Front Versus Top Load Washing Machines

Written by Kevin on May 17, 2016. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing.

Until recently the only time you saw a front loading washing machine was in an industrial application or at the laundromat. However, they are now the mark of true style, sophistication and conservation in high-end homes.

Top-loading washers do a great job, especially compared to the ones made in the 1980s and earlier. The washer’s tub sits vertically in the machine and has an agitator in the middle that churns the water and clothes together, forcing water through the items. It drains, refills with clean water, agitates again, drains, rinses and spins. The front-loading machine follows the same basic method, but has many advantages over the standard top-loaders.

However, the front-loading machine offers greater energy efficiency. Nearly each one has the coveted ‘Energy Star’ label, which means it meets or exceeds the efficiency standards set out by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. While a top-loading machine requires enough water to cover all the clothes in its drum, a front-loading washer needs only a third of that amount because its drum is set horizontally in the machine. As the drum turns, it uses gravity to drop the clothes back into the water. And while a top-loading machine will empty the soapy water and refill for a rinse agitation cycle, a front-loading machine just sprays clean water on the load as the drum continues to turn, saving gallons. Since there’s no agitator in a front-loading machine, there’s a lot more room for dirty clothes – and larger loads means fewer loads.

Finally, the front-loading machine’s spin mechanism can reach up to 1,000 rpm, as opposed to the standard top-loader’s average 650 rpm. That means less water left in the laundry, which in turn gives you a shorter drying time, saving energy there, too.

Have a plumbing issue and need some 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!

Setting Up a Hydroponic Garden

Written by Kevin on April 28, 2016. Posted in Home Improvement.

Hydroponic gardening is the practice of growing plants in water. This soil less gardening method has been used in ancient times in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Floating Gardens of China. Since then, some other countries, like Holland and Germany have successfully commercialized hydroponic gardening.

Hydroponic gardening is preferable to traditional soil planting because plants grow 30-50% faster and yield more produce. Part of this is because plants grow in an oxygen rich environment since oxygen is in the water and the environment, which encourages root growth. In addition, because nutrients are added to the planting medium, plants are able to better absorb the nutrients over time in a way that is not possible in traditional soil planting. Since nutrients are easier to take up the plant wastes less energy trying to find the nutrients and break them down as food for the plant. In addition, hydroponic plants have fewer funguses, disease and bug infestations all while using less water than soil planting.

If you want to begin hydroponic gardening, you will have to select a growing medium. Choices include perlite, vermiculate, sand and shale. Supplies are available at most nurseries and home improvement stores. Supplies can also be purchased online. You will also need nutrient solution.

Finally, you will need to choose whether you will use an active or passive system. Active systems rely on a pump to circulate the water and nutrient solution while a passive system relies on the plants’ root system to pick up the nutrients. Systems can be purchased as a kit or built at home to your specifications. To reduce frustration, beginners might want to consider purchasing a kit from a hydroponic supply store.

Have a plumbing issue and need some 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!

How to Repair a Garden Hose

Written by Kevin on April 21, 2016. Posted in Home Improvement.

How to Repair a Garden Hose by Go Green Plumbing

Have you ever gone to water your newly planted spring flowers only to turn the hose on and see a leak? Or maybe you’ve run over the brass nozzle on the end of the hose. If it is a nice hose, you may want to consider repairing the hose rather than tossing it. Sure, garden hoses are not that expensive, but when you have one that you really like it can be hard to part with it.

Repairing your hose can be easy with the right tools and a little know how. First, you will want to turn off the water and disconnect the hose from the spigot. Next, look at where the hole is in the hose. If it is close to the ends, you may want to just cut the hose at the leak and attach a new brass coupling, thereby shortening the length of the hose. If not, you can repair it at the point of the leak. Look for a patch kit at the local hardware store.

If it is leaking near the brass coupling on the end, try replacing the rubber gasket that fits between the end of the hose and the spigot. Most hoses come with a flat gasket, but replacing with a round O gasket can give you a better seal and stop the dripping near the spigot. You can also find replacement brass hose barb kit if you need to replace the end pieces. Once the barb is in, slide the clamp up to the middle of the barb and tighten it with a screwdriver.

Have a plumbing issue and need some 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!

Low Flow Toilets Save Money

Written by Kevin on April 12, 2016. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing.

When the modern toilet was first developed in the mid 1800’s there was little concern about the amount of water used. At that time, the population lived in areas with abundant water nearby. Farmers needed it to water their fields and animals and city dwellers working in the manufacturing industry lived near water because it powered the mills in town. Back then it was not unusual for a toilet flush to use seven gallons of water.

Then, in the 1990s we realized that we couldn’t continue to use that much water every time we flushed the toilet. There were more people in the world, and more had access to indoor plumbing. Therefore, the government required that manufacturers reduce the amount of water used with each flush. The new standard was 1.6 gallons of water per flush.

However, toilet manufactures did little to change the design of the toilet to support the reduced water usage. Instead, they relied on the traditional design, with less water. After this change consumers were disappointed in the performance of these new toilets and did everything possible to keep their old, water hogging toilets. However, do not be afraid.

Modern water saving toilets feature larger flapper valves to allow more water to pass from the tank to the bowl more quickly than in the past resulting in more force, with less water. In addition, some models allow pressurized water to pass with the water the push the waste through the system. This not only saves water, it saves money by reducing your water consumption. It’s better for your wallet and the environment too!

Have a plumbing issue and need some 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!

What to Flush, What Not to Flush by Go Green Plumbing

Written by Kevin on February 9, 2016. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing, Updates.

What to Flush, What Not to Flush

I think we’ve all had that same question at one point in our life – is this really flushable? So many products now claim to be flushable – baby wipes, feminine hygiene products, etc. But what should you do to protect your pipes? Rest assured, we have answers.

First, while many products sat they are ‘safe’ to flush, limit your flushes to simple waste and toilet paper. Anything else should go in the trashcan. If you are concerned about odors, simply sprinkle some baking soda in the trash can liner to help absorb odor or empty trash daily. Particularly strong odors can be mitigated by disposing of them in the main trashcan outside the home (used diapers, any dog/cat clean up items).

No feminine hygiene products should ever be flushed down the toilet. In public waste systems they can build up and cause a blockage, which the homeowner may have to pay to repair. In private septic tanks, they can quickly fill the tank to capacity. Baby and cleaning wipes are other products that are frequently flushed. Remember that while one or two of these a year may be OK for the system, regularly flushing either of these can lead to disastrous consequences for your septic tank.

Have a plumbing issue and need some 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!

New Year, New You by Go Green Plumbing

Written by Kevin on January 21, 2016. Posted in Home Improvement.

Tips for New Year Organization

Looking for a way to tackle the stuff that collects in that one place in your house? It may be the kitchen, the laundry room , your office or the garage, but we all have that one place that catches everything. Here are some tips to help you make sense of it, a little bit at a time.

First, take stock of the stash. What is in there? Is it mail? The children’s school papers? Bills that need to be paid? Newspapers that need to be recycled or articles to clip out of magazines? Whatever it is, you will need to start by sorting it into manageable piles. Sort like things together and make a pile for stuff that just needs to be thrown away or recycled.

Stuff accumulates when there is no clear place for it to go. So many of our junk piles are just things that we don’t quite know what to do with. Make a pact to only handle new items once. Either throw it away, or place it in its rightful place – like a file folder for recipes to keep, or in a box for bills to be paid. If there is not rightful place, make one.

Purchase inexpensive plastic tubs that hold hanging files to sort bills, recipes, articles and coupons. Purchase plastic bins to hold recyclables until you can get them to the curb or items that need a permanent home (and commit to cleaning it out once a week).

Have a plumbing issue and need some 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!

Get That Stink Out of your Sink!

Written by Kevin on December 21, 2015. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing.

We have all been there. You take out the trash, wipe down the counters, and give the dog a bath – but you just can’t get rid of that smell in the kitchen! Where is that smell coming from? Laundry? Nope! Rotten fruit? No way! Did you check the sink? Yep, that’s it!

Kitchen sinks get a lot of use each and every day. In addition to food preparation and clean up, it is likely that your kitchen sink sees a lot of dirty hands, laundry and general cleaning too. Because we are washing greasy dishes in the sink with all those little bits of food and dirt, it can build up quite a stink. You can banish that smell with items you probably have on hand.

If you have a garbage disposal, cut a lemon, lime or orange into quarters and put it down the sink with two cups of ice. Turn on the disposal while running cold water down the drain. If you are out of citrus fruit, place one cup of rock salt and two cups of ice in the disposal and turn it on while running cold water. The ice will scrape the gunk off the blades of the disposal and the ice or citrus will kill the germs. Citrus will also cut any grease.

If you don’t have a garbage disposal, put two quarts of water on the stove to boil. Once the water reaches the boiling point, add one cup of baking soda to the drain. Follow with one cup of vinegar. The solution will start to foam as the two react. Follow with boiling water. Add an extra splash of vinegar to fill germs and keep the drain fresh as a daisy.

Have a plumbing issue and need some 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!

Seal Out The Cold by Go Green Plumbing

Written by Kevin on December 21, 2015. Posted in Home Improvement, Plumbing.

Winter is upon us and with it comes that cold, raw weather. Before the cold weather hits, take some time to winterize your home to lower your heating costs and keep your home nice and toasty. Cold air can seep in through leaks around doors and windows, so by finding those leaks and stopping that air, you can make a difference in how warm your home feels.

Start by finding where air is leaking. Look at door and window frames to see where light is coming in from the other side. This is an indicator that there is a gap that may be letting in the cold. You can also light a candle or a lighter and trace around the door or window frame to see where the air causes the candle to flicker. Mark those areas with bits of painters tape so that you know where to add insulation.

There are multiple ways to insulate around window and doors. There is foam tape with an adhesive backing that is inexpensive and available online and in most hardware stores. It is easy to cut and fit a length to the exact size you need. You may find that you need to replace the rubber gasket around some doors. This is slightly more expensive, but will provide a better seal to keep air out. Rubber door sweeps will keep cold air from coming in underneath exterior doors or doors leading to unconditioned space (like attics and basements).

Have a plumbing issue and need some 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!