2018 Bathroom Design Trends

Written by Kevin on January 27, 2018. Posted in Home Improvement, Updates.

With each new year comes a round of new design trends for consumers to embrace. If you’re looking for a few ways to upgrade your bathroom, whether you’re planning to sell your home, or you just want to change things up a bit, this blog series is for you. To learn what 2018 holds with regard to bathroom design, read on.

Monochromatic colors? Yes please. Are you someone who has a hard time determining what colors to mix for an attractive room palette? Worry no more. Design on a single color and choose varying shades to use in your bathroom and you’re on trend. From white to indigo blue to gray, go grab some paint chips-your life just got easier.

Bring on the Color. While monochromatic color is in, so is color itself. While there will always be those who enjoy the subtlety of organic tones, 2018 has arrived giving those who love bright, colorful baths and even kitchen permission to give it a go. Green, indigo, orange, yellow? whatever your pleasure, grab that paint brush and get to it

Stand-alone tubs? Perhaps the days of claw foot tubs are not completely back, but they’re getting pretty close. Stand-alone and sunken tubs are the way homeowners are creating a spa-like environment in their own homes. Whether in the bathroom or in the master bedroom, you’ll begin finding stand-alone tubs creeping back into homes this year.

Black is back. So brass managed to make a come-back, and now black fixtures have too. Especially with the monochromatic trend in play, black fixtures add a nice crisp pop and contrast to keep things interesting.

Ledge storage for the win. While storage has been making a comeback for a while, the ledge storage that we’ve all been using to lean photos and artwork on in our living rooms and bedrooms has made its way to the bathroom. Install it over your sink or toilet, whatever you please. But more storage options are reason to be excited.

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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to help! Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Help for Your Holiday Water Bill

Written by Kevin on November 19, 2017. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing.

With Thanksgiving less than a week away, the holiday countdown has begun. And like many families, you may be hosting several friends or family members over the next several weeks. While your preparation list likely includes gifts, food and cleaning, have you prepared to absorb the additional water expense that comes with extended house guests?

If your answer is “no”, you’re not alone. With all the activities happening at this time of year, homeowners rarely think about ways to save money on utility bills – until they receive them in the mail or their inbox in January. The fact is that extra guests mean an extra demand on your plumbing system and in your hot water needs, resulting in a greater impact on your wallet

To help you get through this holiday without a whopper of a water bill, here are just a few things you can do right now to save you money.

If you don’t have them already, you may want to consider installing low-flow plumbing fixtures. They can be a great asset in slowing down the water flow in your home. These nifty fixtures use a special high pressure technique that creates a flow that is equal to or greater than the flow on traditional flow faucets but using less water. You can find low-flow shower heads, toilets and faucets at your local hardware store.

Did you know you can buy a blanket for your water heater? To keep your water heater insulated and your water warm longer, stop by your local home improvement store and ask for an insulated blanket for your water heater. These are made especially for your water heater and can make sure all of your guests have a warm shower in addition to saving you money this holiday season.

With more guests comes more laundry. When doing laundry, especially guests’ towels and sheets, make sure you have a full load and that your water level matches the size of your load.

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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to help! Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Cleaning Your Fireplace

Written by Kevin on November 12, 2017. Posted in Home Improvement.

So cold weather has finally arrived. That means you can now curl up with a warm cup of java in front of your fireplace for a little R&R. Before you do though, there are a few tasks you’ll need to complete to ensure that your fireplace is in good working order. For a wood burning fireplace that means something entirely different than for a gas fireplace.

First and foremost, ask yourself what type of wood you’re burning. Properly seasoned wood that has been stored dry is the best and safest choice. Why? Dirty wood can escalate the potential for the buildup of a chemical called creosote that is often a primary cause of chimney fires.

If you’re burning good wood, now you can get down to business – and get dirty. If you haven’t cleaned the ashes from last season, grab a bag, and a small spade. You’ll need to shovel the ashes into the bag and throw them away. Whatever ashes are left can be vacuumed up.

If you have any buildup of smoke or soot that’s evident around the frame of your fireplace, you’ll need to grab some gloves, a good stiff brush and some masonry cleaner. Typically, build up is caused by a clogged flue, or maybe you forgot to open the damper once or twice. Oops!

Last but not least, if you use your fireplace regularly each year, having a professional chimney sweep inspect and clean it each year is money well spent. The reality is that soot and creosote can build up quickly and easily – and both are culprits for chimney fires. In addition, a good chimney sweep will find potential cracks in your chimney wall are a danger to you and your home.

What about gas fireplaces? The good news is that gas fireplaces are much lower maintenance than wood-burning fireplaces. However, it’s still important to have them regularly cleaned and inspected. You can clean the glass doors with a good household glass cleaner and use a hand vacuum to clean up any trash or debris around your heat exchanger (if your model has one). In addition, having a professional check your pilot light every other year is a good practice.

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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to help! Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Teaching Your Children To Use Toilet Paper

Written by Kevin on November 5, 2017. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing.

When it comes to toilet paper, a little good judgement goes a long way. While most adults have a sense of how much is too much, young children can have a harder time discerning the proper amount of toilet paper to use.

Thankfully toilet paper isn’t that expensive, but using too much can add up over time. To make matters worse, too much toilet paper can lead to problems like clogged and overflowing toilets. It can also create bigger problems for your septic system down the road which can mean costly repairs.

To help teach your child the finer points of toilet paper use, consider trying one of the following tactics.

Count the squares. This one is pretty straightforward. Determine a number of toilet paper squares that you and your child decide is appropriate and let them count out the squares and then tear them off.

Draw a line/Mark the Spot. This is as easy as it gets. Take a pencil and simply draw a line on the wall under the toilet paper roll to show your child how far to pull the toilet paper out. When they reach the line, tear the toilet paper. If you prefer, you can mark the spot with a small arrow sticker.

Make a measuring ribbon. This one takes a little more time, but it is probably the most aesthetically pleasing. Either purchase an attractive ribbon, or find one that you have at home. Measure the length that represents the number of paper squares that you’ve agreed on and cut the ribbon, leaving about an inch to an inch and a half extra on each end. Then affix the ribbon to the toilet roll holder and slip a small bead on the opposite end of the ribbon to add some weight. Finally, tie a knot adjacent to the bead and let the ribbon hang. Voila!

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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to help! Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Holiday Home Prep (Part 4): Electrical Systems

Written by Kevin on October 30, 2017. Posted in Home Improvement.

As you prepare for holiday house guests, it’s important to remember your home’s electrical systems. Carving out some time to ensure all your systems are functioning safely and properly can mean a more comfortable visit for your friends and family.

Furnace Check Up. If you haven’t already done it, schedule your annual furnace check up with your local heating and air service provider. Once complete, you can enjoy your guests with confidence, knowing you’ll be warm and toasty as you sip your mulled cider this holiday season. In addition, take a few minutes before they arrive to change your air filters, especially if family members or friends staying with you have allergies.

Lamps and light fixtures. Do you have any bulbs out? Or maybe a switch that’s not working correctly? Take some time to fix these so that you and your guests aren’t bothered by unnecessary dark corners or closets.

Child-Proofing Outlets. If you guest list includes small children, make sure that you’ve gone through your home to child-proof your home as much as possible. While no home is completely child-proof, a handful of safety plugs for your electric outlets and rearranging furniture to avoid easy climbing are small tasks that your guests will be ever grateful for when they arrive.

Fire/Carbon Monoxide Alarms. With the holidays come flickering candles, fires in the fireplace and cold weather that requires cranking up the heater. And while all of these are simple pleasures, they can bring dangers if not monitored properly. If you’ve been meaning to get those carbon monoxide detectors and just haven’t done it yet, put it on your to-do list and make it happen.

Also, grab extra batteries for your fire alarms and schedule some time this weekend to test and replace batteries to ensure your alarms are fully functioning. (Daylight Savings is this Sunday, Nov 5, and is a good time to schedule alarm checks and battery replacements).

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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to help! Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Home Holiday Prep: Your Plumbing System (Part 3)

Written by Kevin on October 24, 2017. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing.

So your kitchen appliances are ready to roll when guests arrive next month. What’s next? Your plumbing system. The reality is that with additional guests in your home, your plumbing system will endure added stress during the holidays. Here are a few things you can do to help ensure a problem-free holiday.

Toilets. Have your toilets been flushing slower than normal? Have you noticed an atypical odor or slight wetness around the base? These are signs that there may be trouble on the way. Have your toilet, pipes and system thoroughly inspected immediately. In addition, if you have a toilet handle or small issue that needs repairing, now’s the time to take care of those issues.

Sinks. If you have a slow draining sink, it may be as simple as a hair clog, but it may be more complicated. You can pull out the drain to see for yourself or have a professional inspect it for you.

Garbage Disposal. If not properly maintained, your home’s disposal can be a source of serious plumbing problems, not to mention an unpleasant odor. Especially during the holidays monitor what you are putting into your disposal. No-no’s include bones, celery, coffee grounds, egg shells, fruit pits, grease, pasta and potato peels.

Ice Maker. It’s never a bad idea to dump your ice maker and give the ice bin a good cleaning. Just make sure it’s rinsed thoroughly before returning it to your freezer. As it reloads, monitor it to make sure it’s loading properly and in a timely manner. If it’s slow or not functioning properly, you’ll need to do some investigating (or have a professional do it for you) to find the source of the problem. You can never have too much ice with several guests in your home!

Tubs/Showers. With multiple guests come multiple showers. Carve out some time to clean your shower heads and inspect it for clogged holes. And while you’re there, unscrew the drain cover and inspect your drain for unwanted debris, including hair.

Once you’re done, your home will be closer to providing a stress-free holiday season (at least with regard to your plumbing) for you and your guests.

Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to help! Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Home Holiday Prep: The Kitchen (Part 2)

Written by Kevin on October 23, 2017. Posted in Home Improvement.

Now that you have the big picture with regard to preparing for your house for the holidays, get your pencil and paper out. Below are some helpful tips for inspecting those appliances.

Refrigerator/Freezer. Besides your oven, what will be the most used appliance in your home in the next couple of months? You guessed it. Your refrigerator/freezer. The best advice comes from the experts at Popular Mechanics magazine, who recommend tightening screws on door handles, fixing loose or misaligned door gaskets and repositioning food in your refrigerator and freezer around the cold air and freezer vents. And while you’re there, inspect the freezer vent to be sure it isn’t blocked with ice. Next, replace bulbs where needed – you’re going to want to be able to find what you’re looking for in that full refrigerator!!

Oven. Unless you plan to clean your oven in the next week or two for the holidays, you may want to wait until the New Year. Why? While your oven’s self-cleaning feature is convenient, it is also very taxing on your oven. With the amount of cooking that you’ll be doing, combined with a self-cleaning run before, it can be too much for your oven, resulting in a complete shut down. Something you definitely don’t want on Thanksgiving Eve.

If you’re desperate, the alternative would be to clean your oven old-school style and save the self-cleaning option for after the holidays.

Dishwasher. Check your drain to remove any debris, be it paper, glass or food particles that have gotten lodged there. And any dishwasher will benefit from a good wipe down. Run a damp cloth over the key players: the door gasket and outside of the dishwasher as well as the spray arm and the dishwasher tub.

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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to help! Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Holiday Home Prep (Part One: The Kitchen)

Written by Kevin on October 15, 2017. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing.

Believe it or not, Christmas is just a little over four weeks away and Santa and your house guest will be arriving soon. What does that mean for you? To avoid unnecessary stress, now’s a good time to start preparing your home for holiday gatherings. Where to start? Below is a list of items to include on your “Holiday Home Prep” schedule:

Declutter your countertops. Set aside an hour or so to eliminate excess and put unneeded items in storage.

Clean out the pantry. Throw away expired items and give away unused canned and packaged goods. When you’re done, your pantry will be ready for your holiday baking and cooking ingredients.

Clean out the refrigerator. Take an afternoon to clean out food, wash the shelves and drawers, and check lightbulbs, etc. With kitchen helpers in abundance around the holidays, you’ll be glad your refrigerator sparkles.

Prepare utensils and serveware. Do you have enough? Is it clean? Chipped? Cracked? Do you need to replace anything? Take care of those issues now and you won’t be running around at the last minute.

Sharpen knives. If there’s one thing you don’t want during the holidays, it’s a dull knife. Either have them sharpened or do it yourself and mark this off your list.

Disinfect trash cans. No matter how tidy you are, trash cans just have the propensity to accumulate dirt and grease. Take yours outside and give it a thorough clean.

Polish silver, iron table linens, wash plates and glasses. If your family celebrates the holidays using silver, china or crystal, schedule time in the next few weeks to wash all of your serve ware and polish your silver. And don’t forget to iron your linens and hang them so that they are ready to make a beautiful holiday table.

Check small appliances. This time of year, there’s not many small kitchen appliances that don’t get used. Check your coffeemaker, crock pot, food processor, blender, etc. for any issues and either have them fixed or replaced pronto.

Clean and check your larger appliances (dishwasher, stovetop, oven and microwave) for missing or damaged parts and unsightly dirt and residue.

Clean your garbage disposal. Make sure your garbage disposal is free of unwanted debris and that water flows freely through it. You can also use some lemon juice and vinegar to freshen it up!

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Installing a French Drain (Part Two)

Written by Kevin on October 9, 2017. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing.

Now that you’ve identified a good location for your drain, it’s time to get started. Before you start digging, mark the area extending from your rain gutter for your French drain with spray paint. This will serve as your guide.

To begin building you’ll need a shovel, gravel, water permeable landscaping fabric, a few long nails and a perforated drainage pipe. The amount of each of these materials will depend on the depth, width and length of your drain. A standard French drain is 6 inches wide, 18-24 inches deep and about 3 feet long. (Keep in mind that you’ll need to dig deep enough to place the tubing so that the finished product doesn’t lie above your foundation.)

Once your trench is completed, spread about 3 inches of gravel along the bottom of the trench. Next, lay the landscaping fabric over the fabric, with about 10 inches of excess on either side of your trench. At this point, pin the fabric on either side with nails so that it will not move when you’re placing the drainage pipe and gravel. While some people don’t bother with using fabric, without it, your drain will fill with soil and clog over time.

Now you’re ready to lay your drain pipe and cover completely with more gravel. You’ll need to leave about 5 inches between the top of the gravel and the ground surface. Fold the fabric over the tubing and gravel, overlapping like you’re wrapping a present. Then fill the trench back in with soil. Depending on the location of your drain, you may wish to top the soil with sod. To further assist with drainage, create a bed of stones at the end of the drain pipe.

And voila, your new drainage system is ready to go!

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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to help! Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!

Installing A French Drain (Part One)

Written by Kevin on October 9, 2017. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing.

Have you discovered standing water around your foundation or do you have a leaky basement? Then you may want to consider installing a French drain on your property. By helping keep water away from your foundation and your basement, a french drain can be an essential tool in keeping your home free of water and mold. Though it may sound intimidating, installing a French drain is a relatively easy project that can make a big impact.

First and foremost, identify the best location for your drain. This is a critical first step, so don’t rush it. Your location can make or break the success and life of your drain. So grab your pen and paper for some tips to get you moving in the right direction.

Call your homeowner’s association and city or county officials to make sure you know your neighborhood’s regulations for digging. Once you’ve received the green light from the municipal powers that be, the next step is to check for underground cables, pipes or other installations.

Each home in the US has a network of pipes and cables underground that provide water, sewer, gas, electric and communications services. If you unknowingly dig in a location that has a cable or pipe below, you can damage your utilities, costing unnecessary expense, hassle and even serious injury. To help you with this process, call 811 (“Call Before You Dig”), which is a free resource that will connect you to a local call center. There they will have a record of utility cables, etc. that are underground on your property.

Now that you know where you can dig, you’ll need to identify the most effective place to install the drain. First, look for an area that has a slight slope that runs away from your home and is free of shrubs, trees or structures of any type. Also keep in mind the most effective drains are at least 3 feet long and run parallel to your home and horizontally down your slope.

Now that you’ve identified the ideal location for your French drain, come back later this week to learn how to build your own French drain.

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Have more questions? Call us—we’d love to help! Call the professionals at Go Green Plumbing at 336-252-2999 for service 7 days a week/24 hours a day. If water runs through it – We Do It!