with a workstation sink, you can kiss goodbye to the consequences of lavish family dinners. Since it allows you to keep nearly everything in one place, cleaning up dishes and transferring food waste to the garbage can all be done in a flash and with minimal stress. 

Reduces Cross-Contamination

Cooking a nice, big family dinner often requires prepping different types of food simultaneously to save time. Hurrying to have dinner ready and on the table is great as no one enjoys having an empty stomach. However, by prepping all these different foods together, you risk cross-contamination.

But with a workstation, you can prep several foods together without having to worry about that. Most of them come with up to three different spots that can be utilized simultaneously. So, for example, you could prep meat on one spot, fruits on the other, and vegetables on the third spot. The fact that your faucet is just right there makes it even better. Click here to learn more about cross-contamination. 

Final Thoughts 

Aside from being a highly functional kitchen equipment, these sinks often come in designs that can truly elevate the overall aesthetics of this part of the home. However, we must point out that they are usually more expensive than the regulars but this really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone.