Amazon.com has faucets on sale; don’t delay!

The plan this morning was to hammer out a blog on how to fix a leaky kitchen faucet (mine). And then I came across this very timely article on the top 8 faucets for 2016: https://wiki.ezvid.com/best-kitchen-faucets?id=bng. “Maybe new IS a good idea,” I thought. Our kitchen faucet is easily 20 years old, it leaks from the column every time the lever is in the hot-water position, and is frankly quite gnarly around the base. We are way past due for an upgrade.

Enter sale pricing at Amazon.com (and free shipping for Amazon Prime members).

Note: The prices listed in the images are today’s prices – amazingly good deals on good quality faucets. Amazon pricing can change rapidly; we recommend ordering quickly before the list price increases or inventory runs out.

The link above provides details on each faucet pictured below AND links each picture to the appropriate amazon.com information page. How convenient (THANKS, Internet!).

Allied Reddi Rooter: You Buy It, We’ll Install It
Sure, you or your handy partner can probably install these faucets over the weekend. But for deals this good, reward yourself and invite the professional plumbers at Allied over to do it for you. They can easily complete the job before Valentine’s Day, making someone in your life VERY happy.

Water You Waiting For? Call Ray today for a free installation estimate or to schedule an installation appointment. (513) 396-5300.

We’ve been closely following the developing story on the Flint, MI water crisis. After reading the in-depth news reports, we are thankful for the Greater Cincinnati Water Works (GCWW) — it’s one of the finest in the nation. A trip through their web site (http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/water/about-greater-cincinnati-water-works) is time well spent.

Unlike our northern water utility neighbors in Flint, the GCWW strongly believes in its mission: “To provide customers within our regional communities a plentiful supply of the highest quality water and excellent services.” But to be fair, a water works is only as successful as it’s host community. The Greater Cincinnati area enjoys a more robust local economy than Flint, MI – a city that has been in receivership for the past few years. When a community has extensive financial challenges, services such as local water utilities quickly lose funding. Necessary upgrades cannot be funded (e.g., water main replacements) and the local residents suffer the consequences.

In the Greater Cincinnati area, our municipal water supply meets or exceeds all federal standards. At Allied Reddi-Rooter, we tip our hat to the GCWW for their work in ensuring that Cincinnatians have safe water.

GCWW & The City of Cincinnati – A Strong Relationship
The GCWW, purchased by the City of Cincinnati in 1839, has been a municipally owned and operated utility for over 175 years. In that time, the GCWW has thoughtfully built one of the country’s best water systems. A few highlights, from their web site:

• GCWW is a leader in water quality research and applying water-clarifying technology in the name of protecting public health. GCWW is often “featured nationally for state-of-the-art water treatment and research. To ensure the highest quality drinking water, [GCWW tests] the water more than 600 times a day from the source through treatment and in the distribution system”.
• GCWW supplies more than 48 billion gallons of water a year through 3,000 miles of water mains to about 235,000 residential and commercial accounts.
• The GCWW’s service area includes the City of Cincinnati, much of Hamilton County and areas within Ohio’s Butler and Warren counties and Boone County, Kentucky and Florence, Kentucky (thanks, pipeline under the river!).

Continuous Improvement – Pipes Must Be Replaced
The water source is just one component of clean drinking water. The pipes that carry the water from the treatment plant to your tap are another.

To help ensure that treated water remains safe to the tap, the GCWW has 7 “major projects” underway now that focus on water main upgrades. GCWW posts it’s schedule for major water main updates on their site – 7 major improvements are underway now, from Clifton to Colerain Ave and points nearby.

Water Treatment – More Important than the Source
For the residents of Flint, MI, the drinking water originates in the Flint River. According to a recent article published by the National Review, “Flint has relatively high levels of lead in its drinking water, a cause for legitimate concern. This is a result not so much of the source of its drinking water, the Flint River, as of the city’s failure to treat the water, which, without the proper additives, leaches lead and other contaminants from pipes. (read more at http://www.nationalreview.com/article/430072/flint-lead-water-scandal)

GCWW supplies water from two primary sources:
• 88% of local water is supplied by the Miller Treatment Plant – This plant treats surface water from the Ohio River.
• 12% (the Butler County portion) is supplied by the Bolton Treatment Plant – this plant treats groundwater from 10 wells in the Great Miami Aquifer.

Leaks Cost as Much as Usage
One of our favorite pages on the GCWW web site describes the cost leaks – they not only waste the water we purchase from the GCWW, they can also cause expensive damage. This GCWW states it bluntly: “Please note that no reduction in water charges will be made for leakage.” Yep, that’s a clear position.

Leaks such as these can quickly add hundreds of dollars to your water bill. The table below provides insight:

Toilets are the greatest water consumer in one’s homes. Typically, toilet leaks are either inside the tank (trouble with the internal components) or an improper seating issue (water is leaking from the tank into the bowl).

Water You Waiting For? If your water is leaking down the drain, the professionals at Allied Reddi-Rooter are an excellent investment. They can identify leaks and stop them fast – in most cases with just one service call. It’s likely the cost of the service call can be recouped within 1-2 GCWW billing periods – a much faster ROI than many home repairs. Call Ray today (513) 396-5300.

Installing a backwater valve may be the answer to your troubled waters.

Recently, we came home to a major problem in our basement shower – bits of toilet paper and raw sewage had gurgled up from the drain while we were away. “Yuck” is a major understatement. “Gross me to the max” is more fitting, even if it is straight out of 1983. When unmentionables are oozing into one’s shower, pride runs right out the door.

Even though our sewage experience was foul, we were lucky; the backflow seepage was contained to our shower (that 4″ curb does more than just hold the shower door up) and only damaged our dignity. It could’ve been much worse.

What Causes Backflow?
In our case, a clogged drain line is the culprit — this is a good time to re-state our favorite phrase: “If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t flush it.” When the line is obstructed, the sewage has no option other than to flow backwards, back through the drain line and into your home or business. Usually, nasties floating around the floor drain are the big indicator.

In other cases, such as during periods of excessive rain, it’s possible for municipal sewage or storm water systems to become overloaded (i.e., such as during the recent floods). When that happens, waste water is forced backwards through the drainage system.

Preventing Backflow: Inexpensive and Simple
By installing a backwater valve, sewage backups are easily preventable – they won’t fix the clog, but they will prevent damage to your carpeting, furniture, sense of cleanliness, and other areas.

What is a Backwater Valve?
According to www.plumbinghelp.ca, “A backwater valve is a one way flow control valve installed in a drainage system, that under normal conditions allows the waste water to drain out of the system. If, however, a reversed flow of drainage water should occur, the valve will be forced closed and protect the interior of the building from sewage backup.”

When are backwater valves required?
In new construction, backwater valves are required in below grade applications – that means basements or living areas that may be partially below grade (such as in a split level home). The experts at www.plumbinghelp.ca note that “The most common backwater points of entry into your home may be through basement floor drains, water closets/toilets, sinks, laundry standpipes and sump pits.” Word.

Backflow Prevention Sounds Perfect! How do I Get On Board?
First, check to see if you already have a backflow valve already installed. Open your floor drain cover and perform a visual inspection. If you don’t see one, it’s possible that you may not need one – especially if sewage backups rarely happen in your area. On the flip side, if you’ve experienced a backup and want to avoid more, a backwater valve is a relatively inexpensive insurance plan.

Water You Waiting For? Backwater valves can be easily installed (usually) by handy homeowners, but if you have questions or would like to learn more about how backflow valves work and if there is a need for such valves in the Greater Cincinnati and Dayton area, Ray is available to answer your questions. Call today: (513) 396-5300.