Shake up your home and spring into action by evaluating your bathroom.

Have you lived with a wobbly, shaky toilet for the past several months? Has your water bill been climbing? Have you handled one-too-many toilet overflow situations during the winter months? If any of these situations sound familiar, then it’s time to invest in a new toilet.

At Mansfield Plumbing, we offer a variety of top quality toilets, in different sizes, styles and designs to fit your needs. Choose from our dependable Summit collection with PuraClean glaze finishes, our Alto or QuantumOne toilets, or our revolutionary Denali and Protector toilets.

For single flush confidence, Denali features superior flushing performance that’s more than 20 percent greater than the highest MaP rating. Denali moves 1,200 grams of waste with 1.6 Gpf (grams per flush), as proven through independent testing.

Denali maximizes energy by having water sit higher in its tank. During the flushing process, energy picks up as water moves through a three-inch flush valve to reach its highest velocity earlier in the flushing cycle. Dual side jets intensify the efficient and effective waste removal process. Additionally, Denali has been tested to one-and-a-half times the industry standard for carrying waste further down the drain line — up to a 60-foot drain line carry distance.

            To eliminate overflow messes, Protector features a unique concealed secondary drain. The Protector redirects overflowing water into the second drain, so messes are eliminated. Head to www.mansfieldplumbing.com to spring into action and find your new toilet!

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If you’re experiencing slow water removal in the sink or a stopped-up toilet, here are some tips on how to tackle the problems yourself before calling a plumber.

            Tip #1 – Unclog a sink by relying on the power of a wet/dry shop vac to suction out hair and gunk clogs. Before running a drain snake, you can also try a Zip-It.

            Tip #2 – Leaky faucet driving you crazy? The seal could have broken down over time on a cartridge in your faucet. Head to your hardware store for a replacement. 

            Tip #3 – Slow moving water in your shower drain? Attack the problem with a toilet plunger! If that doesn’t work, remove the drain covering and insert a flexible shaft pick-up tool to grab the clogged hair.

            Tip #4 – To get a toilet to stop “running” and wasting water, stop jiggling the handle and replace the flapper.

            Tip #5 – For a grimy or smelly dishwasher, get out an old toothbrush and vinegar. Start by using a toothbrush to scrub your seals with hot, soapy water. Next, run the dishwasher with some vinegar inside on the hottest setting. The vinegar will help break down mineral deposits and bacteria.

Want more tips? Click HERE for plumbing tricks-of-the-trade from Family Handyman magazine!

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The team at Mansfield Plumbing wants you to enjoy your carefree summer days as much as possible, so we’ve created this plumbing tips checklist for you:

Tip #1 – Keep the sand on the beach. Indoor showers and tubs don’t like lots of sand going down their drains, so use an outdoor shower or hose to get off the bulk of the sand on you … or brush it away before entering the house.

Tip #2 – Watch out … the kids are home. Having young children home from school during the summer means keeping an eye out to make sure they’re not dropping toys and other items down the toilet, over-using the hose to flood small wading pools and other seemingly fun ideas that can play havoc with your plumbing.

Tip #3 – Suck up the moisture. Humid summer days combined with showers can mean the growth of moisture in your bathroom, which can turn into mold. So, start the summer by carefully cleaning bathroom fans. Then, encourage family members to use those fans throughout the summer months.

Tip #4 – Pay extra attention to your sinks. Sometimes people think that a garbage disposal should be able to handle anything from corn husks to leftover S’mores. That’s not the case. Educate family members that the garbage disposal isn’t meant for disposal of large items like watermelon rinds. And, use some lemon juice frequently during summer months to keep the disposal smelling good.

Tip #5 – Clean the drains. This yucky job needs to be done regularly throughout the year, but especially during summer months. Why? Because ants and insects searching for food during warm weather can be attracted to the hair, food particles and gunk in your drains.

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“Home Improvement Month is the ideal time to consider updating your roof, adding a deck or replacing a toilet,” says Allen Lyle, co-host of the Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford radio show.  “Don’t think of it as splurging on a new tub or privacy window. Instead, know that every positive change you make to your home adds to its overall resale value.”

In the 2016 Cost Versus Value Report issued by Remodeling magazine, 30 popular remodeling projects were evaluated. The study shows that, on an average, homeowners with mid-range priced homes can expect to recoup 91.5 percent of their investment when replacing a garage door or about 71.7 percent cost recouped on a roof replacement.

With these insights and motivation in mind, here are five “projects with payback” you can consider tackling during Home Improvement Month to enhance your living space:

Project #1 – Replace a garage door. This is probably the hardest working door in your home. You enter your house through it several times a day, so update it with a style that reflects your home’s character. Consider a dependable American Tradition Series^TM steel garage door from Haas Door^® that combines elegant craftsmanship with durability. These carriage house style garage doors come in solid or woodgrain colors with unique overlay colors and details so you can personalize the door to your home.

Project #2 – Install a water-saving toilet. Low-flow toilets earning the WaterSense^® label are certified to be at least 20 percent more efficient without sacrificing performance. That means a 1.28 gallon per flush (Gpf) toilet, like a Summit 1.28, can potentially save a family of four 16,206 gallons of water each year compared to a 3.5 Gpf toilet. Calculate your savings at the Water Savings Calculator on the Mansfield Plumbing website to determine just how much water and money your family can save by investing in a WaterSense rated toilet with a powerful flushing system.

Project #3 – Upgrade to a designer privacy window. Tired of too-close neighbors looking into your home? Decorative privacy windows from Hy-Lite^® solve that problem. Replace existing windows in the bathroom and other rooms with eclectic Baroque, Mission, Prairie or Metro windows in the Home Designer Collection^TM to add style and privacy to your home.

Project #4 – Invest in a microbubbling tub. Turn your bath into an at-home spa treatment simply by adding a MicroDerm^TM Therapeutic Bath to your home. Millions of oxygen-rich microbubbles infuse the water. The results are a tension-free experience that leaves you feeling relaxed and rejuvenated. Mansfield Plumbing offers the MicroDerm experience in 25 different models … with a size, style and color to enhance any home décor.

Project #5 – Get a new roof. It protects your family and your home, so don’t take your roof for granted. Evaluate it every year, and, if it’s time for a replacement, consider a long-lasting, low-maintenance synthetic shake or slate roof from DaVinci Roofscapes^®. The realistic-looking shingles resist impact, fire and insect damage for peace-of-mind. Plus, having this sturdy roof overhead can often result in reduced homeowner insurance premiums each year!

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Tip #1 – Check for air leaks around doors and windows. Fix by sealing cracks and replacing old weather stripping. And, during evening hours, lower window shades and close draperies and blinds to reduce drafts.

Tip #2 – Help protect pipes from freezing by wrapping them (especially those in crawl spaces and exposed to exterior air) with insulation, heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables.

Tip #3 – Disconnect garden hoses. Also, use an indoor valve if possible to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets to help protect pipes in freezing weather.

Tip #4 – To heat up a cold bathroom, consider adding a towel warmer or a space heater. Remember, safety first … keep any appliances away from water and unplug when not in use.

Tip #5 – Make sure your fireplace is clean and well-serviced before putting it into heavy winter use. Now’s a great time to also check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors!

These cold weather tips for your home should keep you toasty for the next several months.

The post Preparing Your Home for Winter appeared first on Mansfield Plumbing.

As the old saying goes, “what goes in, must come out.” During the holidays, that can mean a lot of food going into our bodies and some potential problems coming out in the bathroom.

According to experts at Mansfield Plumbing, if your toilet stops functioning there are a few things you can do before opening up your wallet and calling an emergency plumbing service. Start with the common sense knowledge that a toilet does not change in function unless something happens to it. This means that if the toilet was flushing fine 15 minutes ago for Aunt Edna and now it doesn’t for Uncle Bob, then something has most likely gotten lodged in the trap way of the toilet.

If this happens and a plunging or auguring the bowl doesn’t fix the problem, then you can try to tackle the problem yourself if you’re a handy do-it-yourselfer. Start by turning off the water. Next, take the tank off the bowl and unbolt the toilet bowl from the floor. Remove it and take it outside and run a garden hose up through the outlet of the toilet. This will back flush the toilet and most times will dislodge the blockage.

Here are a few tips to help avoid emergency plumbing repairs and expenses:

Tip 1 – Post a nicely-worded sign in your guest bathroom asking family and friends to hold the handle down when flushing to give the toilet more water to wash away large amounts of waste and to siphon longer.

Tip 2 – If a toilet seems to “suck” all the water out of it when it flushes, add a quart or two of hot (not boiling) water to the bowl. Let it sit in there for about a half hour to loosen up any waste that may be clogging it before trying to flush again. If this doesn’t work, add a quarter cup of environmentally-friendly dish detergent and allow to sit for about 15 minutes. Follow with very hot water and then flush.

Tip 3 – Keep a plunger visible and accessible in the bathroom so that guests don’t have to go scrambling to find it if needed.

Tip 4 – Stock up on over-the-counter products that can be used to help break apart clogs. Remember to follow directions and don’t try to substitute household cleaners or acid-type liquids for this task. Or, try a home remedy such as pouring one cup of baking soda and one cup of vinegar into the toilet bowl.

Tip 5 – Before guests arrive, give your toilet a thorough cleaning. Use a long-handled curved brush to reach deep into the toilet to make sure there are no existing clogs that could turn your Turkey Day into a bad memory.

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This EPA Fix a Leak Week resource lists easy ways to check for leaks. For instance, check to see if your winter usage exceeds 12,000 gallons per month; or put food coloring in the toilet tank and check back after 15 minutes to see if the color appears in the bowl. You might also check with local plumbing professionals for specials this week. (Otherwise put, get someone else to do your dirty work. I’m sure they’d be more than happy to make the repairs for you.)

EPA Website: www.epa.gov/watersense

Why not go one step further? Definitely check for leaks and make repairs, AND choose one way to proactively green up your space. Depending on your budget, you could swap an old water-guzzling toilet for a new high-efficiency toilet that uses just 1.28 gallons per flush. This is one of the easiest and most effective water saving things you can do in the bathroom.  Yes, it’s the place we Americans consume the most water in the house. If your budget doesn’t allow for a new toilet, consider a low-flow showerhead and replacing the aerators on your faucets.  Just a quick Google search will give you loads of ideas for saving water around your home.

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In this photo of Mansfield’s new “Elementary Toilet,” you can see my granddaughter, Nevaeh.  Isn’t she cute?

In celebration of our new kid-sized toilet, which includes a slow-closing seat to protect kids’ fingers and a cover lock that prevents them from playing with the tank trim, I wanted to share my top tips for making sure your kids are safe in the bathroom:

Tip 1:  Install Anti-Slip Bathtub Stickers

Several companies manufacture anti-slip “stickers” you can put in the bottom of your bathtub so your kid doesn’t injure herself or himself while bathing.  You can find a variety of fun stickers your kids will love, from rubber ducks to dolphins.

Tip 2: Never Leave a Child Unattended

Never leave a young child alone in the bathtub.  Stay close to them so you can reach them quickly.  Gather bathing materials (towels, soap, etc.) before putting them in the tub.  If your child is older, check on them often.

Tip 3: Use Grab Bars

While your child is bathing, a grab bar should be within easy reach.  You can even find moveable grab bars that you can reposition as your child gets older – and taller.

Tip 4:  Unplug Appliances After Every Use

If you have any products that are regularly plugged in your bathroom, be sure to actively unplug them after every use.  A child could easily pull the appliance into water not knowing the potential danger.

Tip 5: Regularly Check Water Temperatures

Be sure to actively monitor water temperatures.  A faucet turned warm can easily turn to scalding hot without close supervision.

Tip 6:  Lock the Medicine Cabinet

Keep all medicines in the bathroom in a locked cabinet.  Tablets and pills can look like candy or mints to a small child.

With a little precaution, your bathroom can be the safe haven you want it to be for your kids.  If you have any other bathroom safety tips for kids, I’d love to hear them!

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Bathroom Remodeling Tip #1: Know If You’re Doing a Remodel or an Update

Decide what level of bathroom update you really need to be happy with your new space at the end of the day—or year. It’s easy to look for bathroom design ideas on hundreds of blogs and end up wanting an $80,000 bathroom on a $10,000 budget. If your tile and floors are livable, a bathroom suite (coordinating bathtub, lavatory, and toilet) with fresh faucets may be enough change. If you feel compelled to start moving walls or plumbing, you’re in for a bathroom remodel and many more dollars.

Another rule of thumb is if you’ll be staying in your home fewer than five years, consider your remodel in terms of the return on investment. If you’re in for the long haul, do what you’ll love with less regard for how to make back your money. Either way, understanding the true extent of what you need to do is important before you start the creative process. Which leads me to…

Bathroom Remodeling Tip #2: Bathroom Pros Can Actually Save You Money

Most people think that calling an architect or a designer will blow the budget, but in my experience the cost of consulting professionals not only makes up for itself in fewer mistakes, but it often results in a better bathroom remodel. For instance, a local concrete counter designer was able to create a custom counter for me for the same price as something I would have ordered at a big box store, and you won’t find another counter exactly like it anywhere. Also by consulting this counter designer, I found out that a heavy counter wasn’t going to work on my existing cabinetry. We had to work around it by making the counter thinner and adding supports to the cabinetry. I wouldn’t have known this until it was late in the process and potentially quite expensive to fix. So don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and start calling bathroom professionals to look at your project; you will likely be surprised. Even if you’re planning to do it yourself, have someone come consult to make sure you’ve considered all the mechanics before you bring out the sledgehammer.

Bathroom Remodeling Tip #3: Budget For More Than Just the Big Stuff

Back in the day when I first started remodeling my bathrooms, I started the budget with what I assumed would be the highest priced parts: tile and flooring. But if you look around and document everything you’ll need—15 cabinet knobs and drawer pulls, two faucets, a new vent, towel bars, and light fixture, for instance—all those details can easily add up to as much as the cost of an entire bathroom suite.

Write down every detail you think you’ll want to change after you’ve decided on the extent of your bathroom remodel (see Tip #1 above), and start pulling together a budget that allows some wiggle room for plumbing mishaps and unexpected electrician visits.

Bonus! Bathroom Remodeling Tip #4: 2014 Only Has Twelve Months. Start Now!

Bathroom updates and kitchen remodels generally have hiccups along the way, sometimes big ones. Expect them and plan for your bathroom remodel to take much longer than you envisioned. If you’d like your bathroom to be completed in 2014, start making your calls now: interior designer, architect, custom cabinet maker, whomever you need to get the project ideas nailed down. Put your bathroom design ideas into an inspiration document or folder, and get your spreadsheet of needs together now, then be overjoyed if your new bathroom is ready this summer, instead of next December.

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