|
Helpful Links
|
|
|
Proud to be involved with...
| |
Shepherd's Door
Recovery for homeless women and their children
|
|
What our customers
have to say
| | |
Casey's Plumbing
"Great people, great service, no need to look anywhere else."
Kieth Robins, Sherwood
"Very pleased with your company. I'll be recommending you to others".
Jo Hodges, Milwaukie
"Excellent - Explained everything well. Even made friends with my dog".
Ross Wine, King City
"Thom was great! Professional and good about explaining the process".
David Bleyle, Beaverton
"Great workmanship; competent and skilled".
Ken Moss, Gresham
"We found all of your people to be professional, friendly and considerate".
Michael Lowe, Beaverton
"The best! I am continuing to recommend you guys".
Carol Smith, Beaverton
"I saw my neighbor using you guys and knew they only use good companies".
Patricia Treece, West linn
"As usual, work was performed promptly and explained in detail".
Dan Ziglinski, Tigard
|
|
Plumbing Fun Facts
| | |
_______________________
Albert Einstein was named an honorary member of the Plumbers and Steamfitters Union after saying publicly that he would become a plumber if he had to do it all over again.
The world's most famous plumbers are probably video game superstars Mario and Luigi, of Nintendo's Super Mario Brothers series. Copper piping, which is the #1 material used for plumbing work in today's world, is the same material that the Egyptians used to lay their own pipe - some 3000 years ago! Since 1963 (the year CDA was established), more than 28 billion feet or about 5.3 million miles of copper plumbing tube has been installed in U.S. buildings. That's equivalent to a coil wrapping around the Earth more than 200 times. The current installation rate now exceeds a billion feet per year.
In a typical home, more than 9,000 gallons of water are wasted while running the faucet waiting for hot water.
As much as 15% of your annual water heating costs can be wasted heating this extra 9,000 gallons. (Ask us about the solution)
Though we all have heard the many slang-words of which his cognomen is probably responsible for, the truth is... there is no hard evidence anywhere that English plumber, Thomas Crapper was the inventor of the modern-day amenity that often bears his less-than-flattering name (it's believed Crapper may have bought the patent rights from another man - Albert Giblin - and marketed the concept as his own).
More toilets flush during half time of the Super Bowl than during any other time of year.The toilet uses more water than any other appliance in the house. 72.4% of people place their toilet paper to be pulled from over the roll, rather than under.
A low flush toilet can save you up to 18,000 gallons of water per year.You have a 1 in 10,000 chance of being injured by a toilet.A third of people flush their toilet while they're still sitting on it.The average person visits the toilet six to eight times a day. During these six to eight visits to the toilet a day, each individual uses approximately 57 sheets of toilet paper. If a drip from your faucet fills an eight ounce glass in 15 minutes, it will waste 180 gallons per month and 2,160 gallons per year.
In the tomb of a king of the Western Han Dynasty in China (206 BC to 24 AD), archaeologists discovered a 2,000-year-old "toilet" - complete with running water, a stone seat and even a comfortable armrest! The finding: marked the earliest-known water closet, which is quite like what we are using today, in the entire world.
The Earth has somewhere in the neighborhood of 326,000,000,000,000,000,000 gallons (326 million trillion gallons) of water on the planet.
Roughly 98% of our water's in the oceans of the world, and therefore is unusable for drinking because of the salt content. That means only around 2% of the planet's water is fresh, but 1.6% of that water is locked up in ice caps and glaciers.
Another 0.36% is found in very deep, underground sources - meaning only about 0.036% of the planet's total water supply is found in lakes and rivers (our main supplies of drinking water)!
Famous and often controversial rockstar Ozzy Osbourne was a plumber's apprentice before getting into the music industry.
The word "plumber" dates all the way back to the Roman Empire. In Rome, pipes were originally made from lead, which is "plumbum" in Latin. People who worked with lead were called Plumbarius, which was eventually shortened to the word we use today.
The term "plumbers" was a popular name given to the covert White House Special Investigations Unit established during the presidency of Richard Nixon in response to the leaked "Pentagon Papers" documents. Their job was to plug intelligence leaks in the U.S. Government relating to the Vietnam War; hence the term "plumbers".
|
|
Christmas Dinner
| |  Sangria Ham
By: Mary Glenn
"This recipe requires four hours and twenty minutes, and results in the most delicious ham I have ever tasted. Burgundy wine may easily be substituted for the Sangria. and other fruit juices may be added to the blend but the acidity of the pineapple juice and the wine combination is hard to beat for tender moist ham." Cook Time: 4 Hrs
Ready In: 4 Hrs 20 Min
Servings 16
Original Recipe Yields 1 (8 pound) ham.
Ingredients
1 (8 pound) bone-in ham with rind removed
1/4 cup whole cloves
1 pound brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 cups sangria wine
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Use a sharp knife to score the ham 1/4 inch deep in a diamond pattern.
Place in a good sized roaster with the fat side up, and stud in a decorative manner with the whole cloves...be sure to use plenty.
Pack the top of the ham with the whole pound of brown sugar to coat the surface as thickly as possible. Some may fall off into the pan, but that can not be helped. Leave it there to sweeten the basting juices needed in later steps.
Roast, uncovered, until the sugar begins to melt, about 20 minutes. During this time, mix together the pineapple juice and sangria. When the sugar has begun to melt, pour one cup of the wine mixture over the ham, and return the ham to the oven for 40 minutes. I often tent the ham with foil at some point, but my mother never did.
After one hour in the oven, baste the ham with a second cup of the wine mixture, stirring it into the pan drippings. Return the ham to the oven for 2 more hours, basting after the first hour with the remaining wine mixture.
Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C), and baste the ham every 20 minutes with the pan drippings for the final hour of cooking. A meat thermometer should read 160 degrees F (65 degrees C) before serving.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 576 | Total Fat: 30.2g | Cholesterol: 111mg
Baked Mashed Potatoes By: Nancy F.
"Mashed potatoes that are lighter and fluffier. Cream cheese gives them a richer flavor. Can be made ahead of time!"
Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 1 Hr 15 Min
Ready In:1 Hr 35 Min
Servings 12
Ingredients
5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 onion, grated
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender but firm, about 15 minutes; drain.
In a large bowl, mash potatoes with the butter and milk. With a hand mixer, beat in cream cheese and onion.
In a small bowl, beat the egg with a little bit of the mashed potatoes. Stir into potatoes, and season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a 2 quart casserole dish.
Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until puffy and lightly browned.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 295 | Total Fat: 14.9g | Cholesterol: 59mg
 Rich Green Bean Casserole
By: HEATHERWIDNER
"If you like rich casseroles you'll love this!! Green beans are baked in a creamy cheese sauce with a zesty seasoning."
Prep Time: 5 Min
Cook Time: 20 Min
Ready In: 25 Min
Servings 6
Ingredients
8 ounces processed cheese food, cubed
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
2 (15 ounce) cans green beans, drained
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (2.8 ounce) can French-fried onions
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Place the processed cheese into a large microwave-safe bowl along with the cream of chicken soup. Heat on full power for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until cheese is melted.
Season with salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning.
Stir in the green beans. Pour into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish, and sprinkle the French fried onions over the top.
Bake for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is crispy.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 277 | Total Fat: 19.1g | Cholesterol: 34mg Buttery Rolls
By: Debbie Leonard
"Debbie Leonard of Roseburg, Oregon uses her bread machine to stir up the dough for these lovely golden dinner rolls. They're tender, fluffy and delicious when eaten warm from the oven."
Prep Time: 30 Min Cook Time: 13 Min
Ready In: 43 Min
Servings 24
Ingredients
1 cup warm milk (70 to 80 degrees F)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 cups bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
Directions
In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed).
When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 24 portions; shape into balls.
Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan.
Cover and let rise in a warm place for 15 minutes.
Bake at 375 degrees F for 13-16 minutes or until golden brown.
Christmas Rocks
By: Lilli Cheatham
"Cookies with currants, pecans, raisins, candied pineapple, citron, dates and spices."
Servings 96
Original Recipe Yield 8 dozen
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground mace
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup currants
1 cup raisins
1 pound pecan halves
1/4 cup candied cherries
1/4 pound candied pineapple, coarsely chopped
1/4 pound chopped candied citron
1/4 pound pitted dates
1/4 pound chopped candied orange peel
Directions
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat eggs until foamy, add to mixture. Sift flour with spices, cocoa and soda.
Save out 1/2 cup of flour mixture. Add the rest of flour mixture to butter mixture. Stir in coffee.
Cut fruits into small slivers and dredge fruit and chopped pecans lightly in flour saved out for this. Add to fruit and the rest of flour to batter, mixing thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (170 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
Drop by teaspoon onto cookie sheet.
Do not place too close together.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Do not over-brown.
Store cookies in jars.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 100 | Total Fat: 5.6g | Cholesterol: 12mg
Thanks to...
|
|
|
Greetings!
I hope you and your family had a great Thanksgiving and had an opportunity to take a moment and reflect on things you're thankful for.
Christmas is one of my favorite holidays and I'm really looking forward to being with my entire family again. And I don't even mind Christmas shopping. (Those of you who know me, know that my Christmas shopping begins December 26th - I take advantage of the great sales buying gifts for the next Christmas).
And speaking of Christmas, just like Thanksgiving, I have included a complete dinner menu with their recipes for you to check out.
This is not only the holiday season which most of us absolutely love, but unfortunately for many homeowners, it can be the season for plumbing problems.
I hope you took advantage of the winterization instructions in last month's Newsletter. And because it's still the season for clogged drains, I have including those instructions again in this Newsletter.
The cold weather can really wreak havoc on our plumbing systems. Because of this cold weather, our water heaters are taxed more than usual and fail more often than any other time of the year.
Certain water heaters, those manufactured between 1992 and 1997 are defective with bad dip tubes (see this months water heater article below).
And in the spirit of Christmas, you can save up to $150.00 on a new water heater provided and installed by Casey's Plumbing simply by mentioning this Newsletter (see article below for details).
In closing, I'll just say, try to get your Christmas shopping done early and have a wonderful Christmas and may your New Year be blessed with much happiness and success!
Until next month,  Brenda Casey / Owner and Operations Manager Casey's Plumbing - 503-620-9111 Back to top
|
|
Is Santa bringing you a new water heater this year?
| |
If your water heater is more than six years old, gas OR electric,
it may very well look like the one below on the inside. The average water heater will last between eight and fourteen years.
The image above illustrates how debris can accumulate over time and thus, require your water heater to work harder than it needs to, resulting in higher energy bills. In areas where water is high in debris (wells, hard water etc.), the debris seen above will eventually pile high above the lower electrical element and cause it to fail
The broken dip tube pictured here is also a real concern. The dip tube forces the cold water to enter at the tank's bottom so you will have a full tank of hot water. When it breaks, the cold water enters and exits the top without getting hot water to the bottom. This will cause you to run out of hot water very quickly.
Water heaters made between 1992 and 1997 have defective dip tubes. During these years, all water heater manufacturers obtained their plastic from the same source. This source was defective and hence, all these water heaters have dip tubes that will dissolve and or, decompose. And simply replacing the dip tube is not a solution either. As you can see, the dip tube almost always begins to decompose close to the top. It of course, then falls into the tank where it will continue to decompose and thus begin to clog up every hot water outlet in your house.
So given that replacing dip tubes won't cure the problem and that water heaters made between 1992 and 1997 are clearly pass their normal lifespan, replacement is the only solution.
If your water heater is over eight years old and or made between 1992 and 1997, I have some great news!
Simply mention this E-Newsletter and you will receive $100 off any standard water heater installation and $150.00 off any 10 year Deluxe or Lifetime Premiere!*
*Cannot be used with other offers, discounts and work previously performed. Applies only to water heaters that Casey's Plumbing supplies and installs.
Call 503-620-9111 to schedule your water heater installation today! 
Back to top |
|
Christmas history in America
| | 
In the early 17th century, a wave of religious reform changed the way Christmas was celebrated in Europe.
When Oliver Cromwell and his Puritan forces took over England in 1645, they vowed to rid England of decadence and, as part of their effort, cancelled Christmas. By popular demand, Charles II was restored to the throne and, with him, came the return of the popular holiday.
The pilgrims, English separatists that came to America in 1620, were even more orthodox in their Puritan beliefs than Cromwell. As a result, Christmas was not a holiday in early America. From 1659 to 1681, the celebration of Christmas was actually outlawed in Boston. Anyone exhibiting the Christmas spirit was fined five shillings. By contrast, in the Jamestown settlement, Captain John Smith reported that Christmas was enjoyed by all and passed without incident.
 After the American Revolution, English customs fell out of favor, including Christmas. In fact, Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America's new constitution. Christmas wasn't declared a federal holiday until June 26, 1870.
Washington Irving reinvents Christmas
It wasn't until the 19th century that Americans began to embrace Christmas. Americans re-invented Christmas, and changed it from a raucous carnival holiday into a family-centered day of peace and nostalgia. But what about the 1800s peaked American interest in the holiday?
The early 19th century was a period of class conflict and turmoil. During this time, unemployment was high and gang rioting by the disenchanted classes often occurred during the Christmas season. In 1828, the New York city council instituted the city's first police force in response to a Christmas riot. This catalyzed certain members of the upper classes to begin to change the way Christmas was celebrated in America.
In 1819, best-selling author Washington Irving wrote The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, gent., a series of stories about the celebration of Christmas in an English manor house. The sketches feature a squire who invited the peasants into his home for the holiday. In contrast to the problems faced in American society, the two groups mingled effortlessly. In Irving's mind, Christmas should be a peaceful, warm-hearted holiday bringing groups together across lines of wealth or social status.
Irving's fictitious celebrants enjoyed "ancient customs," including the crowning of a Lord of Misrule. Irving's book, however, was not based on any holiday celebration he had attended-in fact, many historians say that Irving's account actually "invented" tradition by implying that it described the true customs of the season.
Before the Civil War
The North and South were divided on the issue of Christmas, as well as on the question of slavery. Many Northerners saw sin in the celebration of Christmas; to these people the celebration of Thanksgiving was more appropriate. But in the South, Christmas was an important part of the social season. Not surprisingly, the first three states to make Christmas a legal holiday were in the South: Alabama in 1836, Louisiana and Arkansas in 1838.
In the years after the Civil War, Christmas traditions spread  across the country. Children's books played an important role in spreading the customs of celebrating Christmas, especially the tradition of trimmed trees and gifts delivered by Santa Claus. Sunday school classes encouraged the celebration of Christmas. Women's magazines were also very important in suggesting ways to decorate for the holidays, as well as how to make these decorations.
By the last quarter of the nineteenth century, America eagerly decorated trees, caroled, baked, and shopped for the Christmas season. Since that time, materialism, media, advertising, and mass marketing has made Christmas what it is today.
The traditions that we enjoy at Christmas today were invented by blending together customs from many different countries into what is considered by many to be our national holiday.
Thanks to thehistoryofchristmas.com for this story
Back to top
|
|
Holiday Drain Clogs
| |
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!
|
|
MORE THAN JUST A 20% SAVINGS
| |  The Diamond Club Plus Diamond Club Plus members enjoy a number of benefits,
including 20% off any work performed*. They also receive special treatment when calling in for a service call; they go to the front of the line regardless of how many non-Diamond Club Plus customers were on the board. A Diamond Club Plus member will receive a FREE annual plumbing and electrical evaluation to ensure your system is safe and operating smoothly. And finally, it's FREE! The $14.95 monthly dues accumulate in an account to be used for future work. So let's say that you've been a member for 10 months and now need some plumbing or electrical work done. You will now have accumulated around $150.00 that can go towards that work. So there you have it; it really is FREE. Finally, if you are interested in becoming a member, do so now. Because we couldn't possibly accommodate all of our clients, we limit the membership to 22% of our customer base. So what are you waiting for? Why not sign up today? Just call, 503-620-9111 and tell them you want special treatment too and are ready to sign up for the Diamond Club Plus. *Does not apply to larger bid type work. Back To Top |
|
Tips for hiring a contractor
| |
Check with the CCB (verify contractor's license), before asking for bids or entering into any agreements with a contractor. When checking a contractor's license: - Verify the contractor is actively licensed. This means the contractor can legally work in Oregon, has a surety bond, provided proof of liability insurance at the time of application and insurance renewal*, and assures that you have access to the CCB (Construction Contractors Board), Dispute Resolution Process.
- Check the contractor's history of complaints (disputes) and any other licenses associated with the contractor's name.
Get more than one bid from licensed contractors before making a decision. Don't automatically accept the lowest bid. A higher bid may be worth the price in better materials or workmanship. If you get a very low bid, the contractor may have made a mistake or not bid everything. If the bid is too low to make a profit, they may use cheaper materials or take shortcuts. Ask for references. Check with previous customers. Were they satisfied with the work? Was the work completed on time? Did the contractor return phone calls? Check the BBB (Better Business Board) and Angie's List for records of complaints and / or praise. Learn as much as you can about the contractor you are hiring. Read "Building/ Remodeling Checklist" and "16 Ways to Avoid Remodeling, Repair and Construction Problems" for a more comprehensive list of issues to consider when hiring a contractor. *Many insurance companies do not contact the CCB when the policy is cancelled since they are not required by law to do so. Consumers may want to verify coverage is still in effect. The above information was taken straight from the CCB as we believe they are your best resource for checking lincensing.  If you have any questions or need to schedule a plumbing service call, please contact us at... 503-620-9111
|
|
MONEY SAVING COUPONS
| |
COUPONS NOT GOOD WITH OTHER OFFERS
OR WORK PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED
 
|
|
All Plumbers Are Not The Same
| |
- All Casey's Plumbing employees are background checked to insure that a safe person is entering your home.
- All employees at Casey's Plumbing are drug tested to insure that an alert professional will be performing your electrical work.
- We offer a full two year warranty (three years for Diamond Club Plus clients), on all our repair work and a lifetime warranty on all workmanship. That's right - if any work we perform ever fails due to workmanship, we will repair it at no cost to you.
Sure, there are a number of plumbing contractors out there to chose from. And especially on larger jobs, it's always a good idea to get more than one quote. But I want you to know, that when you need a plumber, we'll be there for you. There will be no price surprises and if you are unhappy at anytime with our service, we'll do the job over for free! And don't forget our Diamond Club Plus program (See enclosed article). As a member, you will not only save 20% on most jobs but the small monthly membership dues will accumulate to be used for ALL future work. So it really is free and a wonderful thing to be a part of for those seeking peace of mind in their plumbing and electrical systems. So who should you choose? I am humbled and indeed proud, of the loyal customer base we have grown and believe that if you give us a chance, you'll be a happy loyal client as well. You'll be happy with our service - I personally guarantee it! Thanks your continued patronage.
|
|
|
