FUN FACTS
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300 million gallons of water are needed to produce a single day's supply of U.S. newsprint.
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A dairy cow must drink four gallons of water to produce one gallon of milk.
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It takes 3.3 acre feet of water to grow enough food for an average family for a year.
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If every household in America had a faucet that dripped once each second, 928 million gallons of water a day would leak away.
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The average American uses 140-170 gallons of water per day.
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Every day in the United States, we drink about 110 million gallons of water.
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Toilet
paper was first invented in China in 1391AD, The Bureau of Imperial
Supplies began producing 720,000 sheets of toilet paper a year, each
sheet measuring two feet by three feet. For use by the Emperors. In
1857 in the USA a New Yorker, Joseph C. Gayetty, produced the first
packaged bathroom tissue named "The Therapeutic Paper" as it contained
an abundance of aloe, a curative addition. The company sold it in packs
of 500 sheets for fifty cents, and Joseph Gayetty had his name printed
on each sheet! In 1890 The Scott Paper Company is the first company to
manufacture tissue on a roll, specifically for the use of toilet paper.
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Albert
Einstein was named honorary member of the Plumbers Union after saying
publicly he'd become a plumber if he had to do it all over again.
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Archeologists
recovered a portion of a water plumbing system from the Pyramid of
Cheops in Egypt evidencing indoor plumbing dating back to 2500 B.C.E.
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Join Our List
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RECIPES
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Halloween Goodies
Lit'l SmokiesŪ
Mummy Dogs
SUBMITTED BY:
Hillshire FarmŪ
"For your next Halloween party, create spooky mummy dogs with strips of
crescent dough for the bandages and tasty Hillshire FarmŪ Lit'l
SmokiesŪ for the mummies."
PREP TIME
20 Min
COOK TIME
10 Min
READY IN
30 Min
Original recipe yield 32 mummy dogs
SERVINGS 8
INGREDIENTS
32 Hillshire FarmŪ Lit'l SmokiesŪ
1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent dough rolls
Mustard or ketchup, if desired
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Unroll dough, separate at perforations, creating 4 rectangles. Press perforations to seal.
With a knife or pizza cutter cut each rectangle lengthwise into 8
strips making a total of 32 strips.
Wrap one strip of dough around each
Lit'l SmokiesŪ stretching dough slightly to look like bandages, leaving
tip exposed to create face. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Draw features on tip of
Lit'l SmokiesŪ to create face. Serve with mustard or ketchup, if
desired.
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Harvest
Loaf Cake
SUBMITTED BY:
Marsha
"Fill your house with the happy aroma of autumn. If you don't have cream, you may substitute milk."
PREP TIME
30 Min
COOK TIME
1 Hr 10 Min
READY IN
1 Hr 40 Min
Original recipe yield 1 - 9x5 inch loaf
SERVINGS 12
INGREDIENTS
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons heavy cream
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x5
inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, mix flour, soda, salt, 3/4 teaspoon
nutmeg, ginger and cloves. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in
the eggs. Add flour mixture alternately with pumpkin. Stir in chocolate
chips and 1/2 cup of the walnuts. Pour batter into loaf pan. Sprinkle
remaining nuts on top.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 65 to 70 minutes or until
toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. While still
warm, drizzle with glaze.
Cool for 6 hours before serving.
To make the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine confectioners sugar,
nutmeg and cinnamon. Mix and add 1 to 2 teaspoons cream until drizzling
consistency.
____________________  Cupcake Graveyard
SUBMITTED BY:
Liz Harrison
PHOTO BY:
bridge
"Great at Halloween time! I always bring these ghoulish treats to class parties."
PREP TIME
30 Min
COOK TIME
25 Min
READY IN
55 Min
Original recipe yield 2 dozen
SERVINGS 24
INGREDIENTS
1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix
2 (16 ounce) packages vanilla frosting
3/4 cup chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
24 chocolate covered graham cracker cookies
DIRECTIONS
Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions for cupcakes.
In a medium bowl stir 1 package of frosting with the cookie crumbs. Frost cooled cupcakes.
Fill a pastry bag, fitted with a plain tip, with remaining white
frosting. Write R.I.P. on each chocolate covered graham cracker cookie.
Stand a decorated cookie on top of each cupcake so that it looks like a
tombstone. Place the cupcakes on a large cookie sheet that has been
covered with green paper. Place paper ghosts and bats randomly through
the graveyard. Serve! ____________________  Caramel
Pecan Apples
SUBMITTED BY:
Judy Atwell
"After one bite of this rich caramel-drizzles dessert, you'll move it
to the top of your recipe file. A buttery crust of crushed pecan
cookies complements the cheesecake-like filling. 'It's a glorious
treat,' promises Judy Atwell of Aptos, California."
PREP TIME
30 Min
READY IN
30 Min
SERVINGS 12
INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) package pecan cookies, crushed
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (12 ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping, divided
1 1/2 cups cold milk
1 (5.1 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
3/4 cup chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Press into a greased
13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 10
minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup caramel topping
until smooth. In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes; fold
into cream cheese mixture. Spread over the cooled crust. Sprinkle with
pecans. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Cut into squares;
drizzle with remaining caramel topping. ____________________ Refreshing
Orange Ice
SUBMITTED BY:
Carol Lydon
"This sherbet has been part of my family's Thanksgiving tradition for
three generations. We eat it along with the rest of the meal...the
tangy, creamy flavor complements the turkey and all the trimmings.
--Carol Lydon, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania"
PREP TIME
10 Min
READY IN
10 Min
SERVINGS 10
INGREDIENTS
3 cups water, divided
1 cup sugar
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
Directions
In a saucepan, bring 1 cup water and sugar to a boil, stirring
frequently. Boil for 1 minute or until sugar is dissolved.
Remove from
the heat; stir in orange juice concentrate, lemon juice and remaining
water.
Transfer to a freezer-proof mixing bowl. Cover and freeze until
firm.
Remove from the freezer. Beat until blended. Beat in cream. Cover and
return to freezer.
Remove from the freezer 20 minutes before serving.
____________________ Thanks to  for the above recipes.
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Recipe
of the Month
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Lasagna Rolls
Recipe Provided By: EatingWell.com
Ingredients
12 whole-wheat lasagna noodles
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (14 ounce) package extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained, rinsed and crumbled
3 cups chopped spinach
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped Kalamata olives
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (14 ounce) jar
marinara sauce, preferably lower-sodium, divided
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 386 kcal
Carbohydrates: 42 g
Dietary Fiber: 6 g
Fat: 15 g
Protein: 24 g
Sugars: 1 g
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse, return to the pot and cover with cold water until ready to use.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Add tofu and spinach and cook, stirring often, until the spinach wilts and the mixture is heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; stir in Parmesan, olives, crushed red pepper, salt and 2/3 cup marinara sauce.
Wipe out the pan and spread 1 cup of the remaining marinara sauce in the bottom.
To make lasagna rolls, place a noodle on a work surface and spread 1/4 cup of the tofu filling along it.
Roll up and place the roll, seam-side down, in the pan.
Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling. (The tofu rolls will be tightly packed in the pan.)
Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the rolls.
Place the pan over high heat, cover and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat to medium; let simmer for 3 minutes.
Sprinkle the rolls with mozzarella and cook, covered, until the cheese is melted and the rolls are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.
Serve hot.
Servings 6
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Our
Mission Statement
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Our successes are
centered on the notion that great service requires strong and growing
relationships with our clients, employees and suppliers.
We continue to
achieve this by delivering a quality of service not typically found in
our industry. By empowering our employees with the customer service
skills
needed, consistent training and state of the art equipment required to
keep us
on track and focused on our number one mission...
To create and maintain a happy, a "cheer leader", customer base.
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Greetings!
Thanks for taking the time to look through our October newsletter. I sincerely hope that you are finding something useful. As we move into the winter months, there are some maintenance issues that you really want to take care of. Later in this newsletter, you will find some helpful tips to do just that. And if you need a little help, don't worry. We not only will be there for you but please note the enclosed discounts for a number of your home projects. Just in case you were wondering, yes the recession discounts are still good. I anticipate that they will remain so at least until the spring. October is really a fun month. Although the weather is getting colder, there are some great seasonal events that you won't want to miss if you are looking for some entertainment. Not the least of which (notice I didn't say witch), are the Halloween celebrations. You'll find resources for these as well in this newsletter. So until next month, have a very blessed day. Sincerely,  Bill Casey / GM Casey's Plumbing Inc. Rooter n Drains Metro's Best Electric
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AUTUMN ACTIVITIES
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For those looking for some cool activities that all can enjoy as the weather begins to change, not to worry; our beautiful City of Roses has something for everyone.
For children, the opportunities are endless! It's amazing what they can do with the the tree leaves you just spent the afternoon racking into nice neat piles.
Of course, there are some very exciting alternatives to rolling in the leaves...
The Pumpkin Patch Farm on Sauvie Island is the place to be during
the fall season! For our family, it's technically not autumn until our
first trip out to see the best corn maze in the Portland area. As
aerial views confirm, this Corn Maize is not just a bunch of meandering
pathways through the corn rows but rather, a thing of artistic beauty!
Plus, there are plenty of other activities to keep the whole family
entertained.
 Opening Date: September 5th
Closing Date: October 31st
Maize: 503-621-7110
And of course, there are plenty of things for adults to do as well...
Click Here for more details The Portland Japanese Garden The Fall is a beautiful time of year the take a walk through the Portland Japanese Garden.
The Garden is located in the west hills of Portland, Oregon, directly above the Rose Gardens in Washington Park.
Street Address: 611 SW Kingston Avenue Portland, Oregon 97205 A free shuttle bus (from our parking lot to the Admission Gate) operates daily during the summer season (April-September) and on weekends October-March. Click Here for more details.   Portland Underground Tunnels Check- em out on a Portland Walking Tour! "Hunt! We also deliver indoor or outdoor team building activities for our corporate clients, non-profit organizations, youth and social group customers. A hunt with Portland Walking Tours is guaranteed to make your next off-site event an entertaining and memorable one. We use witty, tricky questions in fast-paced games that bring out the best in Portland - and the best in you and your teammates. " From website
Click Here for more details.
There are of course, many other places and things to see and do this fall. Stay warm and enjoy the changing of our seasons! |
HALLOWEEN
and it's history
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Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).
The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now
Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new
year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest
and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was
often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night
before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and
the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated
Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to
earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought
that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the
Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a
people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these
prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the
long, dark winter.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where
the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the
Celtic deities.
During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically
consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each
others fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their
hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from
the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory.
In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic
lands, two festivals of Roman origins were combined with the traditional
Celtic celebration of Samhain.
The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans
traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a
day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol
of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into
Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is
practiced today on Halloween.
By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic
lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1
All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely
believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic
festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The
celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle
English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it,
the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and,
eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make
November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated
similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in
costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three
celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were
called Hallowmas.
Each Halloween, Americans run to commercial pumpkin patches and
purchase odd-shaped, orange vegetables they carve out and make into
happy or scary faces. They place candles inside and perch the lit
faces on windowsills.
The pumpkin has come to symbolize the holiday as much as ghouls,
goblins, ghosts, and witches. But how many people know how the Jack
O'Lantern has come to be associated with Halloween, and why the pumpkin
has come to be used?
The answer seems to lie in an Irish folktale that goes something like this:
A long time ago, there lived an unfortunate soul, a stingy
blacksmith named Jack, known far and wide for his quick temper and his
constant state of drunkenness. One All Hallows Eve, after Jack had
imbibed too much at his favorite pub and his life had begun to slip
away, the Devil appeared.
"It's time," the Devil said to Jack.
"Time for what?" Jack slurred, his tongue soaked through with alcohol.
"You're done for, and I've come for your soul."
"I'll give you my soul," Jack replied, "but you've got to let me have one more drink before I die."
The Devil agreed. Jack said he was short of money, so the Devil
offered to turn himself into a sixpence in order to pay the bartender
and speed up his mission. Jack immediately seized the opportunity,
grabbed the coin, and pocketed it in his purse. Because Jack had a
silver cross in his purse, the Devil could not change himself back. Now
imprisoned, the Devil screamed at Jack to set him free. Jack said he
would, but only if the Devil promised not to bother him again for a
whole year.
The Devil agreed.
During the next year, Jack tried to mend his ways. For a time,
he
was a good husband to his wife and a good father to his children. He
attended church, he gave to charities, eventually though, Jack slipped
back into his wanton ways.
The next All Hallows Eve, as Jack was heading home from the pub, the Devil appeared once again.
"It's time," the Devil said, standing in a jaunty pose along the side of the road.
This time, Jack did not need to ask, "Time for what?" He knew. Not
too eager to die, and thinking quickly on his feet, Jack pointed to an
apple tree standing nearby and said, "I'll go with you, but first,
could you get me an apple out of that tree over there?" Jack even
offered to give the Devil a hand and hoist him up.
The Devil, not having learned from his previous encounter with Jack,
and thinking he had nothing to lose, agreed. He jumped on Jack's
shoulders, climbed into the tree, plucked an apple, and threw it down.
Jack caught the apple and whipped a knife out of his pocket, but
instead of cutting the apple into bite-size pieces, he carved a cross
into the tree trunk. Trapped once again, the Devil howled like a jackal
to be released, which Jack agreed to do, but only if the Devil agreed
never to bother him again. The Devil agreed and Jack released him.
A year later, Jack's evil ways finally caught up with him and he
died. When he tried to get into Heaven, he was told he could not enter.
So he tried to get into Hell, but the Devil, still smarting from the
way Jack had humiliated him in the past, refused to let Jack pass into
Hell.
"I cannot get into Heaven," Jack said. "I cannot get into Hell. Where can I go then?"
"You can go back where you came from," the Devil bellowed.
With that, Jack sunk down to the ground. "The way back is cold, and
windy," he whimpered. "How shall I find my way? Can you at least
provide me with some light?"
The Devil, being the kind creature that he was, threw Jack a piece
of brightly burning coal straight from the fires of Hell.
"That should
help you find your way in the dark of limbo," he said.
To keep the
piece of coal from blowing out in the wind, Jack put it into a turnip
that he had been eating and was now hollowed out. Ever since that day,
it has been Jack's fate to wander in darkness with his lantern until
Judgment Day.
And so, that is how the Jack of the lantern (Jack O'Lantern) became
the symbol of a damned soul wandering the earth on All Hallows Eve.
One might ask, if Jack used a turnip, how does the pumpkin fit into the holiday story?
Due to the Irish potato famine (1845-1850), over 700,000 people
immigrated to America, bringing with them their traditions of Halloween
and Jack O'Lanterns. When they arrived, the Irish found that pumpkins
were more readily available than turnips in the New World, so they
substituted one vegetable for another.
Today, the carved pumpkin face is perhaps the most famous icon of the holiday.
Thanks to MysteryNet.com for the above information. You'll probably find more than ever wanted to know about Halloween here!
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Electrical Safety Tips
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Cracked or damaged outlets
There are hidden dangers associated with cracked and damaged outlets. Cracked face plates on outlets can expose the user to loose terminals and loose connection points for the cords that plug into them. In the photo, you can clearly see that the bottom side of the outlet has a crack in it. Eventually, this piece of plastic could fall out completely and expose the contact points.
Along with providing protection from these contact points, outlet covers and their housings provide support for the contact fingers within the outlet itself.
If the back plate of the outlet is cracked, the wiring and inner contacts can be exposed within the junction box and cause a short circuit. This too can be a trouble spot when pulling the outlet from the junction box and having the outlet fall apart into pieces.
If you have outlets that look like these and have children, you might want to consider changing them out with tamper proof outlets with new covers. If not tamper proof outlets, replacing the cracked outlets with regular grounded outlets would be the minimum task you should consider.
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GFCI OUTLETS
 A GFCI ( ground fault circuit interrupter) outlet
is a device that adds a greater level of safety by reducing the
risk of electric shock. Our building codes now require that a
GFCI outlet be used in wet locations such as bathrooms, kitchens,
laundry rooms and outdoors.
A GFCI outlet monitors for a current imbalance
between the hot and neutral wires and breaks the circuit if that
condition occurs. A common circuit breaker usually will trip if you receive
a shock, but it may not act fast enough to protect you from harm.
A GFCI outlet is more sensitive and acts faster than a circuit breaker or fuse and is thus an important safety feature.
A GFCI outlet may be wired in a branch circuit,
which means other outlets and electrical devices may share the
same circuit and breaker (or fuse). When a properly wired GFCI
trips, the other devices connected down stream to the GFCI, will also
lose power. Note that devices on the branch circuit that come before
the GFCI, are not protected by it and are not affected when it
is tripped. If the GFCI outlet is improperly wired, none the other
loads, upstream nor downstream will be protected.
If you have an outlet that doesn't work, and
the breaker is not tripped, look for a GFCI outlet which may have
tripped. The non-working outlet may be down stream from a GFCI outlet.
Note that the affected outlets may not be located near the GFCI
outlet, they may be several rooms away or even on a different
floor.
GFCI outlets should be tested periodically, at least once a year. A GFCI outlet has a "Test" and a "Reset"
button. Pressing the "Test" button will trip the outlet
and break the circuit. Pressing the "Reset" will restore
the circuit. If pressing the test button does not work, then replace
the GFCI outlet. If the outlet does pop when you press the "Test"
button, but the outlet still has power, the outlet is miswired.
A miswired outlet is dangerous and it should be fixed immediately. ______________________________________________________________ When was the last time you inspected your "surge protector" power strip? Chances are if it looks like the one below or has been exercised by a surge, that it no longer has any protection value at all. As an added protection for your sensitive equipment, a whole house sure protection system would be a very safe idea. This along with your point of use surge protection provides the ultimate in surge protection. This surge protector was found plugged in and still in use!. Note the dark burn spot next to the red power switch.
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NOW'S THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR HARSH WINTER WEATHER
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Remember last year?
Broken Pipes - Flood Damage?
Many of the water disasters that were the result of a freeze, could have been avoided with some basic winter maintenance. One of the most common mistakes homeowners make is to either put it off too long or perform the task incorrectly.
If you have a garage, there is a good chance that there is an outside hose bibb or hydrant, attached to it along with a service valve located somewhere in the garage (usually somewhere in close proximity to the water heater).
 TYPICAL BALL AND WASTE VALVE The shut off valve to your garage hydrant is either a ball and waste or another form of valve with a waste cap. Note: The "waste cap" is to allow air into the system so that when you turn off the valve to your hose bibb, air can displace the water. Turning the valve off without opening the "waste cap" will result in a vacuum. As such, water cannot drain even though the water is shut off. Below are a couple of images to illustrate taking off the "waste cap" to prepare the faucet for draining. In theory, you are only required to loosen the "waste cap" to allow air into the system. But as you can see from the below image, there is a small rubber gasket up inside the cap.  Opening "waste" cap to ensure drain is open  Sometimes this gasket will get stuck to the drain on the valve body,
thus not allowing air into the system. That's why I remove the cap
completely, allow a little water to drain out (see above) just to make
sure the drain is open, and then replace the cap back onto the drain
with just a turn or two making sure it is still loose.
And you're still not done yet. The majority of modern outside hydrants also have an Anti Siphon Valve at the tip. Exercising this is the final step to winterize your outside hydrants.  As you can see the, Anti Siphon Valve above has a pin protruding out of the spout. After performing the earlier steps, the last step is to push this pin to the side and hold it until the water is drained. On some vacuum breakers like the one below, there will be a ring to pull down or lift up. Use the same instructions for these as well.
 Here are all the steps in order to winterize your outside hydrant...
- Close the service valve (see above).
- Open the outside faucet and leave it open.
- Return to service valve and open the "waste cap". After making sure that the gasket is not stuck and blocking the flow, place the cap back on the drain loosely.
- And then finally, return to the outside hydrant and exercise the Anti Siphon Valve (see above).
Clearly, it's no wonder so many end up with broken pipes even though they thought they prepared properly. Again, the most common mistake made when winterizing the above outside hydrant is that some or all of the above steps are not performed.If you have a frost proof hydrant, the only thing you need to remember to do is disconnect the garden hose connected to it . This is because a frost proof hydrant has a long stem that will actually stop the water on the heated side of the house. So when a garden hose is left attached, the faucet barrel cannot drain. If you have left the hose connected all winter and are unsure if there is damage, simply turn it on. If it froze up, the barrel is likely cracked and will leak only when the valve is turned on. FOUNDATION VENTS
Another common over sight when preparing for winter weather is leaving the foundation vents unprotected. These vents must be open in the warmer weather to allow your home to breath. But during the winter, they must be blocked to prevent arctic winds from freezing your pipes. No matter how well you insulate your pipes, if the arctic winds are allowed to enter the crawl space, they will simply take longer to freeze, but freeze they will! APPLY VENT COVER FROM THE OUTSIDE OR THE INSIDE
Of course, if all this is more than you want to tackle, you can always hire a professional. For your plumbing preparations, give us a call! We'll always be there for you. If you just need a little advice, feel free to call Bill Casey at 971-563-9418.  503-620-9111
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DO YOUR DRAINS NEED HELP?
It's what's inside that counts.
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 Drain Maintenance
Did you know that it's just as important to maintain your home's drain system as changing the oil in your car? The good news is that, unlike a car's oil change every 3000 miles, your home's drainage system can get by with a complete maintenance servicing every 20 years.
Unfortunately, many homeowners don't think about maintaining their home's drain piping. As such, some experience plumbing disasters, usually in our heavy winter rain season. And it always seems to happen during the most inconvenient periods of time; Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays for example.
 There are some things you can do yourself to avert smaller clogged drain disasters...
- When using your garbage disposal, scoop most of the debris from the sink and place them in the garbage. (This is how I use mine). And whatever I don't get, I send on down the disposal. And it's very important to run a lot of water after the switch is turned off to ensure that the waste makes it all the way out to the city sewer.
- When using the lavatory sink, bathtub or shower, check for hair buildup regularly. A "Drain Stick" is a handy tool that usually can be found at your local hardware store.
See below - Another good tip to keep your drains open is keeping them treated with Drain Maid. It must be pointed out that if your drain lines currently have build up in them (see image at top of page), a mechanical cleaning will need to be performed before a bio treatment. Drain Main bio treatment gradually eats the build up and if the build up is heavy as above, the material will drop into the line and will create a clog. Drain Maid is a maintainer, not a drain opener.
For your 20 year maintenance, you really need some professional help. Rooter n Drains will come out and mechanically clean every drain in the house all the way out to the sewer. Then, we followup with a high pressure water scouring of the kitchen, laundry and main sewer lines. Finally, we inspect and record the condition of your sewer out to the street (standard size lots). Right now you can save $100 off any whole house drain cleaning package until further notice.  503-643-4433
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TIPS FOR THE HEATING SEASON
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SAVING ENERGY - SAVING $
· Lower heat settings at night and when no one is home. A programmable thermostat can be set to do this automatically.
· Have an annual inspection and maintenance done on the furnace. A heating and cooling professional can perform an annual inspection and routine system maintenance to make sure your furnace is operating at peak performance.
· If installing a new furnace, consider a high efficiency model. Check with your local gas distribution company -- you may qualify for a rebate.
· Replace the furnace air filter regularly following the manufacturer's recommendations, especially if you have pets. A dirty or clogged filter will demand more energy and slow the heating process. Make sure your furnace is properly ventilated.
· Check heating ducts for air leaks and insulate those in unheated areas.
· Make sure heat is circulating properly. Keep furniture, draperies, and rugs from obstructing registers and heat vents. Keep radiators and registers dust-free. Move chairs and beds away from exterior walls, these are usually the coldest walls in the house.
· Using a ceiling fan forces warm air down, so you can set your thermostat at a lower temperature.
· Clean the lint trap on your clothes dryer.
· Line dry clothes when possible. Use the dryer for
only a few minutes to soften line-dried clothes.
· When you do use the clothes dryer, avoid over- drying clothes.
· Wash clothes in cold or warm water. Hot water is not needed to get most clothes clean. It is the detergent, not the water temperature, that cleans clothes.
· Do not open the oven door while food is cooking. You can lose up to 50 degrees in temperature and waste energy.
· Adjust the gas flame to fit your pans. The flame should never come up around the sides of a pan.
· Keep the lid on pans while cooking. Keeping lids on your pots will make the water boil faster.
For more help,
contact our networking partner...
 503-234-7331
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National Fire Prevention Week
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Fast facts about fire- In 2008, U.S. fire departments responded to 386,500 home fires. These fires killed 2,755 civilians. Eighty-three percent of all fire deaths resulted from home fires.
- Someone was injured in a home fire every 40 minutes and roughly eight people died in home fires every day during 2008.
- A fire department responded to a home fire every 81 seconds.
- Almost two-thirds of reported home fire deaths in 2003-2006 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
- About 1/3 of home fires and deaths happened in the months of December, January and February.
- Cooking continues to be the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries.
- Smoking materials caused one of every four home fire deaths.
- The kitchen is the leading area of origin for home fires. However, bedrooms and living/family rooms are the leading areas of origin for home fire deaths.
Electrical
- Electrical distribution or lighting equipment was involved in
25,100 reported home structure fires in 2006. These fires caused 370
deaths.
- Lamps, light fixtures and light bulbs accounted for 5,500 home structure fires per year, during 2003-2006.
- Wiring switches or outlets caused more than 10,000 home fire
structures per year. Cord or plugs accounted for 2,600. Cords and
plugs accounted for 1% of the home fires and 5% of home fire deaths.
Burns- Burn injuries result in hundreds of thousands of emergency room visits a year. Thermal burns outnumber scalds nearly two-to-one.
Cooking- Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, accounting for 40% of reported home fires and 36% of related injuries.
- Unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires.
- U.S. fire departments responded to 146,400 home structure fires involving cooking equipment in 2005. These fires caused 480 civilian fire deaths, 4,690 civilian fire injuries and $876 million in direct property damage.
- Twelve percent of the fires occurred when something that could catch fire was too close to the equipment.
Smoking- Smoking materials (i.e., cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.) are the leading cause of fire deaths (roughly one in four) in the United States.
- There were 142,900 smoking-material fires in the United States in 2006, causing 780 civilian deaths and 1,600 civilian injuries.
- Older adults are at the highest risk of death or injury from smoking-material fires even though they are less likely to smoke than younger adults.
- The most common items first ignited in home smoking-material fire deaths were upholstered furniture and mattresses or bedding.
- One out of four victims of fatal smoking-related fires is not the smoker whose cigarette started the fire.
Heating- In 2006, heating equipment was involved in an estimated 64,100 reported home structure fires, 540 civilian deaths, 1,400 civilian injuries, and $943 million in direct property damage.
- In 2006 heating equipment fires accounted for 16% of all reported home fires (second behind cooking) and 21% of home fire deaths.
- More than half of all heating related fire deaths in 2003-2006 resulted from fires in December, January, and February.
- Space heaters result in far more fires and losses than central heating devices and have higher risks relative to usage.
- Fixed or portable space heaters were involved in 4% of the home fires and 17% of the home fire deaths.
- Most of the space heater fires were caused by the space heater being too close to things that could burn.
- Intentional Fires
- In 2003-2006 17,900 intentionally set home structures fires were reported each year, resulting in 320 deaths and $542 million in property loss.
- Roughly half of the people arrested for arson are under age 18.
Smoke Alarms- Smoke alarms that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. Having a working smoke alarm cuts the chances of dying in a reported fire in half.
- A 2008 U.S. telephone survey found that 96% of U.S. households had at least one smoke alarm, yet in 2003-2006, no smoke alarms were present or none operated in two out of the five (41%) of the reported home fires.
- Almost two-thirds of reported home fire deaths in 2003-2006 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.
- No smoke alarms were present in 40% of the home fire deaths.
- In more than half of the reported home fires in which the smoke alarms were present but did not operate, batteries were missing or disconnected. Nuisance alarms were the leading reason for disconnected smoke alarms.
Home Escape Planning - According to an NFPA survey, only one in four Americans have actually developed and practiced a home fire escape plan (PDF, 632 KB) to ensure they could escape quickly and safely.
- While 66% of Americans have an escape plan in case of a fire, only 35% of those have practiced it.
- One-third of American households who made an estimate thought they would have at least 6 minutes before a fire in their home would become life-threatening. The time available is often less. And only 8% said their first thought on hearing a smoke alarm would be to get out!
- Eighteen to 24-year-olds are the least likely to have even developed an escape plan.
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A WORD FROM THE EDITOR
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It's
getting to be a real problem in our world today. Innocent homeowners
call contractors looking to have work performed on their home. A
service person shows up, and the homeowner doesn't think twice about
letting that person into their home. They presume that person is
honest and coming to help them with their problem. All too often these seemingly innocent calls turn tragic.
Not
long ago, I read about a Florida woman who was killed by a registered
sex offender who was performing work in her home. In another instance,
a service technician in the Minneapolis area was convicted on several
counts for stealing from customers' homes. In yet another story, an
unsuspecting housewife in Missouri hired a contractor only to have him
call back two weeks later and make lewd remarks over the telephone.
What if this guy had done more than just make telephone calls? You
don't think about this possibly happening until it's too late.
You and your family deserve to feel comfortable and safe in your own home; to live life without fear.
Women home alone with small children, the elderly, or the disabled
shouldn't have to be wary of their security when calling a contractor.
As a person who's been in this industry for years, it sickens me that
this has become an issue... but it has.
Knowing this, we have
made a commitment to you and all of our loyal customers. You will
never have to worry about a person from our company that enters your
home or be concerned about their true intentions. As a service to you,
every single one of our employees is background checked and drug
tested. No criminal or drug addict will ever wear one of our
uniforms. We have one of the most difficult hiring processes around,
and only people of high moral character are given the opportunity to be
employed by us. We then take these hard working people and provide
them with the best technical and communication training offered in the
country. So, you'll know that when one of our people shows up, they're
upstanding citizens who are eager and able to help you with any and all
of your home's needs.
Many contractors in the home services
business do not bother to practice such stringent policies... But
that's what distinguishes us from the rest. Indeed, recently when screening applicants to fill an opening we had for a journeyman plumber, only a very small percentage passed the drug screening. And these people are now working for someone!?
When
you call Casey's Plumbing, Rooter n Drains or Metro's Best Electric,
you know you're dealing with professionals who care about your personal
safety, the safety of your family, and the well-being and security of
your home. We feel that's the least we can do for you.
Thanks your continued patronage.
Sincerely,
Bill Casey / GM
Casey's Plumbing Inc.
Rooter n Drains
Metro's Best Electric
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