Monthly Archives: August 2021

Sarasota Florida Plumbing Company- Benefits of hiring professionals.

Our goal is to ALWAYS exceed your expectations.

We know that the essence of good customer service is forming a relationship with each and every one of our customers. This relationship is one that our customers feel that they would like to pursue for all of their future plumbing, heating, and air conditioning needs. We understand that we will be judged by what we do, and not by what we say, and we are inspired by this. Good customer service is not simply lipped service at Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling, but rather a strong belief that we stand behind and act upon. We truly believe that our high level of customer service is unmatched.

Go ahead and put us to the test right now if you would like.

We have live people answering the phone 24/7 and technicians available to our customers in their time of need — whenever that time is. Carney Plumbing Heating & Cooling is always here to help!

Learn more about our commitment to customer service

16 Super Easy DIY Home Improvement Ideas

Ever wished that you could give your home a new look without the extensive cost and time of a complete renovation? Well if you’re willing to put in a little bit of work, there are plenty of DIY home improvement projects you can undertake that will help transform your space—no contractor required.

The key to choosing the perfect DIY home improvement task is to focus first on what you’re trying to accomplish and then consider how much time you want to spend doing it. While all of these projects are easy to complete, some are more time intensive than others so you want to be sure that you know what you’re getting into when you get started. On the bright side: none of these projects should take you more than a weekend or two, and many of them can be done in just a couple of hours or less.

Tools ready? Here are 16 DIY home improvement ideas for upgrading your home without the losing your mind (or your savings).

1. Swap out dated fixtures
   

   It’s amazing what a new fixture can do for a room. Ditch those frosted glass pendants in the kitchen for contemporary glass globe fixtures complete with Edison bulbs; hang a chandelier above the master bed; get rid of your old ceiling fans and replace them with fans that are more modern and efficient. As long as you already have the wires in place, swapping in new light fixtures is a fast project that brings a major improvement to any room.

2. Go for a yellow glow
   

   Speaking of light fixtures, you can completely change the ambiance in your home for the better simply by replacing any harsh white bulbs with calming yellow ones. Be sure to opt for LEDs so that your new bulbs last for a long time. Another way to maximize your home’s inner glow: install dimmers in place of existing light switches so that you can set the brightness in each room depending on your mood and the time of day.

3. Maximize the utility of unused corners with shelving
   

   We all have corners in our homes that we don’t quite know what to do with. One easy DIY solution: install some simple floating shelves, which give you more storage space and look great at the same time. It requires a bit of woodwork, but it’s worth it to take a previously unused corner and turn it into a statement corner.

4. Hack your furniture
   

   If you’re sick of your old furniture but don’t want to spring for the cost of replacements, go with the next best thing and upgrade your existing pieces. There are a ton of creative options for giving new life to old furniture, including painting, reupholstering, and using adhesive contact paper to add shapes and designs.

5. Bring the outside in
   

   Few things have the power to update bland or dated spaces like plants and flowers. Even the most simple of potted plants freshen the air and add a dose of happiness and vitality to any room. If you have more of a black thumb then a green one, start easy by choosing a durable plant that is tough to kill. You can even game the system by choosing to go with faux-greenery or flowers, just be sure to purchase high-quality ones so they don’t look overtly fake.

6. Put on a fresh coat of paint
   

   When it comes to DIY home improvement projects, few things update your space more dramatically than a couple coats of paint. Embrace a pop of color with an accent wall in your living room or bedroom; make a statement with a painted ceiling; paint your kitchen cabinets. While you’re at it, go around your home and provide quick paint touch-ups anywhere that existing paint is peeling or chipped.

7. Enhance your entryway
   

   The interior entryway is one of the most utilized spaces in a home, but also often one of the most underappreciated when it comes to design. Get more out of yours with a few easy upgrades, such as installing a bench and hooks for a quick DIY mudroom or adding a new rug to improve the comfort and style of the space. Look for pieces that provide both fashion and function, and that mirror the aesthetic of the rest of your home.

8. Get smart
   

   Technology has brought a lot to home improvement, so why not take advantage? From self-programmable thermostats to camera-enabled doorbells, there are a ton of smart home features that seamlessly integrate into your existing wiring and systems while offering major transformations in terms of your home’s energy efficiency and design.

9. Create a space just for your pet
   

   Incorporate your pet into your mini home makeover by creating a special place just for them. Pet décor has come a long way, and it’s easier than ever to find pieces that aren’t just fun and/or comfortable for your pet but that also enhance the entire look of a room—think pet teepees, on-the-wall cat jungle gyms, and fancy water fountains, all of which make life just a little bit brighter for both your home and your favorite furry friend.

10. Make your cords disappear
    

    Messy cords—hanging off the TV, scattered next to the night stand, snaking from your desk to the wall, etc.—are an unsightly addition to your home. Get them out of sight and out of mind with DIY tricks for making them disappear. Even if you’re not comfortable hiding them behind the walls (or if you rent and can’t exactly cut out a piece of drywall) there are still a variety of crafty options for hiding cords and streamlining your space.

11. Put up adhesive veneers
    

    Adhesive veneers are simple to install wall coverings that give the illusion of texture. With just a little bit of patience and a steady hand you can add a shiplap-inspired backsplash to your kitchen or a faux brick wall to your bedroom, both of which give an updated appearance to a space without a total overhaul.

12. Freshen up tile and grout
    

    It’s hard to avoid staining on the tile and grout in your bathroom, but it’s surprisingly easy to remedy. Use a designated tub and tile refinishing kit and follow the directions closely to get your tile and grout looking just as good as they did on day one. Your bathroom will have the appearance of new tile, without the cost of actually undertaking that type of project.

13. Organize your closets
    

    Here’s a DIY home improvement task that doesn’t require any tools or cost any money but will make a huge difference in your home. Just as you would do before a move, clean out your closet entirely and sort each of your garments into one of three piles: keep, toss, or donate (more on where to donate clothes here). If you want, you could invest in some new closet organizers, or you could work with what you already have and just edit down your wardrobe so that you have enough space for everything. Before putting your clothes back, give your closet a thorough vacuuming and scrub down for a complete refresh.

14. Replace cabinet hardware
    

    New cabinets are expensive, but new cabinet hardware can give a similarly dramatic uplift to the appearance of your kitchen or bathroom for significantly less money. Measure the length between the drill holes of your current hardware so that you know the right size to get, then choose a style that complements the existing style of your cabinets while also giving them an impressive new look. You can do the same for dresser drawers in the bedroom.

15. Mirror, mirror on the wall
    

    Mirrors bring more light into rooms and make spaces appear larger than they really are. Buy a few mirrors that you really like (secondhand shops are a great place to start your search!) and hang them in areas that you think could add a dash of brightness. While you’re at it, try to find new mirrors that you can use to replace any old or boring ones in your home’s bathrooms.

16. Turn a non-essential closet into an office
    

    If you’ve always wanted your own home office but couldn’t find the space, turn a closet into a room where you can get work done. Clear out the closet completely, remove the doors and hinges, and then decorate as you’d like, including adding in a desk and custom shelving. In a weekend or two you could go from having no home office to having a private little nook that’s perfect for productivity.

Sometimes it’s the smallest of changes in your home that make the biggest impacts. Tackle one (or more!) of these DIY home improvement ideas and discover just how easy it is to update your space without having to devote a ton of money or time to complicated projects.

Our Top 10 Plumbing Tips

Plumbing is just kind of there for most of us. We don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it, or worry about maintaining it. But when it suddenly stops working properly, or we run into a problem, boy do we notice!

It’s absolutely no fun to deal with plumbing problems. That’s why we’ve made this list of our top plumbing tips that will help prevent some of your biggest pet peeves when it comes to your pipes.

1. Don’t Pour Grease or Oil Down the Drain

Have you ever heard people talk about eating food to get a ‘grease coat’, or fill themselves up? The same thing that happens when you eat greasy food happens when you dump grease or oil down the drain.

The grease and oil will build up. You won’t notice it at first – you’ll think it’s totally fine, and that as a liquid, down the sink is where it should go. But little by little that grease and oil will clog your pipes and leave you with some serious plumbing problems.

Think about your pipes before pouring that cooking liquid down the drain, and opt for a safer disposal option. For example, wait for fat to solidify before throwing it in your compost bin.

2. Use A Strainer

Clogs are one of the most common plumbing problems, and when it comes to a shower or sink drain, it can become gross and messy thanks to hair and soap residue.

Avoiding the icky is as simple as using a basket strainer. This will help prevent a time-consuming and unpleasant task in the future.

3. Watch What You Flush

There are certain things that should be flushed and certain things that should definitely not be flushed. We’re pretty sure you catch our meaning.

If you start flushing things other than toilet paper and bodily waste down the toilet, you could cause some serious clogs that we’re betting you really don’t want to deal with. That includes hygiene products, cotton balls, prescription medications, and yes…unfortunate fish.

If you’re noticing that your toilet becomes clogged more and more frequently, there are some additional causes that could be the root of your problem.

4. Know Where Your Main Water Valve Is

Plumbing isn’t one of the things that you actively learn about, but it is important to know where your main water valve is and what to do if there is an issue.

If, knock on wood, you have pipes burst, turning off your main water valve will help minimize the damage until we can get there to help. If you don’t know where it is, you’re going to spend a lot of time scrambling while your home sustains significant water damage.

5. Test Your Toilet’s Flush Valve Seal for Leaks

Toilet leaks can be a real pain, but if you catch them early they’ll be more manageable and could save you some more serious plumbing problems down the road.

One of the places you’ll likely find a leak is in your toilet’s flush valve seal. The flush valve seal is what keeps water from flowing from the tank to the bowl of your toilet when it isn’t in flushing mode. Catching a leak in your flush valve seal early requires a simple test: food colouring.

No, you didn’t misread that. All it takes is a couple of drops of food colouring in your toilet tank. Check back in a few hours. If some of the coloured water has found its way into your toilet bowl, that means you have a leak.

6. Make Sure Your Main Sewer Drain Is Accessible

While your plumbing is normally out of sight, it is important that your main sewer drain is always free and clear. This is because in case of a sewage line blockage, we need to be able to move quickly and efficiently.

Your drain access point should be uncovered (that means no rugs or carpeting) and easy to get to – no maze of holiday decorations or old children’s toys to contend with.

Top Tip: Basement flooding is a real problem, particularly if you live in certain areas. We have some steps you should follow to help make sure you don’t get an unexpected indoor swimming pool.

7. Prevent Your Plumbing From Freezing

While not a problem in the summer, once winter rolls around temperatures are going to take a dive. Once they get low enough, your plumbing will have an increased risk of freezing.

One of the best plumbing tips we can give you is to make sure that your always have air circulating through your home, and that is at a minimum temperature of 16 degrees Celsius. You should also insulate as many of the outside wall plumbing lines as possible to avoid potential catastrophes.

If you have a room that gets particularly frigid in the fall, and downright miserable in the winter, don’t wait until then to look into options for better air circulation. Take the warm months to come up with solutions.

Top Tip: Outdoor taps can also lead to frozen pipe problems. Make sure your garden hose valve and the hose itself are completely drained of all water before the first frost.

8. Avoid Chemical Drain Cleaners

Chemical drain cleaners are straight up awful when it comes to the health and wellbeing of your plumbing. People tend to go for them because they are advertised as immediately effective, but they can do more damage in the long run.

If you need something to help rid yourself of a pesky clog, BioOne is a non-caustic, safe drain cleaning option. It uses a natural bacteria that dissolves organic matter, without causing harm to the inside of your pipes.

Once you clear up those clogs, keep them away by using BioOne once a month on every drain in the house.

9. Consider Separate Shut Off Valves on Your Fixtures

Your plumbing is going to need repair eventually; it’s inevitable. No doubt you’re not looking forward to the day when you have to shut all of your water off so someone can come and do the work.

We have a way around that. Installing separate shut off valves on your fixtures will eliminate the all water or no water problem, because you’ll be able to turn off the water to different parts of the house when you need to. That way if you have a problem with your bathroom, you can still use the kitchen sink.

10. Prolong Your Tap’s Life

How many times have we been terrified to hear that drip, drip, drip of the faucet, so we make sure the taps are turned off as tight as they can go?

This is actually bad for your tap’s seal; it wears it out more quickly because of the increased pressure it is experiencing every time it is turned to tight. Think of it like a pencil; the more pressure you put on it, the more worn down it gets.

To avoid this, turn the tap until you feel the natural stopping point; don’t force it closed. Like the pencil, you want to apply the amount of pressure that is just right.

We’re There When Things Happen

You can take all the preventative measures in the world, but like anything else, time will take a toll on your plumbing. You’re eventually going to have a problem.

We’re here for when the going gets tough. We handle everything from plumbing repairs to full or partial replacements, and everything in between. We’ll do it all, and we’ll do it right, guaranteed.