Removing Gutter Ice

To prevent ice from jamming up your gutters and forming on you roof, try using Easy Heat's Roof & Gutter De-icing Cables. The weight of snow and ice on a roof can cause significant damage to a home, and the accumulating of ice can block storm drains and gutters. Install these de-icing products to melt stubborn snow and ice and maintain the quality of your home.


Easy Heat's Roof & Gutter De-Icing Products can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

What Is A Squirrel Cage?

For all of you animal lovers out there, fear not-- A squirrel cage is not actually a device in which to entrap your furry little friends. The name describes the cage-like shape of a squirrel cage rotor (the rotating part often used in an AC induction motor). The motor is equipped with rings at either end of the rotor and has bars connecting the rings that run the length of the rotor, thus resembling the shape of a hamster or squirrel wheel. When the squirrel cage becomes bent out of shape, it can interfere with the functioning of the motor. If you are looking to replace a worn-out squirrel cage on your squirrel cage rotor, Carrier manufactures a replacement squirrel cage. Don't wait until your motor burns out to get a new one!

Carrier's Replacement Squirrel Cage can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Rain Shower Heads

If you are looking for a trendy and luxurious way to shower, try showering with a rain shower head. Kohler manufactures a line of high quality and durable rain shower heads that can be found in a wide variety of finishes and designs to suit your bathroom. With a rain shower head, you will feel as if you are immersed in a warm rain shower or waterfall- an experience that will make you never want to return to the traditional shower head.

Kohler's Rain Shower Heads can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Let Your Baseboards Breathe

To get the most out of your electric baseboard heater, it is important to allow for sufficient airflow. Electric baseboard heaters convert cool air pulled in from the bottom into heated air released out of the top of the heater. Anything blocking the flow of air into the heater will impede the heating process and decrease energy efficiency. Therefore, furniture should not be positioned up against the heaters and thick carpet or rugs should be kept clear of the heater space. Also, heater coils should be dusted regularly, as accumulation will reduce both heat production and the lifespan of the heater.

Electric Baseboard Heaters can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Wallet-Friendly Heating

As the temperature outside dips, you may be tempted to raise your thermostat settings to keep out the winter chill, but there are ways to stay warm without raising your heating costs. Using furnaces and heaters wisely can cut on heating expenses during the winter. For example, each degree you lower your thermostat can lower your heating bill between one and three percent. Setting your thermostat at 68 degrees is warm enough for comfort, yet low enough to save substantially on costs. In addition to lower settings, consider installing a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat such as a Honeywell Programmable Thermostat adjusts temperature settings while you sleep or when no one is home. Equipped with an easy-to-read display, Honeywell's Programmable Thermostat offers the simplicity and convenience of a basic thermostat with energy savings that your wallet will truly appreciate.

Honeywell Programmable Thermostats, as well as a large selection of other programmable thermostats, are available at www.supplyhouse.com

Garbage Disposal Leaks

A garbage disposal makes food preparation and clean-up a breeze: it breaks up food pieces to prevent them from clogging the sink drain, while reducing odors from decaying food. However, if your garbage disposal is leaking, it may be time for a tune-up. First, to avoid electric shock, it is important to make sure that the power is off (not just the switch that operates the garbage disposal). Next, inspect the screws on the drainage pipe. If they are loose, tighten them, then turn on the water to see if the garbage disposal is still leaking. In the area where the garbage disposal meets the sink, make sure that the bolts are tight. Check the plumber's putty. If water still leaks, you may need to apply more plumbers putty to the sink's flange. Wait until the putty is dry before you turn the water back on- and don't forget to turn the power back on as well!

Garbage disposals can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

How To Clean A Sink Sprayer

A kitchen sink with a pull-out sink sprayer comes in handy when doing the dishes or cleaning the sink. If the sprayer suddenly stops working, it could be due to a build up of mineral deposits and debris. To clean it, you must first dismantle the sprayer from the sink by using a wrench to unscrew the base of the hose from where it joins the sink. Remove the spray head to access the aerator. Next, remove the diverter from its sink recess and soak it in a cleaning solvent, such as white vinegar or lemon juice. Use a stiff bristle brush to scrub away the accumulated deposits. When you are confident the sink sprayer is clean, rinse the components in water and dry with a paper towel. Reassemble the components and enjoy the convenience of your kitchen sink sprayer once again.

A variety of kitchen faucets equipped with pull-out sprayers can be found at www.supplyhouse.com.

Unconventional PEX Uses

PEX (or cross-linked polyethylene) is most commonly used in the form of tubing for hydronic radiant heating systems and PEX plumbing. Its flexibility and durability makes it an easy and convenient alternative to more traditional copper piping. However, did you know that PEX has other uses, too? PEX has been used as a composite filling material in dental restoration and can be found in the hulls of some canoes and kayaks! Although we strongly do not recommend taking your PEX Tube for a ride in the ocean, it is nice to know that PEX is a trusted material in important applications, no matter what form it is in.

PEX Tubing, along with everything else you need for Radiant Heating and PEX Plumbing, can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Plumbing With Bread

Soldering paste and a quality soldering torch are necessary to have on hand when soldering a copper joint, but did you know that the answer to a common plumbing nuisance can be found in your kitchen pantry? A small drip from the existing water in the line can get in the way while you are soldering. To stop this, take a slice of white bread, remove the crust, roll it into a firm ball, and insert it into the pipe. The bread will absorb the trickle of water and stop the drip so that you can continue soldering. Turn on the water supply after you are finished to flush the bread away and into the drain system.

Soldering Paste, Soldering Torches, and everything else you need for your plumbing jobs can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

The Tankless Alternative

A tankless water heater is a great alternative to a traditional water heater. Instead of storing hot water in a tank, it heats water by circulating the incoming water through a series of electric coils or gas burners that heat up when a tap or appliance is turned on. Hot water is not sitting in a tank waiting to be used, but is instead heated only when needed. With a tankless water heater, the energy used to heat the hot water in your home is always efficiently used and never wasted.

A large selection of Tankless Water Heaters can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Save Your Sink, Save Your Food

For the busy cook who never thought twice before tossing a pot into the sink or the clumsy cook cursed with dropping food, a bottom sink grid is an especially useful kitchen accessory. Not only does it protect the sink from dents and scratches, but it also salvages food dropped during food preparation. Most bottom sink grids, such as Elkay's Bottom Sink Grids, are fitted with feet to further avoid contact with the sink's bottom and are available in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit your kitchen sink. A bottom sink grid made from stainless steel, such as Elkay's 17-1/8" x 19-1/8" Bottom Sink Grid, neither corrodes nor rusts, so you can feel free to pour boiling water into the sink without damaging the sink grid.

Elkay Bottom Sink Grids, along with a large selection of other Elkay kitchen accessories, can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Dirty Showerhead? Try Vinegar!

If your showerhead is clogged with the build-up of mineral deposits, it may be time to clean it. A safe and eco-friendly way to clean a showerhead involves something that many of us already have in our homes: vinegar. First, fill a saucepan with distilled white vinegar. Unscrew the showerhead and place it in the saucepan so that it is completely submerged by the vinegar. Next, place the saucepan on the stove, allowing the showerhead to simmer for a few minutes- how long depends on the amount of build-up that has accumulated. It is important to make sure that the showerhead is not sitting on the bottom of the saucepan, but rather floating in the vinegar. Also, avoid boiling or turning the heat up too high as the showerhead could melt. After you are confident that the showerhead is clean, remove it from the vinegar and rinse it with water. Screw it back on and turn on the water to ensure that it is clear of all deposits and is ready to use again.

A large selection of showerheads can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Punctured Pipe? Not A Problem!

A simple and easy way to repair a punctured PEX water pipe without disturbing the surrounding pipes is to cut out the section of tubing with the puncture in it and replace it with a coupling to join the two sides. This process secures the pipe and ensures that a leak will not happen again. For a worry-free and reliable coupling, try the SharkBite Coupling. The fitting doesn't require any tools or soldering and can be pushed into place quickly and easily.

SharkBite Couplings, as well as a large selection of other SharkBite Push-Fit Fittings, can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Therma-cel Pipe Insulation

Insulation in hot water pipes cuts down on heat loss and can raise water temperature 2ºF–4ºF warmer than in uninsulated pipes. A quality pipe insulation, such as Nomaco K-Flex's Therma-cel Pipe Insulation, works to slow heat loss. This lessens the wait for hot water, which conserves water usage, and allows you to lower your water temperature setting, which saves energy. Therma-cel Pipe Insulation also prevents condensation and frost formation when used with cold water plumbing or air-conditioning lines.

Therma-cel Pipe Insulation can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Humidifiers in the Winter

Humid air feels warmer than dry air. The addition of a humidifier is an alternative and simple way to be comfortable and keep warm during the cold winter months. A Honeywell Whole House Humidifier works to control humidity throughout your house, and as a bonus, moisturizes dry air to prevent damage to wood floors and finishings. It will bring a sense of warmth to, and retain the quality of, your home.

Honeywell Whole House Humidifiers, as well as a large selection of other humidifiers, can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

'UV-Aire' Cleans Your Air

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the air in homes can be up to 100 times more polluted than the air outdoors. For an innovative way to purify the air you breathe, try the Field Controls UV-12, UV-Aire Purification System. The UV-Aire uses the energy from a high-intensity UV-C lamp to sanitize or kill microorganisms as they cycle through the HVAC system in your home. The unit is inexpensive to operate and requires little maintenance, thus making it both a heath-conscious and budget-conscious decision.

The Field Controls UV-12, UV-Aire Purification System as well as other UV Parts and Accessories can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Pressure-Balancing Valves

A sudden change in water pressure (such as someone flushing a toilet or starting up a load of laundry) can cause your shower to go from warm to scalding hot in seconds. To prevent this, you will need to install a pressure-balancing valve in your shower. Kohler's Rite-Temp Pressure-Balancing Valve features a high-temperature limit stop and an optimal comfort zone, allowing you to set a maximum high and then find and maintain your desired water temperature. The unit also works to prevent water temperature from suddenly dipping during instances when hot water is diverted.

Kohler's Rite-Temp Pressure-Balancing Valve can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Stainless Steel Sinks

A stainless steel sink is a sleek and contemporary addition to your kitchen. To maintain the sink's look and cleanliness, it is important to clean it both regularly and properly. Dirt and materials such as lime, salt, and calcium that accumulate from washing pots and pans can damage the sink over time. You should rinse a stainless steel sink with mild soap water after every use and then dry it with a soft towel. Dish washing detergent, glass cleaner, or a solution of ammonia can also be used, but stay away from cleaning agents that are abrasive or solutions that contain chlorine. Steel wool pads and cleaning tools such as brushes should be avoided as well.

A large selection of stainless steel sinks for your kitchen can be found at www.supplyhouse.com.

Faucet Aerators Save Both Water & Money

To cut down on water usage in your home, consider replacing your old faucet aerators. An aerator, which is the screw-on tip of the faucet, ultimately determines the maximum flow rate of a faucet. If your faucets are more than ten years old, they are most likely in need of new aerators. Normally, new kitchen faucets come installed with aerators that restrict flow rates to 2 gpm (gallons per minute), while new bathroom faucets have ones that restrict flow rates from 1.5 to 0.5 gpm. A faucet aerator such as Wal-rich's 55/64" Chrome Plated Female Faucet Aerator has a flow rate of 2 gpm. Replacing an old aerator is inexpensive and is considered to be one of the most cost-effective ways to conserve water.

Faucet aerators, such as Wal-rich's 55/64" Chrome Plated Female Faucet Aerator, as well as a large selection of kitchen faucets and bathroom faucets, can be found at www.supplyhouse.com.

Frozen Pipes

Frozen pipes are a common occurence during the cold season. To thaw a frozen pipe in your home, try turning on each faucet. If the water is flowing, run warm water through the pipes to help thaw the frozen spot. If no water flows, find the most likely places where pipes may freeze, such as unheated basements or crawl spaces. Turn on the faucets and use a hair dryer, portable heater, or warm wet rags to thaw the pipe. However, when water freezes inside PEX tubing, be sure to not overheat the tubing beyond the maximum recommended temperature.

A large selection of portable heaters and PEX Tubing can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Indirect Water Heaters

If you are looking for a smart and energy efficient way to heat the water in your home, try using an indirect water heater, such as a Weil Mclain Indirect Water Heater. Indirect water heaters use a boiler to circulate hot water from the boiler through a heat exchanger in a water heater tank. The energy stored by the tank allows a furnace to turn off and on less often, which saves energy. When used in conjunction with a high-efficiency boiler, an indirect water heater can be a cost-effective way to provide hot water for your home.

Weil McClain Indirect Water Heaters, along with a large selection of other indirect water heaters, heat exchangers, and high-efficiency boilers can be found at www.supplyhouse.com.

Prevent Unwanted Backflow

A backflow prevention device is used to ensure that water supplies are protected from contamination or pollution. Where water pressure fails or is reduced, dirty water from the ground or other sources can be drawn into the system. A backflow preventer such as a reduced pressure zone assembly, vacuum breaker, or a dual check valve can save you from the troubles of water contamination. Reduced pressure detectors and backflow prevention test kits additionally monitor and test the status of the device. Keep in mind that in some locations, backflow prevention devices are required by law and must be installed in accordance with plumbing or building codes.

Backflow Preventers can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Electric Towel Warmers

Electric towel warmers are a treat during the cold winter months, but did you know that they have other practical functions year-round? The units are handy for drying bathing suits in the summer, as well as delicates and hand washable items. By keeping your towels dry and fresh between uses, towel warmers also save on unnecessary laundry loads and water usage.

Electric towel warmers can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Clean your garbage disposal

A garbage disposal can be a great kitchen tool- it makes preparing food quicker and keeps your kitchen cleaner. But if your garbage disposer gets clogged or begins to smell, it can be way more trouble than it's worth. But don't worry, keeping your garbage disposal clean and odor-free is actually pretty easy. Just put a mixture of ice cubes, orange rinds, and a little baking soda down every once in a while. The ice cubes will eliminate any blockages and even sharpen the blades. And the orange rinds and baking soda will deodorize the unit so that it won't smell anymore.

Garbage disposers can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

What is the difference between different colors of PEX?

Different colors of PEX Tubing are structurally and functionally exactly the same, the only difference is the outside color. For PEX Plumbing tubing, there are typically three colors: red, white and blue. When installing, red is used for hot water and blue is used for cold water. This is a great way to see exactly which pipes go where, especially when there are a lot of pipes in one place. If you don't want to use the colors, the white PEX Tubing can be used for all of your plumbing needs.

PEX Tubing and other PEX Supplies can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Manabloc Supply

There are 3 separate supply lines that lead into a Manabloc PEX Manifold. Since the MANABLOC system is made for plumbing, there are no return lines. There are never return lines in plumbing manifolds because once the water goes out, it does not come back to be re-circulated. Since there are three separate supply lines (2 cold and 1 hot) that come into your Manabloc, you will need 3 supply adapters in order to connect your PEX Tubing. If you do not need to connect both cold lines and the hot line, you may use a supply end cap to cap off the line not being used.

Manabloc manifolds and other plumbing manifolds can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Buderus G115WS boilers can either be chimney vented or direct vented. All of the G115WS boilers that are sold on SupplyHouse.com come in a package ready for chimney venting. If you need the boiler with direct venting, please call our customer service representatives at 888-757-4774 and they can place a special order for the direct vent burner to go with the boiler that you need.

Buderus G115WS Boilers can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

New showerhead, smaller bills

The typical household spends about 14% of their energy bill on hot water and half of this is used for showers and baths. Using an energy efficient shower head and cutting down the time of your showers can save hundreds of dollars over a few years.

Showerheads and other energy efficient plumbing supplies can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Carrier Thermostats for Multiple Applications

Carrier's Debonair commercial thermostats are growing in popularity, eliminating much of the guesswork from matching thermostats to different applications. These thermostats can be used for multiple applications; for example, the Debonair Commercial Flatstat can be used for single-stage heating and cooling, 2-stage heating and cooling, heat pumps, gas or electric heating, and hydronic systems.

Carrier Debonair thermostats and other Carrier thermostat models can be found at www.supplyhouse.com.

Cut down on noise from your baseboard system with PEX

PEX tubing is a great option for your baseboard heating system and is much quieter than copper pipe. This is because the unrestrained liner expansion rate for PEX is much lower than the rate for copper pipe. For every 10 degree increase in temperature, standard PEX expands 1.1 inches per 100 feet.

PEX tubing and baseboard heaters can be found at www.supplyhouse.com.

Don't heat rooms you don't use

Do you have a room in your house that isn't used all the time-- a child away at college or maybe a guest bedroom? Don't heat it when it's empty! By having zones in your heating system, you will be able to separate where the heat is turned on, and where it can be left off. There is no reason to heat a room when noone goes into it, but you still want to be able to turn the heat back on when you need to. With a zone valve and zone control, that's easy. So save some energy, set up heating zones, and only heat the rooms you use.

Zone controls and zone valves can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Save water with each flush

You're flushing your money down the toilet if you're not using an efficient flush valve. Noone will ever know that you're using less water, except if they see your water bill. While standard flushers use 5 gallons or more of water per flush, a high efficiency flush valve can use as little as 2 gallons. Three gallons of water might not seem like a lot, but multiply it by the number of times your toilet is flushed per month and it adds up to big savings.

Sloan flush valves can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Hot water settings for Tempra

Stiebel Eltron Tempra Electric Tankless Water Heaters can be set for a wide range of temperatures for hot water. Is this heater going to the kids' bathroom? You can lower the setting as low as 86°F. And if you like your showers HOT, it can go as high as 140°F. Changing the setting is easy- just set the knob on the front of the unit and it will deliver water at the exact temperature that you want.

Stiebel Eltron tankless heaters and other Stiebel Eltron products can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

It's all in a nameplate

Bell and Gossett pumps feature a sturdy nameplate with a lot of information about the pump clearly displayed. The nameplate tells you the pump series, the model number of the pump, the year that it was made, the maximum liquid temperature, and short instructions to maximize the efficiency of your pump. The best part about the nameplate is that you can't lose it. Even if the paperwork gets misplaced, your pump's nameplate is permanently attached to your pump.

Bell & Gossett pumps can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Extend the life of your grease trap

A restaurant grease trap can take a beating over the years, but there are some things you can do to protect your grease trap and extend its life. First, inform all of the restaurant employees of how the grease trap works. If they know how it works, they will be less likely to abuse it and throw a whole vat of oil or large pieces of food down the sink. Second, make sure there is a strainer in all of the sinks. A strainer will keep the solids out of the sink, out of your pipes, and out of the grease trap. Third, make sure to do regular cleanings of the grease trap when it gets to be about half full. Allowing it to fill all the way to the top could slow your system, and not cleaning it thoroughly and allowing old grease to remain at the bottom of the trap for years is not good for the grease trap or the person assigned to clean it.

Grease traps can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Uncoiling PEX

Uncoiling your PEX Tubing can be difficult, especially in the cold weather. To make it easier, you can do two things. First, keep the PEX tubing in a warm place for as long as possible before you use it. Keeping it warm will allow it to become more pliable and easier to set in place where you want it. There is also a tool to help with uncoiling PEX. A PEX Uncoiler is especially useful when you have large coils or when you are working with a lot of tubing.

PEX Tubing Uncoilers can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Big power, small package

If you're tight on space, a tankless water heater is the perfect addition to your boiler room. Since there is no tank of hot water to be stored, tankless water heaters are typically very small. The Takagi T-K3 is only 13" x 20.5". When you compare that to a tank style heater or an indirect water heater, a tankless is truly tiny.

Tankless heaters can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Never let your heating pipes freeze again

With traditional copper pipes, it's usually not the pipe that freezes, it's the water inside. For heating pipes, glycol is the perfect solution. By using a mixture of glycol and water, you will get the same full heating capacity as with water, but the glycol anti-freeze will prevent the liquid from freezing (even in the coldest temperatures). Glycol can also be used in PEX tubing for radiant heat systems. Just be sure not to use glycol in plumbing pipes where you will be drinking the water.

Glycol and other radiant heat supplies can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Hooking up a MANABLOC

To install a standard Viega MANABLOC manifold, you need to purchase supply adapters and mounting straps separately. The brass supply adapters allow you to connect 3/4" PEX Tubing to the manifold, and the mounting straps come perfectly aligned and ready for you to screw your manifold into place and keep it right where it needs to be.

Viega MANABLOCS can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Happy New Year!

Here's to a new year that makes the world a better place, too. Find energy efficient alternatives to the products you use every day to save money and help the environment in 2010. Test out a tankless water heater, a programmable thermostat, or a high-efficiency boiler.

There are thousands of energy efficient plumbing & heating supplies to be found on www.supplyhouse.com

How is a gate valve different from a ball valve?

A gate valve allows you to control the amount of water that comes through. By using a knob, a gate valve lets you to allow no water, just a little water, most of the water, or all of the water through. You can turn the knob a little or a lot and determine the exact of flow that you want. A ball valve only has on or off. If you turn the handle one way, it's on. If you turn the handle the other way, it's off. There is no in between, you either get full flow or no flow.

Gate valves and ball valves can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

How to attach a pump

To secure your pump into your heating system, you will need a set of pump flanges. Flanges should be purchased based on the size of the pipe that you are connecting to. For example, if you are putting your pump on a 1" pipe, you will need 1" flanges. Shut-off flanges, or isolation flanges, can be helpful because you can stop the water flowing to the pump right at the source.

Heating pumps and flanges can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Make a clean cut

All PEX connections require a clean, even cut in your PEX tubing. Without a clean cut, it is incredibly difficult to create a secure fitting. If your tubing is uneven, the rings and fittings will not fit properly on the tubing and you can get a leak. To make sure that you have a clean cut for a secure fitting, use a PEX tubing cutter. Even if you have another blade that you use to cut everything else, a PEX tube cutter is a worthwhile investment at under $20.00 because it will create a perfect and worry-free cut in your PEX every time.

PEX cutters and other PEX tools can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Tis the season for comfort

When it's cold outside, staying in for a hot shower can't be beat. And, a new showerhead can make that shower even better. Today's showerheads have all the bells and whistles; multiple sprays, rain settings, massaging settings and more. Check out the huge selection of Alsons shower heads and Kohler shower heads.

Showerheads can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Clean operation of an oil pump

Beckett's new CleanCut Pumps feature clean operation through solenoid technology. The solenoid valve cuts oil flow almost at the exact instant that the power is cut to the motor. This eliminates soot formation and buildup that is typical from other pumps that take a while to shut down. Without soot formation, your Beckett pump will run cleaner and last longer.

Beckett pumps such as the CleanCut Pump can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Where to install a vacuum breaker

A vacuum breaker is used to prevent water from re-entering the public supply after it enters your private pipes. Having backflow preventers and vacuum breakers assures that the public water supply is clean and that the water that each home and business receives is equally clean from impurities. When installing a vacuum breaker, make sure that it is placed at least 6 inches above the highest point in the pipe.

Vacuum breakers and backflow preventers can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Warm up with a great gift

Heated toilet seats are one of the most popular gifts from SupplyHouse.com. A warm toilet seat is a great luxury on a cold day, and starting under $100, it's a luxury that you can afford. Both Brondell toilet seats and Takagi toilet seats are easy to install and are a change that will add so much comfort to your bathroom.

Toilet seats and heated toilet seats can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Norton Hot Surface Ignitors

Robertshaw 41-400 Series hot surface ignitors reach ignition temperatures within 17 seconds as electricity passes through the Silicon Carbide and makes it glow red hot. Operating under normal conditions a hot surface ignitor will last for 3 to 5 years, at which point they are easy to replace, similar to light bulbs. Most ignitors are interchangeable as long as they fit in the furnace space provided.

Robertshaw Norton Hot Surface Ignitors are available at www.supplyhouse.com.

PEX or PEX-al-PEX?

For heating or plumbing applications, you can use either standard PEX or PEX-al-PEX. PEX-al-PEX stands for PEX-Aluminum-PEX, which is a tubing composed of a layer of standard PEX, a layer of aluminum, and another layer of standard PEX. The aluminum layer in the PEX-al-PEX allows it to hold its shape, much like a pipe cleaner. Standard PEX comes in a coil, and to straighten it and get it where you want, you will need to secure it to the ground every few feet. With PEX-al-PEX, you will still need to secure the tubing to the ground, but since it will hold its shape, it will be easier to lay it out where you want it and have it stay put. A potential drawback of PEX-al-PEX is that you will need to use different fittings than are used with standard PEX. Because of this, it is best to only install one type of PEX in your home so that all of your tools and fittings will work on all of your tubing.

PEX-al-PEX tubing and PEX fittings can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

AO Smith Corrosion-Fighting Technology

The corrosion-fighting CoreGard anode rod now comes standard on all AO Smith Conservationist and ProMax residential water heaters. This technology utilizes cathodic protection to fight corrosion inside AO Smith heaters. Cathodic protection has become a widely used method for controlling the corrosion deterioration of metallic structures in contact with environments containing enough ions to conduct electricity such as soils, seawater and basically all natural waters. It basically reduces the corrosion rate of a metallic structure by reducing its corrosion potential, bringing the metal closer to an immune state.

A large selection of AO Smith Conservationist Commercial Water Heaters and ProMax Residential Water Heaters are available at www.supplyhouse.com

Adding an extra ball valve

It's always a good idea to add as many points to shut off water flow as possible. If you have water going to two separate areas of your house, put a ball valve in. A ball valve will allow you to quickly shut off the water where you need to, and to do it right away. In an emergency, you'll be glad to have spent the extra dollar on a ball valve and prevent thousands of dollars of damage to your home.

Ball valves and other plumbing supplies can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

What is water hammer?

Water hammer is the term for a pounding or other loud noise in your pipes caused by a buildup of hydraulic pressure. Water hammer is actually a common occurrence when the flow of water is stopped suddenly by a closing valve. To silence this noise and relieve the pressure, you need a water hammer arrestor. Water hammer arrestors, such as the Watts 150A, work to absorb the hydraulic shock in your system and prevents it from making noise or damaging any of your system parts.

Water hammer arrestors can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

How to know if a crimp is done right

The HydroPEX Crimping Tool comes with a Go/No-Go Gauge so that you can check that your connections are done properly. To use the gauge, slide your fitting into the gauge at the proper size (3/4" crimp rings go into the 3/4" opening, etc). If the crimp ring does not fit in at all, it has not been crimped enough and must be crimped tighter. If the crimp ring slides all the way to the top of the gauge without any space in between, it has been crimped too tightly. In this case, you will have to remove the crimp ring, adjust the tool to loosen the crimping force, and try again. If the ring slides into the gauge into the area marked "GO" but cannot slide all the way to the "NO-GO" of the top of the gauge, your fitting is secure and your crimp has been done properly.

PEX Crimp Tools and Rifeng Fittings can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Traditional thermostats

Honeywell Round Thermostats are what most people think of when they picture a traditional thermostat. Simple and straight-forward, these thermostats are easy to program, easy to use, and easy to look at. To make it warmer or cooler, you simply turn the dial; to the left is cooler and to the right is warmer.

Honeywell thermostats and round Honeywell thermostats can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Increase pump head

By using more than one Taco pump, you can add the heads together. Taco 009 pumps have up to 35 feet of head at .5 gallons per minute, and less feet of head when you need higher gallon per minute flow (for example, 11 GPM at 1 feet of head and 5 GPM at 20 feet of head). If you need more feet of head with a high GPM, you can combine pumps. By using 2 009-F5 pumps with 5 GPM, you will get 20 ft + 20 ft, or 40 total feet of head.

Taco pumps and other heating pumps can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

AO Smith dip tubes

AO Smith Water Heaters have PEX cross-linked polymer dip tubes standard on all gas and electric models. Their unique construction makes them long-lasting and superior in resistance to destructive thermal oxidation. The function of the dip tube is to force the cold water to the bottom and allow the hot water to come out of the left side of the water heater. Since the water heater is constantly full, the dip tube ensures that the heater uses all the hot water available while any cold water in the tank is being heated.

A large selection of AO Smith products can be found at www.supplyhouse.com, including residential water heaters, commercial water heaters and replacement parts.

Fast fittings

SharkBite Fittings are by far the fastest and easiest fittings to install. Used for both plumbing & heating, SharkBite Fittings are push-to-fit fittings, so you just take the fitting, insert it into the pipe, and the secure connection is ready to go.

SharkBite Fittings can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Easy baseboard covers

If you need to replace a baseboard heater cover in a hurry, Baseboard Heater Covers brand baseboard covers are definitely the way to go. These one-size-fits-most covers are easy to install and can fit over almost any baseboard heater.

Baseboard heaters and baseboard heater covers can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Easy grips from the Red Line

New Malco RedLine tools feature a unique handle designed to make using these tools faster, easier, and more comfortable. There is a one-hand operation latch, meaning that you can open, control, and close these tools with one hand, leaving the other hand free to get your work done faster. The handles are ergonomically contoured with non-slip grip to assure comfortable use every time.

RedLine Tools can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Do not over oil a pump

If you over-oil the bearing assembly on your Series 100 pump, the excess oil will simply overflow through the bearing assembly’s weep-hole. The weep-hole is important, and you should never plug it. If it is not open, any dirt or sediment in the oil will find its way into the bearings which will shorten the life of your pump.

Bell and Gossett pumps can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Thermostat wiring

The number of wires coming out of your wall will tell you how many wires you need your thermostat to have. If there are 2 wires, you need at least a 2 wire thermostat. Having extra wires is fine; if you have 2 wires in your wall and purchase a 4 wire thermostat, you can leave two of the ports in the thermostat empty and it will still work properly. Having not enough wires is not OK; if you have 4 wires in your wall and purchase a 2 wire thermostat, it will not work. Play it safe, count your wires before you buy a new thermostat.

Thermostats can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Pump replacement

Looking to replace a Taco 00R-MSF1-IFC? Try the Grundfos 59896341 (Grundfos part number UPS15-58FC) as an alternative. These pumps have the same pump curve and specifications, so the Grundfos will work the same way that your old Taco pump did.

Taco pumps and Grundfos pumps can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Measuring fuel spend from BTU's

See what you're paying in fuel with your boiler. Another fuel type might save you money. If you can do either natural gas, oil, propane, or electric, you can compare the fuel costs and see how much fuel you will use with the BTU's in your boiler.

Natural Gas is measured by therm where 1 therm = 100,000 BTU's
Home Heat Oil (#2) is measured in gallons, where 1 Gal = 138,500 BTU's
Liquid Propane is also meausured in gallons where 1 Gal L.P. = 91,500 BTU's
Electric is measured in kilowatts where 1KW = 3,413 BTU's

You can then take the cost per therm, gallon, or kilowatt to find out how much you will spend with each energy source.

Boilers and other heating supplies can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Hot water where you want it

A tankless water heater allows you to put your hot water source right where you will call for that hot water. You can get a point-of-use tankless water heater for a single sink, and when you turn on the hot water tap, the water will be heated right there, instantly. These point-of-use heaters are also incredibly efficient. Instead of having your hot water travel from your boiler room and lose heat along the way, it will heat up right where you need it.

Tankless water heaters can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Clean water in your faucet

RO Faucets, or Reverse Osmosis Faucets, use reverse osmosis to remove impurities from your water before allowing it to leave the faucet. These faucets are an incredibly easy and convenient way to clean all of the water that you use for cooking, drinking, washing your hands, and anything else. While there are purification systems that are able to remove smaller particles, a reverse osmosis membrane is able to remove impurities and particles larger than .001 microns.

Tomlinson RO Faucets can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Radiant Heat in no time

Electric Radiant Heat can be installed in a bathroom in less than a day! Electric radiant heat kits are available and include the radiant heat mat, thermostat, installation monitor, double sided tape, an installation manual, and an installation DVD; everything you need to complete an installation and chosen based on the square footage of your room. Radiant heat is made easy with electric radiant.

Electric radiant heat mats and electric radiant heat kits can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

An outdoor unit for cooling?

Mini split air conditioning systems require both an indoor AND an outdoor component. The outdoor unit is called the compressor while the indoor unit is called the evaporator. The compressor switches on when the thermostat senses that the room is warmer than the set temperature and begins to circulate refrigerant. The evaporator then pressure reduces the refrigerant and uses its fan to draw the warm air in (sending it to cool in the compressor) while simultaneously blowing the cooled air out. The compressor and evaporator work together so your mini split system needs both units to work properly.

Mini split air conditioners can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Taco 007 Rule of Thumb

The 10-6 rule for the Taco 007 circulator pump means that it can support 10 gallons per minute at 6 feet of head, or 6 gallons per minute at 10 feet of head. This rule of thumb comes from the fact that the Taco 007 has a relatively even pump curve.

The Taco 007-F5 and other Taco products can be found at www.supplyhouse.com.

Make sure your backflow passes the test

Backflow preventers are the main way that it is guaranteed that any public water that enters your home does not return back to the public water supply to go to someone else's home. This is to make sure that all of the water that enters your home (and everyone else's home) is fresh and has been nowhere else. Your backflow preventer must be tested every year by a certified tester to assure that they are working properly.

Backflow preventers and backflow prevention test kits are available from www.supplyhouse.com

Cyclone Heaters

AO Smith Cyclone Commercial Water Heaters are 96% efficient. These energy saving heaters are perfect for commercial applications like mid-sized restaurants and hotels and can even be linked together through manifolds to heat larger spaces. Cyclone Heaters are designed to fit into tight spaces but have tons of storage space. You'll be surprised at how much water these units can hold.

AO Smith Cyclone Heaters can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Thermostat Display

Honeywell VisionPro thermostats such as the TH8110U1003 feature a 10 second backlight display. This means that after you touch anything on the thermostat, it will light up and stay lit for 10 seconds before going back to normal. The bright green light will stay lit long enough for you to do all of your programming, and then turn off, allowing the unit to draw less attention on the wall.

Thermostats and Honeywell thermostats can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Do I need a fill valve?

Depending on local code, your backflow preventer might require a fill valve (also known as a pressure valve). You will need to check your local codes to be sure. The fill valve is a valve that fills the boiler with water from your source (most likely the public water source). Most fill valves are pre-set to 30 psi, and to make installation easier, you can even get a combination of a backflow preventer and fill valve.

Backflow preventers and pressure valves can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Voltage of a zone valve

The vast majority (about 96%) of zone valves are 24 volts. Installing the wiring of a zone valve can be tricky, so it's recommended to hire a professional for installation. Zone valves are fully closed valves, meaning that no water passes through them and you will not need to install a check valve with them.

Zone valves and zone valve controls can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Don't pour grease down your sink

Even with a grease trap, it's never a good idea to pour straight grease down your sink. If it's separated out, let it cool and throw it in the garbage. Grease traps are designed to remove the grease that's mixed in with the water that goes down your sink. These units can handle a lot of grease going down and will capture and store that grease making sure that it does not clog your pipes, but it's always best to be smart about it and to try to minimize the amount of grease that goes down your pipes.

Grease traps can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Do I need a Junior air eliminator?

The "Jr" in the Spirovent Jr Air Eliminators means that these units are designed for residential or light commercial jobs. There is nothing junior about its power, or its quality. Spirovent Juniors come with a 20 year warranty and are made of solid brass and are able to remove up to 99.6% of the free air within your system.

Air eliminators and Spirotherm air eliminators can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Boiler Maintenance

Your boiler is easy to take advantage of when everything works. You just turn on a tap and get hot water. But when it's not working, you know right away. Regular maintenance to your boiler will keep it working and keep problems to a minimum. Every year, you should call a professional to take a look at your heating system. All of the belts and filters will be checked, cleaned, and replaced if necessary. If there are any potential problems, you will find out right away instead of being surprised by something breaking suddenly.

Boilers can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Replacing a shower head

If you're going from one Kohler shower head to another, the replacement could not be easier. You simply unscrew your existing shower head, and then screw the new showerhead into place.

A new showerhead can also help with water pressure. If you currently have low water pressure and want it to be higher, try replacing the showerhead. Sometimes, this little part can make a big difference.

Shower heads can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Piping quick fix

If there is a leak in your piping, whether copper or PEX, a coupling is a quick fix. Just cut out the part of the pipe with the leak, and insert a coupling to join the two pieces of pipe back together. You can even use a SharkBite coupling, which is a push-to-fit fitting that doesn't even require a tool.

PEX Fittings such as SharkBite Fittings can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Thermostat for baseboard?

If you need a thermostat to control the temperature of your baseboard heaters, why not get one specifically made to do that job? Honeywell makes the TL series of thermostats designed for use on baseboard heaters. Pick up a TL8230A1003 to control one heat source with 7 day programmability.

Honeywell thermostats and baseboard heaters can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Keep your pipes from freezing

Easy Heat pipe tracing products can prevent your pipes from freezing over the winter. You can install heat cables or heat tape along the length of your water pipes which will keep them warm. If you have copper pipe, freezing is always a concern, but with heat tracing tape or cables, it doesn't have to be.

Easy Heat Tape and Easy Heat Cables can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Burnham Steam Boilers

The vast majority of boilers are for hot water, but Burnham makes a line of Steam Boilers if that is what you prefer. Even with steam, you still need a fuel source, so Burnham Steam Boilers come in either natural gas or propane. These boilers are heavy, so getting a lift gate is often a good idea so that you can ease the boiler down from the freight truck that it will be delivered in.


Burnham Independence Steam Boilers can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Glycol for cold weather tubing

As the weather gets cold, you want to introduce glycol into your radiant heat PEX tubing. While PEX tubing itself is freeze resistant, the water inside of your tubing can freeze if the temperatures drop low enough. To prevent this from happening, you can add glycol to the system. The colder it gets, the more glycol you can add. With glycol, your radiant heat system will run smoothly with no threat of freezing all winter long.

Radiant heat supplies can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Fire Sprinklers by 2011

As of January 1, 2011, all homes will need a fire sprinkler system in place. While the majority of American homes have a smoke alarm, this is only an effective tool if someone is around to hear it. If no one is home, your smoke alarm will not be able to put out a fire. A fire sprinkler can. Fire sprinkler heads can be installed using fire sprinkler hangers and must be installed by a licensed professional.

For reference, the official International Code Council (ICC) code states: "Effective January 1, 2011, an approved automatic fire sprinkler system shall be installed in new one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses in accordance with NFPA 13D".

Fire sprinkler heads can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

High temperature controls

Johnson Controls thermostats have the capability to control the temperature in an area up to 550° F, which is much higher than a standard unit. The A19AAB-10 Remote Bulb Temperature Control can control temperatures from 200 - 550° F. This unit features switch action that opens on rise and a 10 degree differential. Other Johnson Controls thermostats can be used in industrial applications and for agricultural usage.

Many Johnson Controls thermostats including the A19 Series Utility Thermostats can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Separating supply and return

An ox box allows you put the supply and return lines for a washing machine, ice maker, or lavatory outlet into separate stud bays. Since the ox box is mounted on a stud, you can install the supply line in one stud bay, and the return line in another stud bay. This way, you will save installation time and reduce the number of joints behind your wall, which also reduces the risk of a leak behind your wall.
Sioux Chief Ox Boxes can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Soldering Torches

If you'll be doing a lot of soldering, you will need a soldering torch. Turbo Torch soldering torches make soldering faster and easier. Heat is generated incredibly quickly with a Turbo Torch for faster brazing times and less gas consumption. Self lighting triggers are also available on some torches. For under $100, a Turbo Torch can be invaluable.

Soldering torches can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

A Fast Way to Find PEX Fittings

Finding PEX fittings is now easier than ever with SupplyHouse.com's new Fittings Finders. Scroll through different fitting types to see for yourself. Click on elbows, and add the sizes you need in whatever quantity you need, then go back to top and click on couplings, or any other style. The Fittings Finders allow you to place an order for all of the fittings you need from just one page. Take a look at Rifeng Fittings, ProPEX Fittings, or SharkBite Fittings and give it a try.

PEX Fittings can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Fall Heating Special Items

The SupplyHouse.com Fall Heating Special is here! Get our lowest prices of the year on pumps, flanges, switching relays, valves, expansion tanks, and so much more. Sale prices are good through 10/29/09, so stock up now and save big on the heating supplies you will need all winter long.

Taco 007-F5
Taco 007-F5-7IFC
# 15 Extrol Expansion Tank
# 30 Extrol Expansion Tank
Grundfos UPS15-58FC Circulator
1/2", 3/4" and 1" Solder Ends Ball Valves
1/2", 3/4" and 1" Threaded Ball Valves
SR501-4 Switching Relay
TH4110D1007 PRO 5-2 Programmable Thermostat
TH6110D1005 FocusPRO Programmable Thermostat
V8043F1036 3/4" Sweat Valve

These popular items are on sale at SupplyHouse.com. Other sale items include backflow preventers, boiler drains, radiator valves, check valves, black fittings, Gorton air eliminators, and thermocouples.

Fall Heating Special

The SupplyHouse.com Fall Heating Special is here! Get our lowest prices of the year on pumps, flanges, switching relays, valves, expansion tanks, and so much more. Sale prices are good through 10/29/09, so stock up now and save big on the heating supplies you will need all winter long.

The Fall Heating Special and thousands of heating supplies can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

What kind of pump?

If you looking to replace an old bronze pump and are looking to replace it, you might have to look at stainless steel. Taco has discontinued several of their bronze pumps and replaced them with stainless steel pumps. Taco stainless steel pumps are just as good as the bronze in every way, and are usually better than the bronze in terms of price! Get a stainless steel pump if you are using tubing without an oxygen barrier or if the pump is being used for plumbing work. If the pump is for heating and your PEX tubing has an oxygen barrier, you can use a cast iron pump.

Heating pumps such as Taco pumps can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Grease Trap Sizing

Need to know exactly how long, wide, or tall a grease trap is? What about how many inches before the no hub coupling or what size no hub coupling to use? The Zurn Grease Trap spec sheet (also found on all of the grease trap product pages) clearly diagrams all of the GT2700 series grease traps with all of the dimensions you need to know before an install.

Grease traps can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Flow switch options

Flow switches such as the McDonnell Miller FS4-3 are able to have an optional time delay of either 5 seconds or 20 seconds. This feature does not come standard and will not work without additional parts. To get this feature, you will need to purchase a separate relay in either 24 volt or 120 volt specified for the 5 second delay or the 20 second delay.

Flow switches such and McDonnell Miller flow switches can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Winter prep for plumbing

What's the number one concern for winter plumbing? Frozen pipes! The fastest way to frozen pipes is to leave water exposed to the elements outside of your house when the temperatures drop. To protect your pipes, it's a good idea to get a frost proof sillcock. Frost proof, or frost free sillcocks allow you to have access to water outside of your house (for a hose, sprinkler, etc) but keeps the water between 8 and 14 inches inside of your house through a long stem, so the water (and the pipes) won't freeze when it gets cold outside.

Sillcocks and frost-free sillcocks can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Maintaining your boiler

It is important to do general maintenance on your boiler on a regular basis. Check the condition of your vent connection pipe and chimney because parts of the venting system can deteriorate over time. Chimney problems can be expensive to repair, and may help justify installing new heating equipment that won't use the existing chimney. Next, check the physical integrity of the heat exchanger. Leaky boiler heat exchangers leak water and are easy to spot. Furnace heat exchangers mix combustion gases with house air when they leak—an important safety reason to have them inspected. Adjust the controls on the boiler or furnace to provide optimum water and air temperature settings for both efficiency and comfort.

Boilers and other heating supplies can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Where to place an outdoor reset

Install the outdoor sensor for your boiler reset control on the North side of your house, and be sure that it is out of the sun. If you don’t have a good place to put it on the North side, just be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight so that it can send accurate outdoor temperature readings to your boiler regardless of the time of day.

Boilers and boiler resets can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

How is water directed in a pump?

Circulator pumps have a moving water wheel called an impeller. The impeller uses the force from its rotation to get water to go in the desired direction. Since everything swirls away from the center, the curved components of the impeller are able to direct in one direction.

Heating pumps such as Taco Pumps, Grundfos Pumps and Bell & Gossett Pumps can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Do you need baseboard brackets?

Wall brackets do not come with Baseboard Heater Covers' branded baseboard heater covers. These units do not require brackets since for the majority of jobs, brackets will still be in the wall from the old baseboards that you are replacing.

You WILL need brackets (WB001) if any of the following conditions are true:

1) If you are installing these units for a new construction
2) If you ripped out old baseboard heaters, including their back plates
3) If the old brackets are shorter than 7 1/4"

The baseboard brackets come with a screw, and it is highly recommend to screw the brackets into a stud. You will need to purchase 2 brackets (put one at each end) if the baseboard heater cover is 3 of 4 feet long. If you are purchasing a 5, 6, or 7 foot baseboard heater cover, you will need 3 brackets per unit (one for each end and one in the middle of the unit).

Baseboard heaters and baseboard heater covers can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

When to clean a heat exchanger

For the best efficiency, heat exchangers should be cleaned about once a year. Instead of waiting until there's a problem, giving your heat exchanger an annual check up will extend its life and save you money over time. To properly clean a heat exchanger, you should install strainers in your system. These strainers can be easily removed and rinsed out with water to remove anything that might be inside. This is better than flushing out the whole system because you won't have to waste a day bleeding and refilling your entire heating system.

Heat exchangers and other heating supplies can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Outdoor Reset in a Mixing Valve

Replace your old valve with the new Taco I-Series Mixing Valve. Taco's new I-Series universal modulating zone valve has a weather-sensitive head and a ball inside that will give your boiler different instructions based on the conditions and temperature outside. Outdoor reset controls can save between 5 and 30% of your fuel costs. Instead of your boiler turning on at full blast whether it's 60 degrees outside or 6 degrees outside, the outdoor reset allows your heating system to adjust based on external factors and only turn on the amount that you need.

Taco I-Series Valves and other heating supplies can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Heat Transfer Plates

Radiant heat systems are often installed with PEX clips holding the tubing to the underside of the floor. This prevents the tubing from ever having direct contact with the surface that it is heating, but can cause “striping.” Striping is an effect where you can stand with your feet in two places on the floor and feel noticeably different levels of heat in the different spots. To keep your tubing off the floors and maintain an even temperature across the entire floor, you can use heat transfer plates. Aluminum heat transfer plates attach to your tubing and create a medium for direct contact with the floor and simultaneously act as a conductor. This not only makes more efficient use of the heat you are producing, but also spreads it more evenly across the surface you are heating.

PEX Tubing and other supplies for radiant heat can be found at www.supplyhouse.com