You are familiar with all those commercials on television for chemical drain cleaners like Drano^TM and Liquid Plumr^TM. You may have thought about using them instead of hiring a professional to handle clogged drain repair in Reno, NV. At first, you may think it is cheaper and faster. It is true you will spend less in the short-term, but they can’t do everything. There are good reasons not to use them, too. It may be better for your long-term finances and health not to use them. Not to mention, your family’s health and the environment, too.

Chemical Drain Cleaners are:

Toxic Enough to Blind or Kill You

Have you ever read the warnings on chemical drain cleaners that say “harmful or fatal if swallowed”? Well, they mean it. If you swallow it, you will very likely become very sick or die because it will eat away at your insides. If your skin gets into contact with it, wash it off with water as soon as possible to avoid burns. If you get it in your eyes, wash them out with water because it could make you blind! The bottom line is that they are poison, especially when a drain opener contains sulfuric acid. Do you really want something that can kill or blind you so close to your family?

Smell Terrible

Most of them contain lye, also known as sodium hydroxide. It’s also used to make soap. While it’s not dangerous when a professional is working with it, it’s still poisonous. It can turn room- temperature water up to 200°F and also creates strong toxic fumes. You are literally dumping toxic waste down the drain. This is why your kitchen smell like a toxic waste dump.

Do Not Unclog Every Drain Every Time

While they might prove effective on small hair or oil clogs, they are much less effective on larger ones. Always dumping containers down the drain is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Sometimes they can actually make things worse instead of better!

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June is National Fresh Fruit & Vegetables Month, which means it’s a perfect time to make improvements to your diet.

During this month, you’ll have an easy time finding fresh, delicious produce in supermarkets, farmer’s markets, and maybe even your own backyard garden. And while you probably already know that eating more fruits and veggies will make you healthier, that’s not the only benefit you’ll notice. Eating a healthy diet will also make you more productive and give you more energy to excel at work, play with your kids, and connect with your loved ones. These tips will help you clean up your diet and become more productive along the way.

Swap refined carbs for fresh, whole foods.

Processed carbs, such as white bread, soda, and candy, might give you a quick burst of energy right after you eat them. However, the energy boost soon fades away, leaving you feeling groggy and irritable. Why? Your body processes the simple sugars in these foods quickly, which causes your blood sugar to rise and then drop sharply again.

To avoid this happening to you, cut sugary foods out of your diet wherever you can. Replace them with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. These natural foods aren’t just more filling than highly processed foods – they’ll keep your brain going for longer, too. Here are some examples of simple swaps you can make:

• Make your lunchtime sandwich on whole-grain bread or a whole-wheat pita instead of white bread.
• Trade your afternoon candy for a carton of fresh, ripe blueberries.
• Instead of soda, drink filtered water or seltzer infused with strawberries.
• Cook brown rice for dinner instead of white rice.
• Swap your morning glass of orange juice for a more filling piece of fresh fruit.

Eat breakfast.

There’s a reason breakfast is referred to as the most important meal of the day. A healthy breakfast kick-starts your brain, while an unhealthy one can leave you feeling foggy at ten in the morning. According to the University of Illinois, an ideal breakfast should include carbs, fat, and protein. The carbs give you energy and help you focus, while the fat and protein help you stay satisfied until lunchtime. If you need ideas, give these breakfasts a try:

• Make an omelet with your favorite vegetables, like spinach and mushrooms, and a little cheese. Have a piece of whole-wheat toast on the side.
• In a hurry? Make a quick piece of peanut butter toast. Eat it with a banana or some berries.
• Cook up a bowl of satisfying oatmeal. Top it with honey, sliced almonds, and cut-up fruit.

Plan ahead.

Don’t wait until you get hungry to decide what to eat. According to the Harvard Business Review, people make better food choices when they’re not ravenous. Spend a couple of minutes every morning thinking about what you’ll have for lunch, dinner, and snacks. A little planning can save you a lot of time, brainpower, and calories in the long run.

Use a smaller plate.

Have you ever felt sluggish and slow after eating too much? Everyone overindulges sometimes, but if you do it regularly, you won’t be at your most productive. Instead of putting less food on a large plate, which can make you feel subconsciously deprived, try this simple trick: just put your food on a small plate instead. You’ll still feel satisfied, and you won’t get a case of afternoon brain fog from eating too much. MIT also recommends sticking to light, healthy foods, such as fruits, veggies, and lean protein, instead of heavy fried foods.

Don’t let yourself get too hungry.

In terms of brainpower and productivity, eating too little is just as bad as eating too much. When you under-eat, your brain doesn’t get the glucose it needs, which can make you feel light-headed, anxious, and irritable. Maintain your energy and focus by eating small, balanced meals and snacks throughout the day. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Instead of eating a heavy pasta dish at lunch, go for a salad or a light sandwich with veggies on it. Skip the fries.
• Keep a healthy, nonperishable snack, such as a bag of almonds, in your car. That way, if your stomach starts growling when you’re stuck in traffic, you won’t be tempted to hit the drive-through.
• Bring carrot sticks and hummus to work for when the afternoon munchies hit.

June is the perfect time to clean up your diet by incorporating plenty of fresh, in-season produce. These easy tips will help you make the most of National Fresh Fruit & Vegetables Month!

There can be nothing more time consuming and costly than industrial plumbing problems. It is important to know how to recognize a problem before it turns into a disaster. Here are five industrial plumbing problems that may require plumbing services and repairs.

1. Faulty Plumbing Sounds

Plumbing leaks that may seem more like a nuisance can often become serious problems if not looked at by a professional. Some of these plumbing noise sources include:

• Pipe fixtures and outlets dripping
• Supply pipe leak
• Corroded pipe leaking

The sound of dripping water can be tough to track down. If the leak is from a pipe that is inside the wall cavity, you may not notice it until you see water stains and/or mold forming on the wall or floor. This can begin to produce a moldy smell that can permeate throughout the area. Leaks that occur in the wall cavity can be very harmful to a structure over time if not taken care of.

Dripping pipes or fixtures can only occur when there is a source of water. Not all pipes or drains have water flowing through them at all times. This can cause intermittent leaking, such as around water basins with drains or drainage pipes. Faulty plumbing vents can also cause drainage noises.

There are a number of pipe tests that can be conducted in order to hunt down leaks:

• Hydrostatic pressure test
• Video camera inspection using state of the art infrared technology
• Static leak isolation testing
• Electronic listening
• Slab Leak Detection

2. Plumbing Ventilation Problems

Plumbing ventilation allows harmful sewage gasses to be released to prevent build up inside the building. Sewer gas contains hydrogen sulfide and ammonia along with other non-toxic gasses. Studies have shown that even small amounts of sewer gas can cause irritation of the eyes, dizziness, headaches and drowsiness.

A significant difference between residential plumbing and industrial plumbing problems are that commercial sewage systems can be the outlet for more toxic liquids and substances. In such cases, sewer gas would also contain carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane and sulfur dioxide.

An industrial plumber specializes in dealing with such issues. Using some of the pipe tests listed above, they can locate and solve the problems.

3. Sump Pump Failure

A sump pump failure can be another source of industrial plumbing problems. Sump pumps prevent basement or ground level floors from flooding. They do this by removing water from the sump basin and drawing it out through a hose to an exterior location such as a sewer.

Sump pump problems come from either clogged drainage pipes or a bad pump. If these things occur, it can cause your basement or first level floor to flood. This can cause severe damage to the structure, equipment, and furniture. Water from sump basins can become contaminated, and this will cause odors in the interior.

Other causes for sump pump failure could be a broken power supply, mechanical failure, improper installation, or a sump pump that is too small for the job.

4. Pipe Sagging

Other industrial plumbing problems are sagging pipes due to soil shifts. Pipes can become misaligned and cause low points. These low points don’t allow water to drain properly, which will cause the line to back up. If the ground under the pipe shifts enough, the pipe will eventually crack or even break. This problem can be fixed easily as long as it is handled right away.

5. Limescale Buildup

Limescale buildup is one of the most common industrial plumbing problems, especially in the commercial food business. This limescale build-up is caused by “hard water.” Hard water has abnormally large amounts of calcium in it. When water boils off or evaporates the calcium is left behind.

This causes equipment to become coated by limescale build-up. Pipes and faucet fixtures will eventually become clogged by its build-up as well. This problem can be aggravated by the fact that lime buildup is very difficult to remove once it gets too hard. Water filters are often used to cure such issues.

Reno, Nevada, business owners with industrial plumbing problems should consult an industrial plumber. These issues may seem small at first, but as they get worse, they will become more costly to fix. Industrial plumbing problems can cause a business’s operation to slow down or even halt. If you are in need of an professional plumber, please contact us today.