Burst Underground Water Pipes

During cold weather, not only can inside water pipes freeze up and burst, so can underground water pipes. For some projects, this means you either need open cut repair work done or horizontal directional drilling. Or course with either method, or even if you want to try to repair damage yourself, you need to call ahead and have utilities mark the ground before you dig, to avoid cutting utility lines: electricity, cable, phone, and other companies.

Open Cut Repairs

Open cut repair work is the old fashioned way; dig a whole, mess up the yard and landscaping, complete the repairs, fill in the hole and go. For this type work, you would need to call general contractors by seeking referrals from neighbors and friends, looking in the Yellow Pages or other advertising materials you have locally, or check with your local hardware for recommendations.

Gather bids from a couple of different sources to compare. And check their credentials, references and previous work by following up with phone calls before hiring.

Horizontal Directional Drilling

To avoid so much damage to your property and landscaping, you may want to check into horizontal directional drilling (HDD) contractors in your area. With HDD, the repair equipment sits stationary off to the side of your work area, while long, horizontal piping drills head on into the area for repair work, similar to a surgeon using tools to operate. Results are repairs with little to no damage to the outside are surrounding the project.

To see if this horizontal type of drilling would work for your own situation, contractors would check the following information:

• They would need to know the required slope of the project and could work with your local contact to determine this.

   

• They would need to know if the area’s geotechnical situation or condition was right for the project and would know how to check this out.

   

• They would need to make sure your municipality permitted this type of work, and would know who to contact to find out.

   

• They would need to know if this work would interfere with any municipal services or utilities that are already existing and would also know how to find this information out.

So before you dive in to repair burst underground water pipes, even if you know how, call all utilities first to get ground marked. And if you do need help, get some!

John Mayer owns FloodCheck USA which can help you prevent water damage should your pipes ever burst. You can see a full line of home protection for burst water pipes

Hose Pipes - Different Uses

The Hose Pipes are one of the widely used items in the Modern days. These are used in all the fields from Agriculture to Aeronautics. The Hose Pipes help in transporting fluids from one place to another and they make the fluids themselves work in a particular way in a range of applications where they are installed. Without the Hose Pipes, it may not have been possible to have different types of Machineries and their use to the Human beings.

The advancements in the manufacturing processes along with the formulation of a range of Plastic, PVC and other Polymer based materials have made it possible for the manufacture of specialized Hose Pipes that can be used in highly specialized Applications.

The Hose Pipes are manufactured in various sizes, shapes, types and out of different Materials. The flexibility of the Hose Pipes makes them ideal connecting material between different parts of Machinery with moving parts. These take a variety material from one part of the machine to another and become a part of the Machinery itself controlling, allowing redirecting and stopping the flow of the materials through them.

The Hose Pipes are usually light in weight, and can be repaired very easily with minimum time, effort and materials. They can be repaired at any place virtually by anybody even by Persons who do not have much experience to do so. The Hose Pipes are manufactured by blending various materials like, Nylon, PVC, Rubber Polymers etc so that it is possible to make them as per specific requirements.

The Hose pipes come in different types depending on the use they are made for. They take a variety of materials from one place to another like Air, Water, Chemicals, Oil and all other types of fluids. Now the Hose Pipes are made for high Pressure uses as well as for the materials that are highly corrosive like Acids and Chemicals.

Some of the different types of Applications include in Automotive field like, Air Brake Hoses, Air Hoses for all types of Pneumatics applications, Automotive Hose Pipes where the Hose Pipes are used in the Automobile Engines and other parts of the Automobiles, Radiator Hoses in the Automobiles which are heat and fire resistant in nature.

We have different types of Hoses for the Chemicals that are corrosive in nature. The Corrosive Metallic flexible Hoses are used for materials that are corrosive in nature. Flexible Hoses, Fuel line Hoses, Garden Hoses, HDPE Hoses and Heater Hoses are some of the other Hoses widely in use.

John Gibb is the owner of hosepipe resources , For more information on hospipes check out http://www.Hose-Pipe-Information.info

Burst Pipes Repair

Pressure burst pipes, frozen pipes that burst and any type of burst pipes repair can be done without too much difficulty if you have the right tools and know-how. Here are some basic repair steps and tips.

Site Prep

Begin by shutting off your water at faucets, stopcock, valves and water heating unit. Empty / drain out any excess water.

Then find the burst area or hole. Especially if the pipes are in a slanted position, the hole may not be right over top the water leakage puddle, as the water may have been running downhill from a break further up. So take time to thoroughly investigate the entire pipe.

If the burst is a tiny puncture or splice, you may be able to repair the damage with lengths of copper pipe that are threaded at the ends called proprietary slip on couplers. These can be found at store with plumbing supplies, so call ahead to make sure they have them first.

After you have your couplers, focus on the burst section once again. Go there and cut away the area with the burst or hole in it with a pipe slice, a pipe cutter or a hacksaw. Cut back until you reach a good rounded piping area once again to connect to with your new piece. You don’t want to leave any of the misshapen damaged area behind or it will be weak in that spot in the future.

Once you’ve cut away the bad area, smooth areas left on the remaining good piping. Then slide olives over the ends on the coupling and compress them (tuning the bolts and nuts in place) to seal the section.

If the burst area is larger, you may need to use a couple of small compression couplers, one on each side of the new area.

Push Fit

You could choose to use a push fit for your repair work instead. Check with your local plumbing supply center for this type push and fit package that works similar to the method above but is easier.

Resources

For more help, head to your local hardware center that also sell plumbing supplies. Also check with library books on burst pipes repair and check on Amazon.com, an online bookstore. Ebay, the largest online auction site, also offers a lot of plumbing supplies and books about burst pipes repair, so add them to your list.

Joh Mayer owns FloodCheck USA which can help you prevent water damage should your pipes ever burst. You can see a full line of home protection at http://www.floodcheckusa.com

 

The Dish: Owens Pipes Up Again

Terrell Owens will never win a championship.

Neither will Randy Moss, Barry Bonds, Jeremy Shockey or Kellen Winslow Jr.

But today I'd like to talk about Owens, the anti-New-England-Patriot, the man about whom nothing surprises anyone, the Dennis Rodman of the NFL, the man who is positive that the world was created primarily to praise him. You know about his big contract stink with the Niners a couple years back, when his agent forgot to cross some Ts and dot some Is, and Owens accidentally missed free agency. You know how he vetoed a trade to Baltimore by threatening not to report, and you know how he muscled into Philly. You know how this offseason, he stomped and whined like Angelina Jolie standing before a fake-boob detector, because he didn't like the incredibly lucrative contract he signed the year before. But do you know T.O. wasn't pleased that the Eagles didn't stop the game and hold a ceremony in honor of his 100th career receiving touchdown two weeks ago?

That's right, horror of horrors, Owens came out this week and questioned the entire Eagles organization because, in the middle of a terrible skein in which the defending NFC champs look like they could struggle to finish with a winning record, the team didn't single out an individual achievement for a player who's been louder than Cyndi Lauper. And this after the Eagles did recognize his 100th overall TD just a few weeks ago. Then, after calling out the organization, Owens set his sights on QB Donovan McNabb, saying that it's Donny's fault the team is losing, and that if the Eagles had Brett Favre at the helm, they'd be undefeated. Is the man insane? They lost 49-21 last week. Does McNabb plug rushing lanes? Does he defend bombs? Does he blitz? Does he tackle?

No, T.O. is through in Philly, just as he's through in San Fran and through in Baltimore. He'll never get the fans back now, and he'll probably be gone this offseason, gone to another franchise who'll buy into the fool's gold of his physical talents, and who will guarantee themselves, like the Niners and Eagles before them, that they will never win a title with Owens aboard. I feel a huge NFL game in the offing. How do you see the Colts/Patriots game next Monday night? Even if you don't want to tell us who your pick is, tell us how you think bettors will behave. Where do you think the public will wind up, and why?

Rob Gillespie, BoDog.ws: Colts undefeated, defense getting respect, coming off a bye week. The Pats' injuries are common knowledge and they looked mediocre against the Bills on national TV. The public will be in on the Colts and even a few pros have appeared to jump that way early. The Patriots have been amazing in finding ways to frustrate the Colts in recent years, but the injuries at running back make the challenge especially tough. I can see it being closer than people expect, getting 3.5 at home would be enough for me to bite.

Ditto for the huge tilt in Blacksburg this weekend: Miami against Virginia Tech. Does Tech have another huge conference win in them? Does Miami have enough offense to score? Where will the public be on this one, and what do you expect the national title implications will be?

RG, BoDog.ws: Going to be an interesting game. Both teams have not played a tough opponent for weeks. Miami has been a double-digit fav in their last five games (and 20-point-plus faves their last four), while VT has been a double-digit fave their last seven games. Whoever gets out of the gate quick will have a huge advantage. Tech has held Miami in check the last two years and I can see that happening again. I expect public action to be split as people really aren't sure about either of these teams. If VT can win, orbetter yet, win big, they can maybe pull a couple of votes away from USC or Texas, but the reality is they won't get themselves into a title game unless one of those teams lose. They should get a boost in the computer polls which will help keep them ahead of Alabama and UCLA. Miami would likely only climb one spot with an upset and would need several teams to lose to have a title shot.

Is there any way Reggie Bush doesn't win the Heisman?

RG, BoDog.ws: Yes. If UCLA holds him to 30 yards on 20 carries, he fumbles three times returning punts and the Trojans lose 48-10. Or if Vince Young puts up 500 combined yards a few more times in comeback wins.

What do you think of Theo Epstein resigning as GM of the Boston Red Sox? Is the world going to fall off its axis (as everyone in Boston seems to fear), or will the Sox will be a major contender in '06?

RG, BoDog.ws: If you asked me a month ago which of Epstein or Cashman would be with their team next year, I would have been wrong! The Red Sox must have some front office troubles; they win the World Series and Pedro bolts. Now they are contenders and ManRam wants out. Why do players want to go to the Yankees and leave the Red Sox?

Christopher Harris is a featured writer for the Professional Handicappers League. Read all of his articles at http://www.procappers.com

Hose Pipes – Types and Uses

Hose Pipes find enormous use in every walk of our life. The Hose Pipes are manufactured in different types, shapes and sizes. Hose pipes are made of different types of materials to suit the applications they are put to. In olden days the Hose Pipes were made of Rubber and its Compounds, which were very bulky, and could not be easily moved from one place to another. They also got damaged easily and it was difficult to repair.

Now the Hose pipes are made of Poly Vinyl Chloride the wonder chemical of the last Century that has got enormous applications throughout the World. The PVC tubing is made of Virgin Grade P.V.C. and range of Hose piping materials include: Flexible Tubing, PVC Flexible Pipes, PVC Garden Pipes & Hoses, PVC Sleevings, Sanitary Waste Connection Pipes & Tubes, Nylon Thread Reinforced Braided Hoses, Double Layer of Triple Garden Hoses, Solid Doris, PVC Strips, Belts and Profiles.

A Vast range of Products are being manufactured in different sizes. Many different types of Hose Pipes are manufactured each for a different type of use like Pneumatic Hoses, Water Hoses, Welding Hoses, Chemical Hoses, Car Washing Hoses, Sanitary Connection Hoses and a range of other Hose pipes.

The Hose pipes for Pneumatic uses are usually Nylon Reinforced Hoses in which the Nylon yarn is fused in between the inner and outer layers of the Hose pipe that gives higher resistance to withstand high pressure without the problem of splitting. They are resistant to various chemicals, Oils and other corrosive materials.

The Water Hose Pipes as the name itself suggests are made for use in transporting Water and they are co-extruded flexible ones most useful for Gardening, Construction, and Irrigation purposes. They manufactured in sizes from 1/2", 3/4" & 1".

Yet another type of Hose pipes is Welding Hoses that connect the Welding Machine with the Welding electrodes carrying Gas for the Oxy-Acetylene welding purposes and cutting equipments. Chemical & Pesticides Hoses pipes are Nylon braided Hoses being used for conveying Chemicals and spraying Pesticides, Insecticides, Fungicides Weeding etc. The Car washing Hoses are the abrasion and Chemical resistant three layer double reinforced high pressure Hose Pipes that are mostly used in Garages as well as Service stations for car washing purposes.

Another type of Hose pipes is the Sanitary Connection Hoses. These are the Nylon braided Hoses finding wide application in Bathroom fittings and connections. These are corrosion resistant and flexible the connections/ shower Tubes made out of colorful Hoses giving aesthetic looks and adds elegance to the bathroom decor.

John Gibb is the owner of hosepipe resources , For more information on hospipes check out http://www.Hose-Pipe-Information.info

Sell Vintage Collectable Pipes on eBay

Collectable pipes are also commonly found at local auctions from country and deceased estates and, like ashtrays, they were often given as gifts or special awards and more often kept and cherished than used or discarded.

Pipes were made from many different materials, some short lived and easily broken and made from inferior clay, or expensively fashioned from ivory or rare woods and embellished with silver and porcelain. The latter represent the highest profit potential.

Carved wood and ivory bowls fetch the highest prices especially with famous faces (a bowl with portrait of Napoleon fetched £400 at a sale in Newcastle last month), and most highly valued of all are long stemmed pipes, up to fifteen or sixteen inches long with ornate carved bowls sometimes embellished with silver and precious gems.

eBay.com's recent high prices include:

* $3075.00 was paid for a Lars Ivarsson Pipe

* A large Dunhill pipe fetched $1875.00

* A Dunhill White Spot Briar Pipe and Case fetched $954.81

* An Ivarsson Pipe, Pot with Bamboo, made $860.00

* A Meerschaum pipe carved with face of a mountain man made $661.00

I won't go further because in just a few minutes I spotted the following trends:

* Pipes represent one of those collectables that fetch high prices and rarely go unsold on eBay.

* Names like Dunhill and Ivarsson are amongst the highest achievers of all on ebay.com and other ebay sites.

Meerschaum pipes are also extremely collectable, meerschaum being the material from which the pipes are made. Meerschaum is better known as magnesium silicate, a porous mineral found in rock veins.

Pipes made from meerschaum absorb nicotine and gradually grow darker. The better types are elaborately carved to represent people or animals. The more intricate the design, the higher the price is likely to be, such as a pipe depicting an elephant's head with long winding trunk and tusks that several years ago fetched £1,000 at Christie's in the UK, and a cheroot holder (not exactly a pipe) in the shape of two ladies sitting on a snake that fetched almost fifteen hundred pounds at Sotheby's.

Avril Harper is a business writer and eBay PowerSeller who has produced several guides to making money from eBay, including MAKE MONEY TEARING UP OLD BOOKS AND MAGAZINES AND SELLING THEM ON EBAY which you can read about at:http://www.magstoriches.com 103 POWERSELLER TIPS can be downloaded with other freely distributable reports and eBooks at http://www.avrilharper.com

Cleaning Out Blocked Pipes

Every so often, you are going to get a pipe that is just plugged up. One of the best ways to break the super clog is to auger it.

Plumbing snakes, also called augers, come in two basic varieties. The most common one and the one most familiar to homeowners is the drain auger. It is a tightly wound flexible metal cable with a corkscrew auger tip at one end and a crank handle at the other end. The closet auger is much shorter and more rigid than the drain auger, and easier to push down into a toilet.

Here is how to use the drain auger to clear a blockage in a drain. First, make sure you are wearing a good set of work gloves. Also, anticipate success, which will mean making a mess. It is a good idea to have plenty of old towels and rags handy for clean up. When you are ready, push the cable slowly down the drain while turning the handle clockwise. As you insert the cable, be sure to reposition the grip as close to the opening of the drain as possible.

You should be able to feel the blockage when the auger tip of the snake reaches it. It will be impossible to insert the snake any further. You need to keep turning the crank, and pulling back the tip and pushing it forward. The idea is to try to chew up blockage. If at all possible, try to pull the blockage back out of the drain. This is better than dislodging it to fall deeper into the drain pipe where it might clog again. If you do manage to pull the blockage out of the drain, it is going to be a mess. This is when those rags and towels come in handy.

If you are unable to dislodge the blockage, or do not locate it, you can try to approach the blockage through a branch cleanout. This is a T-shaped fitting with a plug in one branch. Remove the plug and insert the snake using this as your new entry point. Then repeat all of the above steps. Be careful when you remove the plug as a great deal of water and waste material will most likely be trapped inside.

There are many different varieties of plumbing snakes. Commercial models are usually powered and much heavier and longer than the typical homeowner’s model. It is not very sensible, from a cost standpoint, to purchase one of these for just routine household maintenance. If your home model snake proves insufficient for the job, it is time to call for your professional plumber.

Fred Linson is with PlumbingStop.com - a directory of plumbing companies.