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Clare Louise

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Tips to Fix a Blocked Toilet

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Your toilet is one of the most commonly used fixtures in your home. Once it’s clogged, it will result in lots of discomfort and frustrations. The flush may not be working. The drains are gurgling and emit a foul smell. Or your bathroom floor may be flooded. Very few people think of how toilets function. This often results in a blockage or clog. Below are some tips to fix a blocked toilet.

Common Causes of a Blocked Toilet

The first things we have to know are the roots of why your toilet is clogged. This is to ensure that future problems can be avoided. Among the common causes of a blocked toilet are:

  • Clogged Drains. Drains are prone to blockage and clogging. Hair, foreign objects, paper, and waste may accumulate especially when the drain system is too old.
  • Collapsed Pipeline. An old pipe system or toilet can result in broken pipes or leaks. This technically weakens the water pressure causing non-movement or a slow septic system.
  • Hard Water. Most households are not aware of the difference between soft and hard water. Some locations supply hard water among homes. Hard water contains a high amount of minerals. They can calcify and restrict the flow of water in your toilet.
  • Low-Flush Toilets. These types of toilets are typically installed to keep the water bill low. Unfortunately, the low water pressure has too little power to push the waste down to the drains.
  • Low Water Supply in the Tank. Your toilet needs enough water to push the waste down. The tank should be full when used.

Tips to Fix a Blocked Toilet

There are several ways to fix a clogged toilet. You can easily do them yourself or hire a blocked toilet Sydney plumber depending on the severity of the blockage.

  • Baking Soda and Vinegar. Non-toxic household ingredients can be in the rescue if you don’t have tools to fix a clogged Put one cup of baking soda on the toilet ball and wait for 15 minutes. Pour two cups of vinegar slowly to cause bubbling. Wait for another 15 minutes to flush the toilet. If you notice that the clog isn’t cleared completely, repeat the process one more time.
  • Use a Plunger. A flat plunger works best on toilet drains and showers. While a plunger with a flange is perfect to unclog toilet bowl drains. Position the plunger in the toilet bowl. Push it down gently to get rid of the air pressure. Once, the plunger is sealed, pump it hard upward and downward maintaining the seal. Do this around 15 to 20 times. Afterward, pull the plunger out. If you see the water rushing down the drain, you’ve already fixed the clog.
  • Use a Plumbing Snake. Another handy tool to fix a clogged toilet is the plumbing snake. Position the head of the plumbing snake in the toilet bowl. Slowly turn the handle clockwise. If you feel resistance, wind the snake back counterclockwise. Flush the toilet to check if the clog loosened. Repeat the process until the water flushes easily. Choose a plumbing snake with a rubber coating. This is to protect the toilet’s porcelain against damage or scratch.
  • Use a Wet and Dry Vacuum. A unique way to fix a clogged toilet is by using a wet and dry vacuum. Never attempt to use a regular vacuum to avoid electric shock. It is recommended for you to use hand gloves because you’ll need to hold the vacuum hose inside the toilet bowl. First, vacuum the water out. Then, place the vacuum hose inside the drain. Wrap it with an old towel to create a suction for pulling the blockage out. Turn the vacuum on while holding the hose firmly. Once you’ve pulled the obstruction, clean and sanitise the vacuum.

If you have tried all the above tips and failed to fix a blocked toilet, it’s now time to call a professional plumber.

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In Home

3 Standout Construction Trends 2020

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The construction industry is changing. Trends are taking hold and transforming the industry for good. With the insurgence of advanced technology and the growing importance of sustainable construction, the construction industry must keep up with the times.

Here are the three standout trends the construction industry is experiencing right now.

Sustainable Construction

Every day, there is more and more pressure for construction companies to utilize sustainable methodologies. This ranges from using green materials, getting LEED certified, and reducing waste.

Certain technology is helping construction companies become more efficient in their practices, therefore reducing waste. Companies are also utilizing recycled materials throughout the project.

General contractors like Focus construction are actively using methodologies like hybrid building, prefabricated construction, and more to create a greener construction space.

Modular & Prefabricated Construction

Modular and prefabricated construction are two growing trends within the construction industry. Modular construction falls within the category of prefabricated construction, and both are proven ways to cut waste significantly.

Prefabricated construction involves building components of the project off-site in a controlled environment. This helps to accelerate the timeline of the project while cutting down on waste since the process is precise and uses recycled materials.

Technology Integration

More and more technology is being integrated into everyday construction processes. This technology is helping the construction industry become more efficient.

For example, BIM, or Building Information Modeling is helping general contractors create more sustainable processes while boosting efficiency. This technology shortens the overall timelines of a project, therefore, reducing the carbon emissions and excessive waste commonly seen in the construction industry.

These are just three of many ways the construction industry is embracing change. As an industry that is known for being slow to adapt, this industry is evolving for the good of the environment and their own success.


full depth reclamation asphalt

Infographic provided by Rock Solid Stabilization & Reclamation, Inc., a full depth reclamation asphalt company

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Safe And Responsible Bee Removal

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There is a proportion of society who suffer from melissophobia, or apiphobia as it also known, which in plain English, is an intense fear of bees. Just like most phobias, this manifests itself in the form of extreme anxiety, with symptoms that include: increase in heart rate, shortness of breath and nausea, which for many can be overwhelming.

Even if people are not categorized with any of the above, they will not want a swarm of bees taking up residence in their neighbourhood and will look for ways of initiating safe and responsible bee removal, as extermination is always discouraged and indeed rarely necessary.

Beekeepers will always look to try and collect and relocate a swarm. Among the different methods that they undertake in their Honey Bee Relocation Specialist north palm beach, fl, is one which can only be carried out on sunny days and if the bees have set up home in a tree. This involves a white sheet being placed underneath the location of the nest and then a nucleus (nuc) box placed upon it. The swarm is then sprayed with a sugar based solution which has the effect of soaking the insects, rendering them too heavy to fly off.

The nest is then shaken vigorously from the branches in the hope that the main cluster, ideally including the queen, will fall onto the sheet and immediately head for the first dark space they spot, which will be the opening to the nuc. After around 15 minutes the vast majority of the swarm will have found their way into the box and is very much a preferred method.

If however, this operation is not possible, an alternative is to use a skep, which is essentially an upturned straw basket. This is suspended over the nest and smoke is gently blown at the swarm to basically herd the bees into the skep, although this procedure can cause many of the bees to become agitated and consequently fly away from the desired destination. A swarm of bees can be quite an alarming site, but they are usually not aggressive unless provoked, so the important thing is to keep a good distance from the colony, until a safe bee removal can be affected.

When honey bees emerge from their hive ready to swarm, they will not initially fly too far away. They are likely to gather just metres away from the hive and cluster around the queen for probably just a few hours and certainly not more than a couple of days. Then several dozen scouts are dispatched to determine suitable new nesting locations.

It is the honey bee, rather than the bumblebee that causes the main domestic problems. The bumblebee is actually seasonal, whereas the honey bee colony grows in number, year after year, with anything up to 50,000 being a reasonable average. If they set up home in buildings the weight of their honey can genuinely bring down ceilings and severely block chimneys and cavity walls.

Swarming is actually, in the main, a spring process and creates quite a vulnerable period in the life of a honey bee. They can die of starvation if they cannot quickly settle into a new home, so bearing in mind their pollinating importance to nature, these complex social colonies should always be allowed to have safe a responsible removal by experts like Pro Pacific Pest Control.

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