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Recipe of the Month
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4th of July
Barbecue!
Barbecue ChickenSubmitted By: RENA R.Photo By: joydipPrep Time:
20 MinutesCook Time:
1 hour 30 MinutesReady In:
1 Hour 50 MinutesServings: 12"Chicken baked in a home made barbecue sauce. Very easy. Very good."INGREDIENTS:4 tablespoons water3 tablespoons ketchup3 tablespoons brown sugar2 tablespoons vinegar1 tablespoon lemon juice2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon dry mustard1 teaspoon chili powder12 chicken thighs, skin removedDIRECTIONS:Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C). In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the water, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt, mustard powder, and chili powder. Simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.Place the chicken thighs into an oblong baking dish, and pour the sauce over them. Cover tightly.Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and bake for one hour.
Remove cover, stir and bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Celery Seed
Potato Salad
Submitted By: Grace Yaskovic
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 35 Minutes
Servings: 10
"From Branchville, New Jersey, field editor Grace Yaskovic shares this fresh-tasting potato salad seasoned with onion and celery seed. The mayonnaise dressing gets its sweetness from sugar and whipping cream, and its tang from mustard and sugar."
INGREDIENTS:
6 medium red potatoes
4 hard-cooked eggs, diced
2 celery ribs, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
6 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 1/2 teaspoons butter
DIRECTIONS:
Place potatoes in a Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until tender. drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and cube potatoes. Place in a large bowl. Add the hard-cooked eggs, celery, onion, salt and celery seed; set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and mustard. Stir in cream, egg and vinegar until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture coats the back of a metal spoon. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened.
Remove from the heat; let stand for 20 minutes. Whisk in mayonnaise and butter until smooth. Cool slightly. Pour over potato mixture; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
 Grilled
Corn on the Cob
Submitted By: SUETEITSMA Photo By: Allrecipes Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes Ready In: 40 Minutes Servings: 6 "Butter, salt and a little pepper are all you really need to bring out corn's natural sweetness on the grill."INGREDIENTS:6 ears corn 6 tablespoons butter, softened salt and pepper to taste. DIRECTIONS:Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate. Peel back corn husks and remove silk. Place 1 tablespoon butter, salt and pepper on each piece of corn. Close husks. Wrap each ear of corn tightly in aluminum foil. Place on the prepared grill. Cook approximately 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until corn is tender.  APPLE BERRY PIE
Submitted By: MagiquePhoto By: juleelnPrep Time: 20 MinutesCook Time: 50 MinutesReady In: 1 Hour 10 MinutesServings: 8"A wonderful pie brimming with apples and blackberries."INGREDIENTS:1 pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie1 cup white sugar4 teaspoons tapioca1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon2 cups fresh blackberries2 cups apples - peeled, cored and sliced2 tablespoons butter, cut into small piecesPreheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out one crust, and place in a 9 inch pie plate. Roll out top crust, and set aside.In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, tapioca, and cinnamon. Add blackberries and apple slices. Toss gently to coat without mashing the berries. Let stand for 20 minutes.Spoon filling into pastry lined pan. Dot with butter. Moisten the edge of the pastry with water. Cover with top crust; trim and crimp edge. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape during baking. Cover edge with foil to prevent over-browning.Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Cool on wire rack.Special thanks to all the contributors at |
Plumbing
Fun Facts
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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 then smartened up.
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.
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.
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.
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 120 degrees.
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Electrical
Fun facts
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| Electricity travels at the speed of light more than 186,000 miles per second!
If you had a light bulb on the moon connected to a switch in your bedroom, it would take only 1.26 seconds for that bulb to light up, 238,857 miles away.
If you traveled as fast as electricity, (about 300,000 kilometers = 186,411.358 miles per second the speed of light), you could go around the world 8 times in the time it takes to turn on a light switch.
A spark of static electricity can measure up to three thousand (3,000) volts.
Electrocution is one of the top five causes of workplace deaths.
The first use of water to generate electricity was in 1882 on the Fox river, in the USA, which produced enough power to light two paper mills and a house.
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.
An Electric eel can produce an electric shock of up to 650 volts at one ampere.
Currents of approximately 0.2 A are potentially fatal, because they can make the heart fibrillate, or beat in an uncontrolled manner.
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 CCB 147298
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June 2010
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Dear ,
As hard as it is to believe, Fourth of July fun and barbecues are here again! For my family and I'm sure for many of you, this means more opportunity to work on the garden, family vacations and of course, the celebration of our country's birthday and barbecuing.
In this month's Newsletter, you will find a brief history of Independence Day and some great barbecue recipes. Be sure and check out the helpful plumbing and electrical tips also. Several of our "do it your-self" readers, have expressed that these Newsletter tips have been very helpful. (Thanks to all who feel the same way).
For our longtime clients, which most of our readers are, I am pleased to inform you that we are improving our company image by changing our uniform shirts from the current darker color to white button up. We feel that this presents a more professional service look.
We are constantly looking for ways to improve our services and greatly appreciate it when a client sends in ideas we can implement. So if you have any tips for us, we're all ears! If it is an idea that would improve our company model, it just may be implemented.
Finally, when communicating with Casey's Plumbing as the result of receiving this Newsletter, please don't reply to the e-mail address. It is an unattended email box. Rather, you can e-mail me directly at bill@caseysplumbing.com.
I wish you and your family a wonderful 4th of July if I can be of assistance, even just for some do it your self advice, e-mail me. I'd be glad to help in any way I can.
Thanks again for your patronage,
Bill Casey / GM
Casey's Plumbing Inc
Rooter n Drains
Metro's Best Electric
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| Summer Water Saving Tips | | |
Watering The Garden?
Use barrels to capture rain water from your eaves trough and save it for the next time you have to water your garden or lawn.
Phantom Flushes
A leaky toilet may go unnoticed, as will the extra cash absorbed by your water bill. To check for leaks, add enough food coloring to your toilet tank to really brighten the water. After 30 minutes look to see if any of the dye has leaked into the bowl. No food coloring, our plumbers have been know to use a cup of coffee - same results.
Water Guzzeling Toilets
An estimated 30% of household water usage is flushed down the toilet. If your toilet is more than 30 years old, upgrading to a low-consumption toilet can save you up to 4 gallons per flush.
Swimming Pools
Keep a cover on your swimming pool when it's not in use. This will decrease water loss due to evaporation by 90%.
Doing The Laundry
You'll use a lot less water if you only run your laundry or dishwasher with a full load. Running two half loads uses twice as much water.
Cooking Water
Use water you've boiled your veggies in to make stocks, soups or, pour it on your garden when it's cooled.
Hygiene
Get into the habit of turning the tap off when washing your face, brushing your teeth or shaving, and only have it on when necessary. Water running when it's not in direct use is needlessly soaking up your money.
See For Yourself
Conduct a household water audit to help identify areas that you can cut water usage. Click here for water audit guidelines. If you would like information about our water saving products, give us a call - we're always there for you. Or, if you just want a little advice, we'll be glad to help in any way we can.
 503-620-9111
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MONTHLY DO IT YOURSELF TIP
Saving On Your Electric Bill | |
Unplug your TV
It's probably not news to any of you at this point that all plugged-in electronics constantly suck energy even when they're "turned off,". But recently, the triple threat of flat screen TVs, cable boxes, and DVR devices have officially overtaken refrigerators as the biggest energy drain in American homes. And while the fridge at least has an excuse for being plugged in all the time, the TV really does not. Plug all those devices into a power strip and turn the whole thing off when you're not watching. If you can't commit to a regular unplugging regimen, at the very least make sure the set is unplugged when you go on vacation for a week. (While you're at it, unplug computer printers, coffee makers and extra phone chargers when you're going to be gone for a few days. Don't forget to do the same at the office-just because you're not paying the bill doesn't mean you should waste the power.)
Really turn off your home computer
75% of the energy used by home computers is used when the owner thinks the computer is turned off. "Sleep" does not equal off. Turn it completely off.
Air-dry beach towels
Using a towel for 2 minutes to pat swimming pool water off your 8-year-old's body does not necessarily make it dirty. Think about whether a beach towel needs to be washed before you automatically dump it in the laundry, and if you do wash it, air dry the towel whenever possible. Beach towels are much thicker than regular towels and require a lot more energy to dry. Why not toss them over the porch railing to air out in the sun instead?
Take shorter showers
Studies show that the average teenager spends a whopping 45 minutes in the shower. 45 minutes! Encourage your kids to cut down on their American Idol practice time, and remind your husband that men who shave in the shower are wasting water, too, to the tune of several gallons. Bottom line: If you're not actively sudsing or rinsing, turn the water off.
Weather-strip your doors "It's just as important in the summer as in the winter. If you want to keep your air conditioning inside the house, make sure that your home's doors have the proper seals. (Bonus: weather stripping is incredibly cheap-we're talking $1.50 a roll-and as easy to apply as a piece of tape.) And of course, make sure all your windows are closed when the air conditioner's running. What are you trying to do, cool the whole neighborhood?
Get your water heater checked
Schedule an appointment with your plumber (or ask him to stick around the next time he comes to fix something else) and have him check the settings on your water heater. Older water heaters are set at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Most homes only need 120 degrees for appliances to function properly. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that lowering your water temperature by ten degrees will save you 3 to 5% in energy costs (not to mention lower your risk of scalding).If you're not sure about your electrical energy saving possiblities,
give us a call. For a small charge, we'll evaluate your entire system and come up with some energy saving ideas for you.
For this or any electrical project; We're always there for you, "Keeping The Lights On".
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ODOR PROBLEMS? | | |
If you're smelling a foul smell inside your home, you may have a problem with your drainage systems. In order to better explain the possibilities, it will be necessary to illustrate how your drainage system works. 
All plumbing fixtures, ie - sinks, toilets, showers, floor drains etc., are required by code to have a p-trap. As you can see from the example, sewer drainage pipe STINKS! In order to keep the smell out of the house, we trap some water that separates the house air from the air in the drain pipes. One of the more common problems with sewer gas smells, come from floor drains, very common in basements. Because these drains rarely receive water, the water level eventually evaporates out thus letting the stinky air in to your home. Local plumbing codes require that these type of drains have "primers" installed to them. There are several different kinds of primers but they all do the same thing. They periodically lose some water into the p-trap thus keeping it full or "primed". Sometimes, especially in older homes, these primers fail and need to be replaced. if it is determined that this is your problem, you most likely will need a plumber to remedy it for you. Although the above is by far the most common cause of sewer gas entering a home, there is one more possibility the bears mentioning. As you can see from the p-trap illustration above, the p-trap is connected to a tee. The side or branch of the tee receives the p-trap. The lower part of the tee allows the sewage to drain out to the sewer. The upper part of this tee will route its' way towards the roof, go on out the roof thus taking the smelly air to the atmosphere. Rarely, but sometimes, especially in shoddy re-models, someone will cut the "vent" allowing the sewer gas to enter the wall or wherever it was severed from the system. This one is a very hard one to trace and would definitely require a professional. Finally, sometimes you may get bad smells coming from a garbage disposal. This could be due to improper use and or, a defective or undersized garbage disposal. the best way to deal with this nuisance is to trap the drain with a bio friendly bacteria, like "Drain Maid". These products actually eat the build up that can create smells and even clogs. 
If all this is more than you want to tackle, give us a call! We're always there for you when you need us.
503-643-4433
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4th of July |
|  Independence Day is the national holiday of the United States of America commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
At the time of the signing the US consisted of 13 colonies under the rule of England's King George III. There was growing unrest in the colonies concerning the taxes that had to be paid to England. This was commonly referred to as "Taxation without Representation" as the colonists did not have any representation in the English Parliament and had no say in what went on. As the unrest grew in the colonies, King George sent extra troops to help control any rebellion. In 1774 the 13 colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia Pennsylvania to form the First Continental Congress. The delegates were unhappy with England, but were not yet ready to declare war.
In April 1775 as the King's troops advanced on Concord Massachusetts Paul Revere would sound the alarm that "The British are coming, the British are coming" as he rode his horse through the late night streets.
The battle of Concord and its "shot heard round the world" would mark the unofficial beginning of the colonies war for Independence.
The following May the colonies again sent delegates to the Second Continental Congress. For almost a year the congress tried to work out its differences with England, again without formally declaring war.
By June 1776 their efforts had become hopeless and a committee was formed to compose a formal declaration of independence. Headed by Thomas Jefferson, the committee included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the first draft which was presented to the congress on June 28. After various changes a vote was taken late in the afternoon of July 4th. Of the 13 colonies, 9 voted in favor of the Declaration, 2 - Pennsylvania and South Carolina voted No, Delaware undecided and New York abstained.
To make it official John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence. It is said that John Hancock signed his name "with a great flourish" so "King George can read that without spectacles!."
The following day copies of the Declaration were distributed. The first newspaper to print the Declaration was the Pennsylvania Evening Post on July 6, 1776. On July 8th the Declaration had its first public reading in Philadelphia's Independence Square. Twice that day the Declaration was read to cheering crowds and pealing church bells. Even the bell in Independence Hall was rung. The "Province Bell" would later be renamed "Liberty Bell" after its inscription.
Courtesy of http://www.holidays.net |
A Word from The Owner
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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,
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THIS MONTH'S SPECIALS
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$100 off any of the following...
Any toilet supplied and installed by Casey's Plumbing
Any Whole House Drain Cleaning performed by Rooter n Drains Any Electrical Panel Upgrade performed by Metro's Best ElectricThese discounts cannot be used with other discounts or on work previously performed. Diamond Club members will be able to choose whether to use these discounts or their regular 20% discounts. BACK TO TOP |
Money Saving Coupons
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COUPONS NOT GOOD WITH OTHER OFFERS
OR WORK PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED
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