NEWS YOU CAN USE

Casey's Plumbing Inc. 503-620-9111 December 2009

In This Issue

Plumbing...FUN FACTS

Electrical...FUN FACTS

Recipe of the Month

RECIPES

Useful Links

Our Mission Statement

Fun Fotos

FREE DISASTER ALERTS

$100 Off Any Water Heater

Electrical Safety For Children

Clogged Drains On Christmas Day?

GET AN ADDITIONAL $200 OFF ON RE-PIPES

The Exclusive Diamond Club Plus

THE HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS

From The Editor

Money Saving Coupons

Winterize Now before the next cold snap

Join Our List

Plumbing

FUN FACTS

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.

Water pipes used to be made from Lead. In fact, the word Plumbing (and plumb, and plumber) actually derive from the Latin word for Lead, plumbum. (Incidentally, the periodic table element label for lead, Pb, is based on the same word).

Pipes haven't always been made of metal. In the 1800s, both Boston and Montreal used wooden pipes; they were logs that were hollowed out and tapered at the ends.

Lead solder was used even after lead was found to be harmful to humans, all the way through the 1980s. It was believed that the amount of lead that could potentially leach into the water was too small to matter. We've since smartened up.

The most recognized video game character in the world is a plumber. Nintendo's Mario (of Super Mario Brothers fame) was created by Shigeru Miyamoto, and has appeared in more than 200 games.

There are actually two common types of plungers - a toilet plunger and a sink/shower plunger. Toilet plungers narrow at the bottom to fit into the toilet drain, while sink and shower plungers have a flat rim.

Sir John "the john" Herrington is credited with inventing the flushable toilet in 1596. He called it the "Ajax" a shortened version of "a jakes." "Jakes" was a common old slang for toilet at that time. . Unfortunately, Sir John's designation for the flusable toilet didn't stick, but his name did.

In Japan, some urinals have voice-activated flush mechanisms. According to wikipedia, these urinals respond to as many as 30 different languages and several terms, including "fire."

In 1929, a series of sewer explosions occurred in Ottawa, Canada. Contrary to initial reactions, it likely wasn't caused by Methane gas, but rather by shop owners pouring flamable oils down drains as the still-unregulated automobile industry took off.

Hot water heat recycling is the process of recovering heat from used water (primarily from sinks, showers, dishwashers, and washing machines). Heat exchanger systems can recover as much as 60% of the heat that normally goes down the drain.

The terms Faucet and Spigot were once used only in the Northern and Southern U.S., respectively. . The terms have come to be used interchangeably (although spigot is more commonly used for outdoor connections.

There are more than 10 different types of common end-user plumbed-in fixtures. Can you name them? They include, at least, toilets, urinals, drinking fountains, sinks, bathtubs, showers, ice makers, humidifiers, plumbed-in coffee pots, eye wash stations, washers, dishwashers, and fountains.

The Chicago Water Tower was one of the only buildings to survive the Great Chicago fire of 1871. Now a historical site, It is the only building from this time still standing in the area.

The fire sprinkler was invented in 1864 by Henry Parmelee to protect his piano factory. He patented the idea, but by 1883 had only successfully had the system installed in 10 factories.

At 140 degrees, it takes 5 seconds for water to burn skin. At 160 degrees, it takes only 1/2 of a second. Home hot water systems should be set to no hotter than 125 degrees.

A dairy cow must drink four gallons of water to produce one gallon of milk.

It takes 3.3 acre feet of water to grow enough food for an average family for a year.

If every household in America had a faucet that dripped once each second, 928 million gallons of water a day would leak away.

The average American uses 140-170 gallons of water per day.

Every day in the United States, we drink about 110 million gallons of water.

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

Electrical
FUN FACTS

In 1800 Count Alassandro Volta made the "voltaic pile", a battery.
His experiments,along with Luigi Galvani, applying electricity to frogs legs and making them jump when touched by an electric wire prompted Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley to write FRANKENSTEIN in 1818.

In 1957 a battery was discovered in Bagdad. It was made by the Parthians, who ruled Bagdad from 250 B.C.E. to 224 C.E., and was used to electroplate silver.

Every year, American homes waste more than $13 billion in energy - an average of $150 per family.

The electric chair was invented by a dentist.

Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) was one of the most well known inventors of all time with 1093 patents.
During the whole of his life, Edison received only three months of formal schooling, and was dismissed from school as being retarded.

10 percent of total US generating capacity is fueled by natural gas, about the same as hydropower. More than half of US capacity is coal-fired, with nuclear accounting for 20 percent.

$212 billion in electrical bills paid by US customers each year.

An electric oven uses one kilowatt-hour of electricity in about 20 minutes, but one kilowatt-hour will power a TV for 3 hours, run a 100-watt bulb for 12 hours, and keep an electric clock ticking for 3 months.

Early in their history, Christmas lights were so expensive that they were more commonly rented than sold. An electrically lighted tree was a status symbol in the early 1900s.

One lightning bolt has enough electricity to service 200 000 homes.

First Lighthouse to use electricity - Statue of Liberty (1886).

A bolt of lightning can measure up to three million (3,000,000) volts and it lasts less than one second!

Thomas Edison didn't invent the first light bulb but he did invent one that stayed lit for more than a few seconds.

Thomas Edison invented more than 2,000 new products, including almost everything needed for us to use electricity in our homes: switches, fuses, sockets and meters.

Ben Franklin didn't discover electricity but he did prove that lightning is a form of electrical energy.

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Many are preparing more unconventional Christmas dinners this year. Here's one that I tried and I have to say, wow! If you like seafood and rice, you'll love this one.

WILD RICE AND SHRIMP BAKE

Submitted By: Lee Stearns
Allrecipes.com

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 40 Minutes
Servings: 6

"Fresh shrimp lends a special touch to this effortless entree that starts out with a boxed wild rice mix. In Mobile, Alabama, Lee Stearns tops off the creamy casserole with a handful of crunchy croutons."

INGREDIENTS:
1 (6 ounce) package long grain and wild rice mix.

1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined.

1 medium green pepper, chopped.

1 medium onion, chopped.

1 (4 ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained.

1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of
chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup seasoned stuffing croutons.

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the shrimp, green pepper, onion and mushrooms in butter until shrimp turn pink. Add the soup to the rice; stir into the shrimp mixture. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish.

Sprinkle with croutons.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

RECIPES

Brown Sugar, Mustard-Glazed Ham

Submitted By: Cook's� Ham

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 2-1/2 Hours
Ready In: 2 Hours 35 Minutes
Servings: 20

"Wow, this recipe from Cook's Ham could not be easier! A brown sugar and Dijon mustard rub gives this ham a sophisticated flavor."

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cook's� brand Bone-in Spiral Sliced Ham,
Butt or Shank Portion Ham, or Half Ham.

1 1/4 cups dark brown sugar
1/4 cup Dijon-style mustard.

DIRECTIONS:
1.Prepare and heat ham according to package directions.

2.Meanwhile, combine brown sugar and mustard to make glaze.

3.Brush glaze on your Cook's brand ham 30 minutes before meat is done. Heat ham uncovered for final 30 minutes. Carve ham and serve.

____________________________

Rich Mashed Potatoes

Submitted By: Natalie Warf
Photo By: Christina

Prep Time: 35 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 1 Hour 5 Minutes
Servings: 12

"'These nicely seasoned potatoes are so fresh-tasting and creamy that there's no need for extra butter or gravy,' writes Natalie Warf of Spring Lake, North Carolina. 'I freeze them in individual and family servings for added convenience.'"

INGREDIENTS:
5 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed.

5 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided.

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cubed.

1 cup sour cream.

2 teaspoons onion salt.

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.

1/4 teaspoon pepper.

DIRECTIONS:
Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until very tender, about 20-25 minutes; drain well. Mash with 3 tablespoons of butter. Add cream cheese, sour cream, onion salt, garlic powder and pepper; mix well. Spoon into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Melt remaining butter; drizzle over the top. Cover and freeze for up to 1 month. Or bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. To use frozen potatoes: Thaw in the refrigerator. Bake as directed.
____________________________

Blue Cheese and Dried Cranberry Tossed Salad

Submitted By: Michelle
Photo By: PAMELA D.

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 20 Minutes
Servings: 6

"This salad is a tried and true crowd pleaser. A basic romaine salad is dressed up with toasted pecans, cranberries, and crumbled blue cheese and tossed with balsamic vinaigrette to serve.

INGREDIENTS:
4 hearts of romaine lettuce, chopped.

1/2 English cucumber, sliced.

3/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved.

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans.

1/2 cup dried cranberries.

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese.

3/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette

DIRECTIONS:
Layer the romaine lettuce with the cucumber, grape tomatoes, pecans, cranberries, and blue cheese in a large salad bowl. Dress the salad with the balsamic vinaigrette before serving.
____________________________

Christmas Stollen Bread

Submitted By: Lee Smith
Photo By: CHIRSTEN924

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 50 Minutes
Ready In: 3 Hours
Servings: 15

"A German Christmas tradition, this sweet yeast bread is packed with raisins, currants, citrus and tart cherries. A ribbon of marzipan lurks invitingly within."

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast.

2/3 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C).

1 large egg.

1/3 cup white sugar.

1/2 tablespoon salt.

1/3 cup butter, softened.

2 1/2 cups bread flour.

1/3 cup currants.

1/3 cup sultana raisins.

1/3 cup red candied
cherries, quartered.

2/3 cup diced candied citron.

6 ounces marzipan
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar.

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

DIRECTIONS:
1.In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

2.In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, white sugar, salt, butter, and 2 cups bread flour; beat well. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition. When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in the currants, raisins, dried cherries, and citrus peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes.

3.Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

4.Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the center of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal. Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

5.Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake for a further 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow loaf to cool on a wire rack. Dust the cooled loaf with confectioners' sugar, and sprinkle with the cinnamon.

Party Punch IX

Submitted By: DeAnna Peal
Photo By: Allrecipe

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 20 Minutes
Servings: 40

"This is the best punch I have ever tasted, and it is requested at every shower and wedding that takes place in our family and at our church. Fruit flavored gelatin is mixed with pineapple and lemon juice, then frozen. Ginger ale is then poured over the frozen juice."

INGREDIENTS:
3 (3 ounce) packages fruit flavored gelatin mix.

4 cups white sugar.

13 cups boiling water.

2 (46 fluid ounce) cans pineapple juice.

1 (16 ounce) bottle lemon juice concentrate.

2 (2 liter) bottles ginger ale, chilled.

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, combine gelatin and sugar. Stir in boiling water until mixture is dissolved. Stir in pineapple juice and lemon juice concentrate. Divide into 2 containers, and freeze until solid.
2. To serve, place gelatin mixture in punch bowl, and chop into pieces. Pour in ginger ale.

LINKS
Electrical Safety BACK TO TOP

Our
Mission Statement

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.

Fun Fotos
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT! BACK TO TOP

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Greetings!

What a wonderful time of year to enjoy our families. I hope you are finding some time to retreat from your daily routine and take in the spirit of Christmas.

It's been a rough year for many and lately, the weather hasn't been much help either. But regardless of what kind of year we've had, this time of year really helps me to focus on those things that are most precious and important.

I sincerely hope that you and your loved ones will enjoy a wonderful Christmas and that the new year brings you peace and contentment.

So until next Year, have a very blessed day.

Sincerely,
BRENDA 07 CHRISTMAS

Bill Casey / GM

Casey's Plumbing Inc.
Rooter n Drains
Metro's Best Electric

P.S. In this newsletter you are going to find helpful tips for plumbing and electrical, a little history, some great recipes and even some new fun facts. And of course, some fantastic savings on plumbing and electrical work.

Early 09 Freeze Wreaks Havoc Sign up Now For Our New
WEATHER E-MAIL ALERTS

The second week of December brought in a terrible chill that caught many off guard and thus, wreaked havoc on their plumbing systems.

Recently we kicked off a FREE Bad Weather Alert program that notifies home owners when incoming weather forecasts indicate that their plumbing systems. These e-mails include simple instructions to prevent weather related plumbing damage and even include some "how to" instructions for pipes that have already frozen and you now, want to thaw them.

I am pleased to report that some did indeed avert disasters by following such simple instructions as "opening cabinet doors" on outside walls that house plumbing fixtures.

Give the early success of this new service, I encourage you to get the word out to others you may know that could benefit from this free service. Simply send in their e-mail address and we will add them to our list.

For those of you who were able to "properly" winterize your home; good job! It really is a shame that so much of the damage that occurs, could have been prevented with some simple prevention efforts.

I really hope that we see no more of this weather but in reality, we simply live in an area that occasional "Deep Freezes", will occur.

But fear not! We will be there before, during and after these temporary weather patterns move in to threaten your plumbing systems.

If you know someone you'd like to add to our Alert List, or if you have any questions, Please call 503-620-9111.

$100 OFF ANY WATER HEATER INSTALL

Going into the colder months your water heater will be working harder than ever. This is why water heaters fail far more often in the winter months.

Now , here's the Good News. We are offering $100 off any water heater we supply and install until February 28th, 2010. Not good with other offers or work previously performed.

If you have any questions, feel free to call Bill Casey at 971-563-9418.

503-620-9111

Holiday Electrical Safety for Children

The number of children injured and killed by fires more than doubles during the holiday months. (Source: U.S. Fire Administration)
Young children are twice as likely as the rest of the population to die in a home fire.
There are 4,000 injuries associated with electric extension cords every year. Thirteen percent of these accidents involve children under five years old (Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission).
Electrical burns to the mouth account for half the electrical injuries suffered by young children.
Each year, 2,400 children under the age of 10 are treated in emergency rooms for electrical injuries from inserting household objects into electrical receptacles.
Children ages five and under make up about 7 percent of the country's population, but account for 12 percent of the home fire deaths. (Source: National Fire Protection Association)
Electrical cords and extension cords are the cause of almost two-thirds of electrical burn injuries to children ages 12 and under.

HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS

Exercise Caution Indoors and outdoors

The holidays are a joyous time of year, with decorations ranging from simple strands of lights to elaborate outdoor displays. During this time, people are often at increased risk of becoming the victim of a fire or electrical accident, including shock, burn, and electrocution. However, many of these injuries can be prevented by following important safety tips this holiday season.

Safety Tips

Carefully inspect each electrical decoration. Cracked or frayed sockets, loose or bare wires, and loose connections may cause a serious shock or start a fire.

Always unplug electrical decorations before replacing bulbs or fuses.

Follow the use and care instructions that accompany electrical decorations.

Never nail or staple light strings or extension cords.

Do not mount or support light strings in a way that might damage the cord's insulation.

When hanging decorations, do not connect more than three light strings together.

Turn off all indoor and outdoor electrical decorations before leaving home or going to bed.

To reduce the chance of electrical shock, use a dry, wooden ladder when hanging lights.

Use caution when decorating near power lines. Contact with a high-voltage line could lead to electrocution.

Plug outdoor electric lights and decorations into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) to prevent electric shock.

Never use electric lights on a metallic tree, which can become charged with electricity from faulty lights.

Avoid overloading electrical outlets, which can overheat and start a fire.

Keep all outdoor extension cords and light strings clear of snow and standing water.

Use lights that are approved for safe use by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

Never leave your toaster or stove unattended. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States.

Select a fresh Christmas tree and keep it in water at all times. Needles on fresh trees should be green and should not fall off easily.

Know the location of your fire extinguisher, and how to use it.

Choose holiday decorations made with flame-resistant, flame-retardant or non-combustible materials.

Before using any electrical decorations outdoors, make sure the product is approved for outdoor use.

Never allow children or pets to play with electrical decorations.

FACTS AND STATISTICS

76 percent of U.S. homeowners decorate their homes during the winter holiday season.

70 percent of Americans plan to use electrical lighting and decorations indoors.

Holiday decorations and Christmas trees account for almost 2,000 fires and more than $41 million in property damage each year.

Nearly one-quarter (24%) of Americans have not replaced their smoke detector batteries within the last two years.

Candles are the source of ignition in 56 percent of home decoration fires.

More than 20 percent of Americans do not turn off holiday electrical lighting and decorations before going to sleep or leaving the house.

On December 31 and January 1 alone, there are more than 200 fatalities and injuries caused by home fires.

25 percent of all home decoration fires occur in December.

For more information, check out the Electrical Safety Foundation International website -
"2009 Holiday Safety Campaign". Thanks to ESFI for providing the information in this newsletter article above.

503-643-8833

CLOGGED DRAINS ON
CHRISTMAS DAY?

Every year during the holidays, we get get inundated with clogged sink calls. And of course, we are always happy to solve these problems but I'm sure that each one of them would have preferred that their drains hadn't clogged in the first place.

Here are some tips to avoid clogged drains during any season...

KITCHEN SINKS/GARBAGE DISPOSALS
By far, the largest number of calls we receive during the holidays are kitchen sink clogs. Most of these began with the garbage disposal.

It's a common misconception that the disposal "caused the problem". Indeed, most disposals do a fine job of doing what they are supposed to do, to grind and send material into your drain system.

The real problem is usually caused by...

Putting too much material in at once
Not using enough water
Insufficient or damaged drain pipes

Solutions for each of the 3 above causes...

Put in small amounts of material and do this several times instead of one fell swoop. (With my disposal, I scoop up as much material as I can with my hands, toss it straight into the garbage can under the sink and use the disposal for the small amounts I missed).
This is a real common problem. Turning the water off before the material is washed completely down the drain. Solution - RUN LOTS OF WATER.
Insufficient or damaged drain piping. If this is the problem, there are only a couple of solutions to remedy it. First, keep your drains maintained. If your drain system hasn't had a major drain cleaning in over 20 years, schedule one now. Over time your pipes will begin to build up with soap, grease, etc., thus restricting your drain flow. A mechanical drain cleaning followed up with a good hydrojetting (high pressure water), will usually restore and open these drains completely. And to keep them open, you need to treat them with a good Bio product like Drain Maid. If the problem is because the pipes are too old, undersized or damaged in anyway, the only solution is to replace them.

If all else fails and you get a clog anyway, give us a call. We'll always be there for you when you need us!

503-643-4433

2009 RECESSION DISCOUNTS TO END

During the first quarter of this year, many companies like ours, fell victim to the slowing economy and needed to take drastic actions to avoid laying off some really great employees.

Indeed, our technicians really are some of the best of the best and they would be very hard to replace once the work picks up. More importantly, these fine employees who have relied on us for so long to support their families would suffer greatly from the loss of income. But thanks to our wonderful and loyal clients, we are almost back on our feet again.

We therefore are going to discontinue our "Recession Discounts", February 28th 2010.

And as a special thanks to our loyal clients, we are going to add an *additional $200 off on the first 10 whole house re-pipes scheduled between November 8th, 2009 and February 28th 2010

To get your free estimate and lock in your extra savings, call 503-620-9111

*This is in addition to the expiring "Recession Discounts"

The Exclusive Diamond Club Plus

Customers routinely ask me about the benefits of a Diamond Club Plus membership and whether they should bother purchasing one, especially after we just installed a new system or performed a major repair in their home. My answer, of course, is a resounding "yes."

People are busier than ever these days, myself included. Procrastination is human nature. We all know we should get the car in for a tune-up or visit the doctor for an annual check- up. But how many of us wait until the last minute to make the call, or worse yet, until something goes wrong?

Most plumbing and electrical systems are not as complex as an automobile or the human body - though to some, they may seem that way - but the benefits of preventive maintenance are just as valuable. Just like auto tune-ups and medical check-ups, our service agreements were created with prevention in mind. Most plumbing and electrical problems don't develop overnight. They can almost always be detected months or years in advance. A Diamond Club Plus membership gives our plumbers the opportunity to inspect your system, detect problems and provide solutions long before disaster strikes. We'll even contact you when it's time for your check-up.

"... how many of us wait until the last minute to make the call, or worse yet, until something goes wrong?"

A Diamond Club Plus membership is a small investment that can yield tremendous savings. Note: monthly dues accumulate and can be used for future work; thus the plan is FREE! As a preferred customer, you're entitled to priority scheduling, discounted service work-20%, extended warranties, and peace of mind knowing the plumbing and electrical system in your home has been frequently and properly maintained. We get to know you and your systems, meaning we'll always be prepared to handle your maintenance needs.

So why not try a Diamond Club Plus membership?
We think you'll agree that it's a comfortable fit.

$269 in Free service! Every year we inspect your home's plumbing and electrical system to ensure that there are no catastrophes on the immediate horizon.
You go to The Front Of The Line! When a Diamond Club customer calls in, they move to the head of the line regardless of what is on the board.
You get 20% off any work done! *This one is huge! This even applies to water heaters, faucets and other repairs that you may need. *Excludes larger bid type work.
Your membership is FREE!Every dollar you pay will accumulate in your private account that can be used for any future work done. For example; If you have paid in $14.95 a month for 10 months, you will have accumulated just under $150 that can be used for ANY plumbing or electrical expense.

Call 503-253-0030
to become a member today!