Drainage System Maintenance

So there you are feeling justifiably relaxed, having purchased the ideal home, when you hear a dripping sound. Undoubtedly having dealt with this minor problem you will merrily discuss how fortunate you were to be at home when the dripping started, However, as most home owners are aware, disasters rarely happen to suit your programme. It is therefore wise to conclude that the minimum effort of regular maintenance can, as with cars (which we are more accustomed to maintain regularly), reduce the number of unexpected calamities. In this article we propose an ‘autumn maintenance programme’ to cover electrics, plumbing, heating and drainage, and timber, and a ‘five yearly maintenance programme’ to cover external decorations, roofing and external walls.

Drainage systems explained

I doubt if there are any two identical drainage systems in this country. There are numerous combinations from district to district, using different materials and different methods of moving the waste away. You may not even be on main drainage. You may be one of the fortunate few blessed with septic tanks, the maintenance of which will probably have been impressed on you by the previous owners. The system on the opposite page is probably the most common and is generally typical of new housing.

Underground drainage

Here we have a choice of two systems. One is where the rainwater is kept separate from the waste/soil water. The other is where both are combined underground at the manholes, and discharged to the main sewer in the street. I understand that in some areas you are not allowed to drain rainwater into the drainage system at all. It is intended that you form guttering systems on your own property.

A single-stack system

This is the modern form of drainage above ground where the WC, basin and bath are connected separately to one downpipe. To prevent suction breaking the traps, the wash-hand basins, baths, showers and WC are all within two metres of the downpipe.

A two-pipe system

This is the same as the above, but the WC is taken separately to the manhole.

A vented system

This applies to both the above systems when the fittings are farther than two metres away from the down pipe. Then, to prevent the traps being broken, a vent pipe is located close to each individual trap to let in air and prevent the suction building up.

Traps explained

The purpose of a trap is very simple: to prevent pong coming from the main sewer into your house, A trap is formed with a U bend of pipes, in which water is trapped; between 1%” and 3” for baths, wash-hand basins and showers, and approximately 6” deep for WCs, rainwater gullies and yard gullies. Suction is formed between the trap and the discharged water; the larger the distance the greater the suction, so to prevent the water in the trap being sucked out, basins, baths, showers and WCs are all within 2 metres of the downpipe in a single-stack system. There is one special trap which is intended to stop rats coming from the main sewer into your drainage system. This is the interceptor trap, and is located either at the edge of your property or in the last manhole before the main sewer. Too often when the drainage is blocked, the interceptor stopper is removed and this allows the rats to climb straight in without attempting to go through the trap. So in your maintenance, look for the stopper and tie a piece of polypropylene rope to it. Attach this to a hook at the top of the manhole and then you will be able to pull it and release a blockage.

Gutter Cleaning Services

Your gutters job is to safeguard your house from its environment and during winter season this job can be immense.  It protects your home from water damage throughout the year simply by flushing liquid away from the building and more importantly away from the foundations. They are an essential part of any high quality house, nevertheless they tend not to stand the test of time and how they perform is dependent on how routinely your clean them, as well as other maintenance to ensure they will continue accomplishing their role effectively.

Efficient Gutter Cleaning

Several do-it-yourself companies today will examine your guttering, as well as carry out repairs on systems that cannot be remedied by a simple clean. At the same time, these types of repairs cause tension in the household but they are a necessary part of caring for your home. Many professionals recommend the following actions to help keep gutters clean as well as damage free:

• Thoroughly clean and inspect your properties gutters twice annually, so that they do not develop blockages and cause the gutter to retain water. This will cause the gutter to overflow and may even cause the gutter to collapse which would be a disaster.
• Wear robust gloves to safeguard your hands from dust such as shards of wood, cracked piping as well as other hard debris. Cleaning companies will advise of problems arising from property owners who've been cut or damaged their guttering by carrying out the work themselves.
• Try not to complete the task on your own but instead ask a neighbour for some help. You may be standing on an uneven footing and you may fall due to a sudden movement by the ladder. Have a friend secure the ladder and make sure the ladder is standing on a level footing.
• Make use of a spade or other small scooping device to clear out any debris or leaves that have built up over the months. Make sure you fasten a new bucket or maybe trash bag to the ladder, so your hands will be free to carry out the work.
• Once you have removed the debris from the channel, use a hose pipe to gently wash the surface clean being sure not to wet the steps of the ladder.
• Thoroughly clean the downspout using the same method as above. Cleaning companies recommend using the nozzle of your house to try and push through any blockages that may have occurred in the downspout but I would recommend using a plumber’s snake for this task.

There is no hard and fast rules about how best to carry out the above process but if you stick the points outlined above, you can’t really go wrong. This is not a difficult task and I do not see why you need to pay someone to do it, if you've got the right equipment. That being said, if you do require someone to do this for your, please click on this link and someone will help you with your problem. http://www.jtguttercleaning.com

Cabinet Manufacturing Codes

Understanding the system used to identify the cabinets and accessories you will install is important. The Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association established a generic cabinet coding system more than 20 years ago to standardize the nomenclature used for identifying and specifying kitchen, bathroom, and other specialty cabinets. The National Kitchen and Bath Association has customized this coding system somewhat; this is the system explained here. The system has been adopted and used by most cabinet manufacturers, providing standardized delineations for sizes and types of cabinets. The system is based on a character code that explains each cabinet category, type of cabinet, width of cabinet, and height.

Understanding the Codes

The first character defines the general type of cabinet. There are six general cabinet categories, one accessory category, and one molding/trim category. The six general categories are W, all wall cabinets; T, all tall cabinets; B, all base cabinets; V, all vanity cabinets; D, all desk cabinets; P, all peninsula cabinets; and F, all furniture cabinets. For some cabinets manufacturers, vanity and desk cabinets are interchange able; therefore, the V designation is used in both applications. A D designation is applied only if sizing between the two systems differs. Molding and trim pieces are identified by a separate code that describes each piece. There is no major category that sets them apart from the other groupings.

The second set of characters identifies the type of cabinet. For example, a BB is a blind base corner cabinet. A BC is a base corner cabinet. It may have fixed, adjustable, or rotary shelving, which is designated by a letter. A BD is a base cabinet that features a stack of drawers. A standard B is assumed to have a drawer above the door. A WO is a wall cabinet that has no doors; therefore, it is called an open cabinet. An M indicates a microwave cabinet. The next two numeric symbols identify the width of the cabinet. This, dimension is always listed because the widths are variable. Most manufacturing have 3-inch (8-cm) modules, from 9 inches (23 cm) to 48 inches (122 cm).

The next two numeric symbols identify the height of the cabinet. These digits are used only if varying heights are available. For example, in wall cabinets, you can choose from heights of 12 inches (30 cm) to 30 inches (76 cm). Some manufacturers offer additional heights. Since base cabinets have standard height that is used throughout the kitchen, no height dimension is part of that code. The last two characters identify any nonstandard configurations within specified cabinet unit. For example, a D identifies a diagonal corner unit; identifies glass doors; D3 means three drawers; PC means pie cut; TO means tilt-out drawer head, and so forth.

Accessories to be added to the cabinet are designated following the code. Examples are BB for bread box; OB for cutting board; HU for unit; MU for mixer unit, etc. Miscellaneous trim and finish pieces with, non-specific category heading have individual codes. VP is a valance panel. VP-S is a valance panel with contemporary styling; VP-T, traditional. A corbel brand is indicated by CB, outside corner molding by OCM, and crown molding.

Our New Home

The building materials we used came from all around the world. The ceramic tiles alone came from Italy, Spain, Mexico, and Portugal, as well as Oregon and California. The soapstone counters are from Brazil, the mines here having long ago been mined out. The block for the interlocking retaining walls came from Minnesota, the blue stone from New York, the redwood from the West Coast. We used a mix of old and new—in the kitchen, for example, we mixed antique light fixtures with state-of-the-art control systems.

I learned once again how much fun it is to work with pros. You get great finish work from the best workers, yet I appreciate fine craftsmanship almost as much in the prep stuff you don’t sea Like the tile surface prep that gets buried. Or the wall-to-wall carpet joints that, when made properly, simply disappear. Or the tricks we used to restore the balustrades when they came back from the stripper. Or the window restoration. The lesson? Hire the best people you can afford and communicate with them as clearly as you can.

Speaking of professionals, don’t underestimate what other design pros can contribute. The interior designers we hired from CLC Interiors followed our lead, using rugs that my wife and I already owned. They used the colors in those rugs as a palette to help select other elements. They integrated pieces of furniture we already owned, but also introduced new wallpapers, fabrics, and paints. They brought a great sensitivity to colors, patterns, and textures that contributes greatly to the finished product. The closer you get to the end of the process, the more important the fine distinctions become. It took ten months and, no, we never regained the weeks we lost. In fact, more time just seemed to slip away, so the house wasn't truly finished until just moments before Christmas.

Was the process stressful?

Yes, of course, partly because we felt like a family without a country in the months between the projected and real completion dates. Even after we moved in—before the house was finished, a step I could never endorse but one that is often necessary—we shared our space for weeks with plumbers, carpenters, and other tradespeople. At one point it became just too much. I was traveling a great deal and my wife and daughter moved in with some close friends who have a large home just a half-mile away. Living in a work-shop is never easy, even if all parties are sensitive, courteous, and professional.

Is there a moral to the story?

We’re very happy in our house. It suits our physical and aesthetic needs. But was it all worth it? You bet it was.