Wind Damage Restoration
High winds and tornados can occur virtually anywhere and the damage can be as minor as the loss of a few shingles or as major as needing a whole new roof. Severe winds are defined as exceeding 50-60 mph most damaged caused by high winds is considered “an act of God” and is covered under homeowner and business insurance. While that should be reassuring it’s still important to know what to do to begin getting your home repaired.\
First contact a professional contractor such as All Star Plumbing and Restoration. An expert can make a thorough assessment of your home or business and will look beyond the most obvious damage. There may be damage beyond the structure to things such as landscaping and asphalt. In many cases there can be damage to a nearby tree that requires attention as well. An expert inspector will also make sure there hasn’t been any damage to power lines that would require immediate attention.
Most wind damage effects windows, siding and roofs. It’s highly recommended that the homeowner take photos of all of the damage to maintain a record for the insurance company. This is one of the best ways to make sure you’re fully compensated for the entire extent of the damage. In some cases insurance companies will want to replace just the damaged area, especially for siding. Unfortunately this will leave you with two different colors of siding on the front of your home. The All Star team will do everything we can to make sure you’re not left in a mess and restore your home to the fullest.
All Star Plumbing and Restoration provides specialized emergency cleanup and restoration services for property damage caused by: thunderstorms, tornadoes or high winds, freezing weather, lightning strikes, hail storms and much more.
The team from All Star Plumbing and Restoration will work directly with both you and your insurance adjuster to make sure you’re fully taken care of. Using the All Star team can prevent further damage such as water damage to the inside of the home if roof damage isn’t addressed promptly.
Hose Bib Repair
Now that the weather’s good, and you’re spending time outside watering plants or washing cars, you may notice that you’ve got water leaking from around one or more hose bibs. The hose bib refers to the outside spigot or faucets located on the exterior of your home. It’s not uncommon for these to leak over time, but it should be a priority to get them repaired or replaced quickly as that slow drip could accumulate into a large amount of water and a larger than expected water bill.
There are a few common sources of a leak in a hose bib – the packing nut, the washer, or the flap on the air gap. If the leak appears to be coming from behind the handle, then likely the packing nut is the problem. It may just need to be tightened, but if that doesn’t stop the leak than likely the packing nut needs to be replaced.
If the hose bib leaks regardless of whether it’s turned on or off then more than likely the washer needs replaced. This is a fair amount of work as the faucet will need to be dismantled to find it. It’s recommended that you contact All Star Plumbing and Restoration for this job.
The last common leak source is the flap used to prevent water from being siphoned into the home. Many hose bibs have a built-in air gap which requires the flap to close fully for proper operation. If the pressure line drops, the flapper valve opens, and the siphon is broken. This will require the flap to be replaced.
It’s very common for a leak from the hose bib to start after the winter season because freezing leads to guaranteed trouble. While many hose bibs offer a frost-proof design they aren’t completely protected from the perils of winter. If, for example, a hose is left attached to the faucet through the winter months it’s likely that the hose bib will still suffer some damage as a result.
Repairing or replacing the hose bib can get complicated in a hurry if it extends beyond the faucet. In many cases it can require working on the pipes inside the wall or even under the house. A plumbing mishap in one of those areas could cause expensive damage to the home and property. Consult with the experts at All Star Plumbing to determine the best course of action for your leaky hose bib.
The Appeal of the Farmhouse Sink
The farmhouse, or apron style, sink has become very popular for contemporary kitchen designs in recent years. Really it’s been around forever as it was the original sink design dating back to the 17th century. The design of this sink had two main goals – practicality and comfort. At the time water was brought to the home manually from wells, lakes and rivers so having a large basin to hold water in the kitchen was a necessity. Secondly women were spending hours washing dishes and needed something more ergonomically comfortable. The design of the farmhouse sink eliminated any counter space in the front and prevented women from having to lean forward while washing dishes.
While the farmhouse sink no longer requires manual filling and draining, its original appeal has returned as people are again looking to increase functionality within the kitchen. The farmhouse sink is larger and deeper than traditional sink styles. The exposed front further increasing the internal basin space. This larger space makes for easier filling of large pots as well as cleaning of cookie sheets, large pots and pans. The ergonomic benefits remain the same through the ages as well. Anyone who has spent significant time washing dishes will understand the benefit of not having extra counter space between you and the sink full of dishes.
In addition the farmhouse sink is designed to sit slightly out in front of the cabinets on either side of it. This design allows for any water that flows down the front of the sink to land on the floor rather than the cabinets, which are easier to damage.
In this day and age very few people actually wash dishes and cups, we rinse those and throw them in the dishwasher. What we “wash” are large items – bowls, pots, the dog, the kids, etc! It really does make incredible sense to move away from the divided sink, which was ideal when washing and then rinsing lots of dishes, but less practical for larger items. The modern farmhouse sink comes in a variety of materials, porcelain, fireclay, stainless steel, or copper to fit any décor. With the kitchen as the focal point in most homes, the addition of the farmhouse sink can create a beautiful centerpiece. The plumbing experts from All Star Plumbing and Restoration can easily install one and help you change the whole look of your kitchen.
Corn and Tomato Salad
Looking for a delicious side dish to take to the next summer BBQ? Try this great, easy-to-make, recipe. It goes well with just about everything that the host might pull off the grill.
Ingredients
¼ c. minced fresh basil
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lime juice
1-2 tsp honey
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
14 oz frozen sweet corn (thawed and drained)
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 small red onion halved and thinly sliced
1/3 c. chopped green onions
1 c. peeled and chopped cucumber
1-2 peeled and diced avocados
2 minced shallots
Directions
Wisk together basil, olive oil, lime juice, honey, salt and pepper to make the dressing.
Combine corn, tomatoes, red onion, green onion avocado, cucumber and shallots gently stirring together to mix. Drizzle the dressing over top of the corn mix and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Past Plumbing Newsletters