Things You Should Know About Fireplaces
A fireplace connects with something imbedded within the human spirit. Tens of thousands of years ago our ancestors gazed in wonder, gratitude and contemplation at the crackling flames that sustained their lives, just as we do. To us, those flames are a luxury rather than a necessity. But is a roaring fire any less fascinating to us than it was to those prehistoric cave dwellers who relied upon it completely for warmth and cooking?
Romance aside, there are practical reasons to enjoy a home fireplace. A study by the National Association of Home Builders show, that having a fireplace can add around 10% to the value of a typical house.
Now for the bad news - it is hard to imagine a more uncomfortable and inefficient form of home heating. Old-fashioned wood burning fireplaces are energy losers. They suck heat out of a room and up a chimney. The toasty feeling you get sitting near the flame disguises the fact that the air a few feet farther away is colder than it would be without the fire. Stand in the most distant corner of a room with a fireplace, and you will feel colder than you would without a fire going.
A roaring fire can suck as much as 1,500 cubic feet a minute of interior air up the chimney. That is air heated by your furnace or boiler. As the warmed air goes up the chimney, colder air from outside the house is being sucked in to replace it. Fireplaces pull more heated air from inside the house than it puts back in. The colder it is outside, the more pronounced this effect; and the bigger the fire, the greater the energy deficit. When the fire burns out, the open damper continues to draw heated air out of the house. Dampers should be closed when the fireplace is not in use.
Several things can be done to reduce the energy lost to a burning fireplace. The simplest measure is to install glass doors in front of a fireplace. Tight-fitting doors can reduce the amount of warm air being sucked out of the house from 1,500 cu. ft. a minute to as little as 50. Of course, this involves something of an aesthetic tradeoff, since flames will not burn quite as spectacularly as they would without the doors.
Gas fireplaces, either natural gas or propane, are much more energy-efficient than woodburning units. Options such as a thermostat, multi-speed blower and electronic ignition can make these fireplaces almost as efficient and convenient as a central heating system.
Also, some manufacturers have adapted clean-burn technology used with stoves. These high-tech fireplaces look pretty much like a standard manufactured unit, but employ heavier gauge metal, refractory brick fire box liner, high temperature ceramic insulation and ceramic glass doors to burn more efficiently. Other manufacturers employ catalytic converters for cleaner and more efficient burning. Combustion air gets drawn from the outside rather than using warm room air.
Besides saving energy, high-efficiency fireplaces also contribute to cleaner air. According to the EPA, during winter months in areas where wood burning stoves and fireplaces are used extensively, up to 80% of particulate air pollution can be traced to these devices. These pollutants contain numerous carcinogenic compounds.
To meet federal clean air standards, many communities are regulating the use of wood stoves and banning fireplaces in new construction. Even stoves using the latest technology can be a problem if not installed and operated carefully. A high technology stove should not emit visible smoke. If you have one of these devices and see smoke pouring out of your chimney, it's a sign that something is wrong with the installation or operation.
If you do operate a stove or fireplace, do not neglect the chimney. Creosote buildup on the inside of a chimney routinely catches fire, causing numerous homes to burn down each year. Make it a point to have someone come once a year to inspect and clean your chimney.
Also, get a fireproof hearth throw rug to put in front of your fireplace. This will prevent sparks or ashes from causing a fire or damaging your floor.
Take special care to make sure that the flue is not obstructed. If a chimney or vent is blocked, it may cause carbon monoxide or nitrogen dioxide to build up inside the home.
Fireplaces help take the sting out of winter for many people. Just be sure to follow the precautions.
Proprietary Information, Nexstar®, Inc., Copyright 1997
Monday, January 24, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Homeowner Yearly tips
Heating, Air Conditioning and Plumbing Tips for the Homeowner
Heating and Air Conditioning:
Clean or replace filters so that they will be fresh when you turn the air conditioning on for the first time in the summer or the furnace in the fall. Dirty filters not only restrict air flow, they can also contribute to equipment breakdown.
Ideally, furnace filters should be replaced on a quarterly basis, but certainly no less than twice a year.
Have the service technician drain and clean your humidifier. You probably won't need it during the humid summer months and shutting it off saves electricity, as well as wear and tear on the equipment.
Remember to shut off your humidistat, which powers and regulates your home's automatic humidifier.
One of the most important things you can do to get your air conditioner ready for heavy summer workout is to clear the area around the outdoor condenser of dirt, leaves and other debris that accumulated over winter. Also, periodically throughout the summer you ought to check for shrubbery growth around the outside condenser and keep it trimmed.
Check closely for air leaks in ductwork, especially at connection points. Ductwork exposed to outside or attic air must be insulated for additional reduction of heat transfer.
If your fuel bills are exceptionally high, you may want to find an HVAC contractor that offers sophisticated blower door technology inspections. These high-tech operations find leaks that are undetectable by normal means.
Central air conditioning units should be inspected, cleaned, and tuned by a professional technician once every two to three years to extend the life of the unit and cut down on energy consumption. Check with your contractor on the proper maintenance schedule for your unit.
Plumbing:
Most people are astounded at the impact of even tiny leaks in faucets or toilets. Leaks that are barely perceptible to the naked eye can waste thousands of gallons of fresh water a year, costing you hundreds of dollars in excess water bills. If you have a leak that you know of, get it fixed before all that money goes, literally, down the drain. It's a good idea to have a professional plumber do a complete household check-up to find leaks that escape casual notice.
Your water heater is one of the most important household appliances. Over time sediment builds at the bottom of the heater, which can hamper performance. A good professional will check this on an annual basis. He or she will also check the drain valve for signs of leakage, and the anode rods for corrosion.
Also important is a water heater burner inspection. A good way of telling is to check the flame under the water heater. It should appear blue with yellow tips. If it's mostly yellow or if you see a layer of soot and carbon, the flue ways may be clogged. Don't try anything yourself at this point. Call a professional to investigate the situation.
Once a water heater springs a leak in its housing, it is beyond repair and must be replaced. Many units will last 15-20 years or even longer before this happens. (And it always seems to happen at the most inconvenient times, like when the family is coming over for a holiday gathering!) If you have an ancient water heater, it may pay off for you to get it replaced even before it breaks down. Units made in the last 10 -15 years have much higher operating efficiencies than older models. Savings in fuel costs often will pay for the new installation in just a few years.
Lawn sprinklers often spring leaks over the winter. If puddles form on your lawn, you probably have seepage in some of the lines.
Check your sump pump to make sure it's in working order before the heavy spring rains begin. Watch for build-up of sand or other debris in the sump pit. This can jam the pump and burn out its motor. Also, make sure the pump's discharge pipe is not clogged. Hook up a garden hose to the connection point. If water runs through the other end, the pipe is okay.
Consider getting a battery-operated back-up sump pump if your pump has been overloaded in the past from heavy rains.
Keep rain gutters and downspouts clear of leaves and other debris. Water overflowing from blocked gutters collects around your home's foundation and seeps into your basement.
If your home is equipped with a flood control device such as an ejector pump, have it checked by your plumbing contractor to make sure it is working properly before the heavy spring rains.
Proprietary Information, Nexstar®, Inc., Copyright 1997
Heating and Air Conditioning:
Clean or replace filters so that they will be fresh when you turn the air conditioning on for the first time in the summer or the furnace in the fall. Dirty filters not only restrict air flow, they can also contribute to equipment breakdown.
Ideally, furnace filters should be replaced on a quarterly basis, but certainly no less than twice a year.
Have the service technician drain and clean your humidifier. You probably won't need it during the humid summer months and shutting it off saves electricity, as well as wear and tear on the equipment.
Remember to shut off your humidistat, which powers and regulates your home's automatic humidifier.
One of the most important things you can do to get your air conditioner ready for heavy summer workout is to clear the area around the outdoor condenser of dirt, leaves and other debris that accumulated over winter. Also, periodically throughout the summer you ought to check for shrubbery growth around the outside condenser and keep it trimmed.
Check closely for air leaks in ductwork, especially at connection points. Ductwork exposed to outside or attic air must be insulated for additional reduction of heat transfer.
If your fuel bills are exceptionally high, you may want to find an HVAC contractor that offers sophisticated blower door technology inspections. These high-tech operations find leaks that are undetectable by normal means.
Central air conditioning units should be inspected, cleaned, and tuned by a professional technician once every two to three years to extend the life of the unit and cut down on energy consumption. Check with your contractor on the proper maintenance schedule for your unit.
Plumbing:
Most people are astounded at the impact of even tiny leaks in faucets or toilets. Leaks that are barely perceptible to the naked eye can waste thousands of gallons of fresh water a year, costing you hundreds of dollars in excess water bills. If you have a leak that you know of, get it fixed before all that money goes, literally, down the drain. It's a good idea to have a professional plumber do a complete household check-up to find leaks that escape casual notice.
Your water heater is one of the most important household appliances. Over time sediment builds at the bottom of the heater, which can hamper performance. A good professional will check this on an annual basis. He or she will also check the drain valve for signs of leakage, and the anode rods for corrosion.
Also important is a water heater burner inspection. A good way of telling is to check the flame under the water heater. It should appear blue with yellow tips. If it's mostly yellow or if you see a layer of soot and carbon, the flue ways may be clogged. Don't try anything yourself at this point. Call a professional to investigate the situation.
Once a water heater springs a leak in its housing, it is beyond repair and must be replaced. Many units will last 15-20 years or even longer before this happens. (And it always seems to happen at the most inconvenient times, like when the family is coming over for a holiday gathering!) If you have an ancient water heater, it may pay off for you to get it replaced even before it breaks down. Units made in the last 10 -15 years have much higher operating efficiencies than older models. Savings in fuel costs often will pay for the new installation in just a few years.
Lawn sprinklers often spring leaks over the winter. If puddles form on your lawn, you probably have seepage in some of the lines.
Check your sump pump to make sure it's in working order before the heavy spring rains begin. Watch for build-up of sand or other debris in the sump pit. This can jam the pump and burn out its motor. Also, make sure the pump's discharge pipe is not clogged. Hook up a garden hose to the connection point. If water runs through the other end, the pipe is okay.
Consider getting a battery-operated back-up sump pump if your pump has been overloaded in the past from heavy rains.
Keep rain gutters and downspouts clear of leaves and other debris. Water overflowing from blocked gutters collects around your home's foundation and seeps into your basement.
If your home is equipped with a flood control device such as an ejector pump, have it checked by your plumbing contractor to make sure it is working properly before the heavy spring rains.
Proprietary Information, Nexstar®, Inc., Copyright 1997
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Carbon Monoxide Safety
CARBON MONOXIDE IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning has been one of the more under-publicized household hazards until two recent events put it in the spotlight. One was the accidental death in September 1994 of tennis star Vitas Gerulaitas, who succumbed to CO while sleeping in a rented home. The other was an ordinance that went into effect October 1, 1994, in Chicago requiring CO detectors in all residences heated by any fossil fuel burning equipment - in effect, all except solar or electrically heated homes. The Chicago law was in reaction to a tragedy that occurred in 1991 when a family of 10 was wiped out by CO poisoning from a faulty furnace installation.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says that "at least" 250 people are killed each year from CO, a very conservative estimate. The American Medical Association says it's more like 1,500 people a year, with another 10,000 or more taking ill.
There is a lot of uncertainty because CO is tasteless, colorless and odorless - undetectable except by sophisticated gear. Also, the main symptoms of CO poisoning - fatigue, headaches, dizzy spells and nausea - resemble those of the flu and many other common illnesses. Thus CO poisoning is easily misdiagnosed, and people can succumb to it with very little physical discomfort, almost like falling asleep. (Early news reports treated Gerulaitas' death as mysterious and were filled with speculation about drugs or foul play.)
CO is given off by incomplete combustion of flammable fuels such as natural gas, oil, wood, coal or kerosene. Common household appliances such as furnaces, boilers, water heaters and stoves are all potential sources of CO gas. All of these products are designed with elaborate safeguards and under normal operating conditions all the CO produced from combustion will be harmlessly vented to the atmosphere.
Poor venting, due to leaks or blockages in the vent system, is the most common cause of CO build-up in the home, followed by cracks or corrosion in a furnace's heat exchanger. Here are some danger signs and steps you can take to minimize the danger:
* Most important, have your furnace or boiler regularly inspected, at least one a year, by a licensed, competent heating professional. The technician should check all connections to flue piping and vents for cracks, gaps, rust, corrosion or debris. Likewise the inspection should cover the combustion chamber and heat exchanger for cracks, holes, metal fatigue or corrosion, as well as the filters and filtering system for dirt and blockages. Debris should be cleared off the burner and safety switches tested.
* A yellow, lazy-looking flame in a natural gas furnace indicates inefficient fuel burning, and consequently higher levels of carbon monoxide. An inefficient oil furnace will give off an oily odor - but remember, you can't smell CO itself.
* Chimneys and vents ought to be inspected regularly for blockages caused by debris, animal nests or cave-ins. Also beware of cracks and holes. Inspect fireplaces for blocked flues, excess soot and debris.
* Be sure all vents are properly installed - including those leading from the clothes dryer, water heater and wood-burning stoves.
* Never use an unvented space heater indoors. Never burn charcoal inside and do not use your gas stove as a heater. When cooking, keep the oven door closed.
* Avoid running both a furnace and fireplace simultaneously for long periods of time. This can create serious backdrafting that prevents CO gas from exiting the home.
* Never install a boiler, furnace or water heater in an airtight enclosure.
* Look for the following signs that may indicate CO problems - streaks of soot around the service door of a gas appliance; rust spots on flue pipe, boilers, furnaces or water heaters; excessive moisture on basement windows, which may indicate poor ventilation; generally stale air throughout the house, another sign of poor ventilation.
* DO INSTALL A UL-APPROVED CO DETECTOR. The UL standard requires home CO detectors to sound a warning before CO levels reach over 100 parts per million (ppm) over 90 minutes, 200 ppm over 35 minutes or 400 ppm over 15 minutes. These warning should allow the average person to safely evacuate the premises. (CO levels over 200 ppm lasting for 90 minutes can cause headaches in healthy adults. At 300 ppm the healthy adult may experience drowsiness, at 400 ppm might collapse and 500 ppm exposure could result in brain damage or death.)
Approved CO detectors are now available for around $50 or less. They are similar to smoke detectors in both appearance and installation. The best place to install a CO detector is near bedrooms. Don't install one in the boiler or furnace room the garage or the kitchen, where it may go off in reaction to temporary elevated levels of CO.
Cheap CO-detection patches that sell for under $10 are not of much use. These devices are based on chemical reactions that change the color of a spot in the presence of elevated CO. They register many false positives and tell you nothing unless you are looking at the spot for a telltale change of color. What you need is an alarm that alerts you to danger as soon as it arises and wakes you up if you are asleep.
What do you do if the alarm sounds? Vacate the house quickly, opening doors and windows as you leave in order to provide ventilation. Then contact a local emergency service crew - usually the police or fire department - for advice. Depending on your community, they may have a CO measuring device on hand to take a reading inside your home in order to determine if it is safe to move back in.
Keep in mind that the act of ventilating your home may make it safe for immediate occupancy but won't fix whatever generated excess CO in the first place. As soon as possible you need a professional inspection of all possible CO sources. This should be someone equipped with CO measuring gear able to detect concentrations as small as 5-10 parts per million. The measurement test should be conducted over at least a 24-hour period.
It is possible for a CO alarm to be triggered by a single unusual incident that presents no lasting threat. However, if one ever goes off in your home, you won't rest easily until you take all the precautions possible to safeguard yourself and love ones.
Proprietary Information, Nexstar®, Inc., Copyright 1995
Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning has been one of the more under-publicized household hazards until two recent events put it in the spotlight. One was the accidental death in September 1994 of tennis star Vitas Gerulaitas, who succumbed to CO while sleeping in a rented home. The other was an ordinance that went into effect October 1, 1994, in Chicago requiring CO detectors in all residences heated by any fossil fuel burning equipment - in effect, all except solar or electrically heated homes. The Chicago law was in reaction to a tragedy that occurred in 1991 when a family of 10 was wiped out by CO poisoning from a faulty furnace installation.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission says that "at least" 250 people are killed each year from CO, a very conservative estimate. The American Medical Association says it's more like 1,500 people a year, with another 10,000 or more taking ill.
There is a lot of uncertainty because CO is tasteless, colorless and odorless - undetectable except by sophisticated gear. Also, the main symptoms of CO poisoning - fatigue, headaches, dizzy spells and nausea - resemble those of the flu and many other common illnesses. Thus CO poisoning is easily misdiagnosed, and people can succumb to it with very little physical discomfort, almost like falling asleep. (Early news reports treated Gerulaitas' death as mysterious and were filled with speculation about drugs or foul play.)
CO is given off by incomplete combustion of flammable fuels such as natural gas, oil, wood, coal or kerosene. Common household appliances such as furnaces, boilers, water heaters and stoves are all potential sources of CO gas. All of these products are designed with elaborate safeguards and under normal operating conditions all the CO produced from combustion will be harmlessly vented to the atmosphere.
Poor venting, due to leaks or blockages in the vent system, is the most common cause of CO build-up in the home, followed by cracks or corrosion in a furnace's heat exchanger. Here are some danger signs and steps you can take to minimize the danger:
* Most important, have your furnace or boiler regularly inspected, at least one a year, by a licensed, competent heating professional. The technician should check all connections to flue piping and vents for cracks, gaps, rust, corrosion or debris. Likewise the inspection should cover the combustion chamber and heat exchanger for cracks, holes, metal fatigue or corrosion, as well as the filters and filtering system for dirt and blockages. Debris should be cleared off the burner and safety switches tested.
* A yellow, lazy-looking flame in a natural gas furnace indicates inefficient fuel burning, and consequently higher levels of carbon monoxide. An inefficient oil furnace will give off an oily odor - but remember, you can't smell CO itself.
* Chimneys and vents ought to be inspected regularly for blockages caused by debris, animal nests or cave-ins. Also beware of cracks and holes. Inspect fireplaces for blocked flues, excess soot and debris.
* Be sure all vents are properly installed - including those leading from the clothes dryer, water heater and wood-burning stoves.
* Never use an unvented space heater indoors. Never burn charcoal inside and do not use your gas stove as a heater. When cooking, keep the oven door closed.
* Avoid running both a furnace and fireplace simultaneously for long periods of time. This can create serious backdrafting that prevents CO gas from exiting the home.
* Never install a boiler, furnace or water heater in an airtight enclosure.
* Look for the following signs that may indicate CO problems - streaks of soot around the service door of a gas appliance; rust spots on flue pipe, boilers, furnaces or water heaters; excessive moisture on basement windows, which may indicate poor ventilation; generally stale air throughout the house, another sign of poor ventilation.
* DO INSTALL A UL-APPROVED CO DETECTOR. The UL standard requires home CO detectors to sound a warning before CO levels reach over 100 parts per million (ppm) over 90 minutes, 200 ppm over 35 minutes or 400 ppm over 15 minutes. These warning should allow the average person to safely evacuate the premises. (CO levels over 200 ppm lasting for 90 minutes can cause headaches in healthy adults. At 300 ppm the healthy adult may experience drowsiness, at 400 ppm might collapse and 500 ppm exposure could result in brain damage or death.)
Approved CO detectors are now available for around $50 or less. They are similar to smoke detectors in both appearance and installation. The best place to install a CO detector is near bedrooms. Don't install one in the boiler or furnace room the garage or the kitchen, where it may go off in reaction to temporary elevated levels of CO.
Cheap CO-detection patches that sell for under $10 are not of much use. These devices are based on chemical reactions that change the color of a spot in the presence of elevated CO. They register many false positives and tell you nothing unless you are looking at the spot for a telltale change of color. What you need is an alarm that alerts you to danger as soon as it arises and wakes you up if you are asleep.
What do you do if the alarm sounds? Vacate the house quickly, opening doors and windows as you leave in order to provide ventilation. Then contact a local emergency service crew - usually the police or fire department - for advice. Depending on your community, they may have a CO measuring device on hand to take a reading inside your home in order to determine if it is safe to move back in.
Keep in mind that the act of ventilating your home may make it safe for immediate occupancy but won't fix whatever generated excess CO in the first place. As soon as possible you need a professional inspection of all possible CO sources. This should be someone equipped with CO measuring gear able to detect concentrations as small as 5-10 parts per million. The measurement test should be conducted over at least a 24-hour period.
It is possible for a CO alarm to be triggered by a single unusual incident that presents no lasting threat. However, if one ever goes off in your home, you won't rest easily until you take all the precautions possible to safeguard yourself and love ones.
Proprietary Information, Nexstar®, Inc., Copyright 1995
Monday, January 3, 2011
Bug's In your Drain Line??
BUGS IN YOUR DRAIN LINE? IF NOT, GET SOME!
One of the best things to happen in the plumbing field in recent times has been the development of biological drain cleaners as an alternative to dangerous and ecologically harmful chemicals. These biological products work via bacteria that consume organic waste.
There are various products of this nature on the market. The best one, in my opinion, is Bio-Clean, which is sold only by plumbing contractors. While the exact formula is a secret, Bio-Clean is a composite of bacteria, enzymes and additives, all coming from natural sources. These natural ingredients come in a powder that remains dormant in it protective container until you apply the right amount of water and pour the solution into waste matter. Then the bacteria come to life and start searching for yucky food. Once fed, their instincts turn to that other fundamental source of life, and they begin to multiply.
The Bio-Clean bugs eat their way through the filth of drain lines, septic tanks, cesspools, RV holding tanks and grease traps without harming pipes, containers or any other inorganic material. People continually find new uses for this amazing substance. It works great, for instance, in removing odor from kitty litter boxes, as well as toilets and urinals. You also can pour it on virtually any kind of organic spill and watch the gooey mess slowly disappear like the Cheshire Cat.
Since the bugs attack only organic waste, Bio-Clean is completely safe and commonly used in hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants and other places subject to stringent health inspections. If you mix it with water and leave it in an open container, nothing will happen, until you drop some nasty stuff into the mixture. Then the nasty stuff will slowly disappear. If you drop some on the floor, don't worry about it. Nor need you worry about using it around children, pets or plants (because it only attacks dead organic tissue, not live matter). People can even ingest Bio-Clean without any ill effects, which some of its salesmen are apt to do from time to time. While I don't find their demonstrations particularly appetizing, they do drive home the point about its harmlessness.
Perhaps the best testimony to its safety is that you won't find any warning labels on Bio-Clean containers. This is a mark of supreme confidence by the manufacturers and sellers in our lawsuit-crazed society.
SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE
Bio-Clean is not only better for the environment than the household drain cleaners sold in supermarkets, it works better too. The popular liquid drain cleaners are basically nothing more than bottles of diluted acid. When you pour the liquid or crystals down a drain, these chemicals helplessly succumb to gravity. They can't climb the inner side and ceiling walls of pipes, so they can't reach the waste that fills most of the interior. All they can do is seep along the bottom and burn a small tunnel in the accumulation. Picture a piece of 2-inch diameter tube with about a 1/4-inch diameter tube resting inside of it. The larger cylinder represents the accumulated waste matter blocking your drain line, the smaller tube the hole burrowed by the caustic chemical. It doesn't take long for another solid to block that small hole once again.
Sometimes the blockage is so dense that it cannot be completely penetrated by the chemical. Instead the chemical accumulates until it burns a hole in the pipe wall, or reacts with grease in the system to form a caustic soap that can congeal into a substance as hard as concrete. These caustic soap dams can be harder to eliminate than the original waste stoppage.
In contract, Bio-Clean bacteria spread out along the entire inner surface of the pipe wall, eating waste away from floor, sides and ceiling alike. Depending on the size and type of blockage, it usually takes 3 to 14 days for the bugs to consume all accumulated waste inside household drain pipes. When finished, those drain lines will be almost as clean as the day they were installed.
For initial treatment it is recommended to apply for 5 consecutive days a mixture of about 1 level tablespoon of Bio-Clean powder for each inch of pipe diameter, mixed with 1 pint per tablespoon of lukewarm water. Afterwards, a single treatment about once a month is usually sufficient for maintenance.
DRAWBACKS
While I think Bio-Clean is the best drain cleaning product around, you should be aware of a few drawbacks and limitations.
One is that during the initial treatment stage, it might momentarily worsen a blockage before eliminating it. This is because it works so well removing waste from the entire interior of pipes. As waste gets eaten from the upper portion of a pipe surface, it may loosen and fall in a heap that may block the flow for awhile until the bacteria can finish their feast on the floor. As a result, many plumbers who sell Bio-Clean recommend that you have your drain line rodded as part of the initial treatment. Odds are this would be the last time you'll need rodding as long as you continue to use Bio-Clean.
You also ought to be aware that Bio-Clean will not attack inorganic compounds that may get trapped in the drain line, such as children's toys. (It will work on toilet paper, tissue and sanitary napkins, because they are all made from organic substances.) Also, while Bio Clean will eventually degrade hair, this takes substantially longer than it does to get rid of most other organic build-ups. Even using Bio Clean, from time to time you may find it necessary to take a plunger to the drains where you wash your hair. What comes up, however, will be almost pure hair instead of the foul mixture of hair and gunk found in homes that don't use Bio-Clean.
Also, Bio-Clean will not work without the right combination of water volume, temperature and pH. However, using it correctly does not require a degree in rocket science. Each container comes with clear and simple instructions that virtually everyone can handle.
A can of Bio-Clean contains about 85 tablespoons of the substance. For most households, this is enough for a year or more of treatment and maintenance. This is less than the cost of a single rodding with a drain cleaning machine, and much more gentle on your fixtures and pipes.
Ask your plumber about Bio-Clean. If he doesn't sell it, ask him, why not? Both he and you are missing out on something good.
Proprietary Information, Nexstar®, Inc., Copyright 1995
One of the best things to happen in the plumbing field in recent times has been the development of biological drain cleaners as an alternative to dangerous and ecologically harmful chemicals. These biological products work via bacteria that consume organic waste.
There are various products of this nature on the market. The best one, in my opinion, is Bio-Clean, which is sold only by plumbing contractors. While the exact formula is a secret, Bio-Clean is a composite of bacteria, enzymes and additives, all coming from natural sources. These natural ingredients come in a powder that remains dormant in it protective container until you apply the right amount of water and pour the solution into waste matter. Then the bacteria come to life and start searching for yucky food. Once fed, their instincts turn to that other fundamental source of life, and they begin to multiply.
The Bio-Clean bugs eat their way through the filth of drain lines, septic tanks, cesspools, RV holding tanks and grease traps without harming pipes, containers or any other inorganic material. People continually find new uses for this amazing substance. It works great, for instance, in removing odor from kitty litter boxes, as well as toilets and urinals. You also can pour it on virtually any kind of organic spill and watch the gooey mess slowly disappear like the Cheshire Cat.
Since the bugs attack only organic waste, Bio-Clean is completely safe and commonly used in hospitals, nursing homes, restaurants and other places subject to stringent health inspections. If you mix it with water and leave it in an open container, nothing will happen, until you drop some nasty stuff into the mixture. Then the nasty stuff will slowly disappear. If you drop some on the floor, don't worry about it. Nor need you worry about using it around children, pets or plants (because it only attacks dead organic tissue, not live matter). People can even ingest Bio-Clean without any ill effects, which some of its salesmen are apt to do from time to time. While I don't find their demonstrations particularly appetizing, they do drive home the point about its harmlessness.
Perhaps the best testimony to its safety is that you won't find any warning labels on Bio-Clean containers. This is a mark of supreme confidence by the manufacturers and sellers in our lawsuit-crazed society.
SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE
Bio-Clean is not only better for the environment than the household drain cleaners sold in supermarkets, it works better too. The popular liquid drain cleaners are basically nothing more than bottles of diluted acid. When you pour the liquid or crystals down a drain, these chemicals helplessly succumb to gravity. They can't climb the inner side and ceiling walls of pipes, so they can't reach the waste that fills most of the interior. All they can do is seep along the bottom and burn a small tunnel in the accumulation. Picture a piece of 2-inch diameter tube with about a 1/4-inch diameter tube resting inside of it. The larger cylinder represents the accumulated waste matter blocking your drain line, the smaller tube the hole burrowed by the caustic chemical. It doesn't take long for another solid to block that small hole once again.
Sometimes the blockage is so dense that it cannot be completely penetrated by the chemical. Instead the chemical accumulates until it burns a hole in the pipe wall, or reacts with grease in the system to form a caustic soap that can congeal into a substance as hard as concrete. These caustic soap dams can be harder to eliminate than the original waste stoppage.
In contract, Bio-Clean bacteria spread out along the entire inner surface of the pipe wall, eating waste away from floor, sides and ceiling alike. Depending on the size and type of blockage, it usually takes 3 to 14 days for the bugs to consume all accumulated waste inside household drain pipes. When finished, those drain lines will be almost as clean as the day they were installed.
For initial treatment it is recommended to apply for 5 consecutive days a mixture of about 1 level tablespoon of Bio-Clean powder for each inch of pipe diameter, mixed with 1 pint per tablespoon of lukewarm water. Afterwards, a single treatment about once a month is usually sufficient for maintenance.
DRAWBACKS
While I think Bio-Clean is the best drain cleaning product around, you should be aware of a few drawbacks and limitations.
One is that during the initial treatment stage, it might momentarily worsen a blockage before eliminating it. This is because it works so well removing waste from the entire interior of pipes. As waste gets eaten from the upper portion of a pipe surface, it may loosen and fall in a heap that may block the flow for awhile until the bacteria can finish their feast on the floor. As a result, many plumbers who sell Bio-Clean recommend that you have your drain line rodded as part of the initial treatment. Odds are this would be the last time you'll need rodding as long as you continue to use Bio-Clean.
You also ought to be aware that Bio-Clean will not attack inorganic compounds that may get trapped in the drain line, such as children's toys. (It will work on toilet paper, tissue and sanitary napkins, because they are all made from organic substances.) Also, while Bio Clean will eventually degrade hair, this takes substantially longer than it does to get rid of most other organic build-ups. Even using Bio Clean, from time to time you may find it necessary to take a plunger to the drains where you wash your hair. What comes up, however, will be almost pure hair instead of the foul mixture of hair and gunk found in homes that don't use Bio-Clean.
Also, Bio-Clean will not work without the right combination of water volume, temperature and pH. However, using it correctly does not require a degree in rocket science. Each container comes with clear and simple instructions that virtually everyone can handle.
A can of Bio-Clean contains about 85 tablespoons of the substance. For most households, this is enough for a year or more of treatment and maintenance. This is less than the cost of a single rodding with a drain cleaning machine, and much more gentle on your fixtures and pipes.
Ask your plumber about Bio-Clean. If he doesn't sell it, ask him, why not? Both he and you are missing out on something good.
Proprietary Information, Nexstar®, Inc., Copyright 1995
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