Tool Taped to my Insinkerator Garbage Disposal.

Question: I have this tool that is taped to my insinkerator garbage disposal. What is it for?

Answer: The tool is an allen style wrench that you can use to un-jam your disposal. The operation is very simple, take the allen tool and put it in the allen bolt in the bottom of the disposal. This allows you to move the mechanism without electrical power. Then you can spin it a few times with the wrench. Then turn on the water and the disposal and it should clear the blockage.

See the photo above for a bottom view of the disposal and one of the wrench, where you use the wrench.

What is a Tub and Shower Faucet?

Question: What is a tub and shower faucet?

Answer: A tub and shower faucet is a combined tub filler and shower head faucet. This unit has a diverter located either on the tub spout or the valve that allows you to switch from overhead shower to the tub filler.

Popular brands of tub and shower faucets include, Moen, Delta, Kohler, Price Pfister and Grohe.

Are Brizo Faucets Available on the Internet?

Question: Are Brizo Faucets available on the internet?

Answer: Yes they are but not officially. Brizo since 2006 has prohibited merchants from selling Brizo on the internet.
The move may not be that great for the brand. They reached an internet search high in March of 2006 and since then the search volume for the word Brizo has steadily declined. See the Google Insights For Search Graph Below.

Are Bemis toilet seats a good quality brand?

Question: Are Bemis Toilet Seats a good quality brand?

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Answer: Yes, I think they are a great brand. They have been in business since 1901. They specialize in sanitary seating, ie. toilet seats. See the video below for the history of Bemis.

Christmas Faucet is This an Appropriate Gift For My Wife?

Question: I was thinking about buying my wife an expensive kitchen faucet for Christmas. Is this a good idea?

Answer: Ah the appliance for christmas question. Yes, I think a faucet is an appropriate gift. However, not an un-installed faucet. Do what ever it takes to surprise her and have it installed before Christmas.

This will do a couple of things for you, surprise and respect. She will be surprised that she get's to use the faucet and she will respect that you installed it.

One more disclaimer: I do think it is a good gift, but you should have another gift besides the faucet. Like Jewelry.

Agree or Disagree? Comment Below

What is Plumber's Putty?

Question: What is Plumber's Putty.

Answer: Plumber's Putty is a putty that plumbers use to seal drains on tub drains, sink drains. The putty remains soft for a long time and it is a reversible seal.

It is reversible so the drain can be serviced by the plumber. A new putty seal is needed each time the drain is installed.

Kohler Pro Website

Kohler has a completely new website just for professionals. I think it is very helpful and it get's rid of most of the consumer marketing that we used to have to wade through.

Thanks Kohler.

in reference to: KOHLER PRO: HOME PAGE - SAP NetWeaver Portal (view on Google Sidewiki)

Which Faucet Brand is the Most Popular?

Question: Which Faucet brand is the most popular?

Answer: In the US Delta Faucet is the most popular brand. See the graph from Google below.

What is the Spanish Word for Faucets?

Question: What is the Spanish Word For Faucets?

Answer: The spanish word for faucets is grifos. The word faucet in spanish is Grifo.

Source: Google Translate

Install a Touchless Faucet by Kohler - Video

Install a Mirrored Medicine Cabinet - Video

How to Install a Widespread Bathroom Faucet -Video

How to Install a Center Set Bathroom Faucet -Video

How To Install A Kohler Kitchen Faucet - Video

How to Install A Kohler Vanity - Video

How To Install a Kohler Toilet - Video

Are Danze Faucets worth the money?

Question: Are Danze Faucets worth the money?

Answer: Yes, I think they are very well priced for what you get. Danze faucets exceed all national plumbing codes and standards.

Danze faucets use ceramic disk valves to give the faucet a great feel and they last for the lifetime of the faucet.

Their shower faucets have anti-scald protection and they meet ASSE 1016 safety requirements. Their faucets are lead free and they take steps to make sure lead never enters the water stream.

Danze faucets are also priced below brands like Kohler, Grohe, and Hansgrohe. So, considering the quality  and the features, Danze faucets are worth the money.

Who Makes Hansgrohe Faucets?

Question: Who Makes Hansgrohe Faucets.

Answer: Hansgrohe is their own brand and they make their own faucets. They are not to be confused with Grohe.

Hansgrohe is based in Germany and they are owned by the Masco Corporation.

Masco also owns Delta Faucet Company, Peerless Faucets, Brizo Faucets and Alsons Shower Products.

I need a new toilet seat, what would you recommend?

Question: I need a new toilet seat, what would you recommend?

Answer: First make sure you know if your toilet is elongated or round. Then I would buy a toilet seat from the maker of the toilet. They usually have specific seats that are made to fit.

If you have an off brand toilet, then just make sure you have the correct length. Either elongated or round bowl.

As far as features, there are many to choose from. Heated seats, Bidet Style Seats, and Soft Closing seats. You can get all of these features in one seat.

However, the most important feature is the soft close. You just touch the seat and it goes down very softly. This makes a big difference and you will not get those slam downs by mistake. Also, the traditional heavy seats could injure a small boy. So, if you have kids get the soft close seat.

My husband want's a massaging shower head. What should I get him?

My husband want's a massaging shower head. What should I get him?

I would choose a shower head that has an adjustable spray pattern. Also, one that is easy to clean. A good choice is the new Grohe Euphoria Shower head.

The Euphoria has 3 spray patterns, 1. Normal, 2. Eco (Water-Saving) and 3. Massage.

The grohe showerhead is easy to clean because of their SpeedClean® System which makes mineral deposits fall away with a simple touch to the spray outlets.

Do Danze Faucets have a lifetime Warranty?

Do Danze Faucets have a life time warranty?

Yes, Danze does offer a limited life time warranty for the original purchaser of the faucet.

Print this warranty card and mail it back to Danze to register your faucet and become eligible for their warranty protection.

Should my faucet match the cabinet hardware?

Question: Should my faucet match the cabinet hardware?

Answer:

Yes, I think it looks much better to have matching hardware and faucets. Kohler recognizes this and they are now offering cabinet pulls and hardware to match their faucets.

Dehumidifier Video by Consumer Reports

Tankless Water Heaters versus Tank Hot Water Heaters (Video)

Testing Toilets (Consumer Reports Video)

Water Saving Toilets Video by Consumer Reports

Where Can I Buy Faucets Online?

Listed are 10 faucet retailers and they are many many more. Do a google shopping search for faucets and you will see most of the online retailers that sell faucets.

1. Faucet Depot

2. Designer Plumbing Outlet

3. Faucet.com

4. Faucetdirect.com

5. Home Depot.com

6. Plumbersurplus.com

7. Lowes.com

8. Faucetuniverse.com

9. Everyfaucet.com

10. ebay.com

How to Troubleshoot a Delta Kitchen Faucet Pull Out or Pull Down Spray

1. Identify the area that is leaking.

A. Leaking from under the handle?

a. Replace Ball Assembly #1 in the diagram - Repair Part Delta RP70 for a lever handle faucet or Delta RP212 for knob style handles.

b. Replace Cam & Packing (#2 in diagram - Repair Kit Delta RP61). For faucets before 2007, use Delta RP1050 and RP61.

B. Leaking from the aerator?

a. Replace seats and springs (#3 in diagram - Repair part Delta RP4993).

a1. still leaking?

b. Replace Ball Assembly (#1 in diagram - Repair Part Delta RP70 for lever handles or Delta RP212 for knob handles).

C. Leaking from the Spout?

a. since the water travels through the hose and not the spout itself, a leak from the base of the spout would be unlikely. If this does occur, check the connection of the hose to the spray head. If the connection is not leaking, then check the hose for damage. Replace the hose if damaged.

The information is from Delta Faucet® if you have further questions about Delta Faucets call 1-800-345-3358.

I have a faucet that leaks. How much water does it waste per day?

One leaking faucet may not seem like a big deal. However, one small drip drips 60 times per minute and that translates into 86,400 drips per day.

86,400 drips equals 5 gallons per water per day. If this was bottled water which costs upward of $5 per gallon you would be wasting $25 per day or a whopping $750 per month.

Granted tap water costs much less. However, this illustration is to show you how wasteful one dripping faucet can be.

Ever Wonder About the Drip on Your Kitchen Faucet?

Drippy Faucets Offer Lesson In Physics: "Drippy Faucets Offer Lesson In Physics
ScienceDaily (Feb. 6, 2009) — To Peter Taborek, a drippy faucet is a physics experiment. Taborek uses high-speed video to capture the motion of drops and bubbles coming apart. Knowing the details of this “pinch-off” process is important when designing inkjet printers, because ink must form a single droplet without trailing liquid. It also is useful in biotechnology when fluid is used on microchips, and it has applications in cosmetics, food and structural materials industries."

“When water drips from your kitchen faucet, it spontaneously forms a long filament of fluid that connects to the falling drop,” says Taborek, UC Irvine physics professor. “The connection point shrinks to zero in a characteristic way that we have studied in detail, down to atomic dimensions."
In a recent study, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, Taborek and colleague Justin Burton analyze the pinch-off process of xenon bubbles in water. Xenon gas is used in lamps and lasers and has been used as a general anesthetic.
The scientists discovered the main difference between drops and bubbles is the density of the liquid inside. The pinch-off process is bubble-like until a certain density is reached, then the pinching becomes drop-like.
“In addition to providing amusement for physicists and mathematicians, the pinch-off process in drops and bubbles is a model system to study how one thing turns into two things,” Taborek says. “This is common in nature, ranging from the Big Bang to cell division.”
The National Science Foundation funded this study.

What is A Pressure Balanced Shower Valve

Remember the old style 2 Handle Showers? You could take a shower, but you did so with the fear the someone would flush a toilet and thus scald you.

Those valves would lose all of the cold water pressure once the toilet was flushed. A pressure balanced valve, which is now code required, eliminates this problem.

The pressure balanced shower valve is designed to compensate for loss of pressure on either the cold side or the hot side. The only drawback to this type of valve is that you do lose water pressure when this balancing occurs.

So, for large showers and custom showers, you would be better served by installing a thermostatic shower valve.

What is an Aerator?

An Aerator is the part on your faucet where the water mixes with air to create a aerated flow. A flow mixed with air is less likely to splash. Also, the aerator usually has a a screen that traps scale and debris.

Brizo Baliza

Brizo Baliza combines modern style and modern style to form a faucet that has noticeable beauty. The Baliza Kitchen Faucet includes a four function pull out wand that attaches with Brizo's MagneDock™ technology. Also, this faucet controls not only the spray from the spray head but also the volume.

Designer Plumbing Outlet DPO is proud to carry the full line of Brizo Faucets, including the Baliza.

What is an Airgap?

Question what is an Airgap? Answer: An Airgap or Air Gap is devise mounted on your kitchen sink top that you connect your dishwasher drain to. This airgap prevents the contaminated dishwasher water drainage from siphoning back into the water supply to your home and the neighbors homes.

Most jurisdictions require an Airgap in their plumbing codes. Please check with your local building department, before installing a new dishwasher.

Installing an Airgap protects your drinking water and the communities drinking water.

Many homeowners feel that they are unsightly. However, in the past few years, the manufacturers have offered finishes to match the custom finish of your kitchen faucet.