Leave Your Mark

A Company Logo Ball Valve, manufactured by Boston Valve, is a great way to leave your mark on a project. You can customize the handle to your preference, down to the color and the lettering, or even your own image. Add your company name and phone number to let everyone know who was responsible for the excellent installation job! Just e-mail your logo to admin@supplyhouse.com after placing the order and include your choice of handle color (available in: yellow, blue, red, green, orange, black, or white) and lettering (available in black or white ink). Then, if anyone needs to contact you concerning issues (or to compliment you on a stellar job), all they need to do is look on the handle of the ball valve!

You can find Boston Valve's Company Logo Ball Valves at www.supplyhouse.com.

Calibrating Your Digital Multimeter

If you find yourself in the field and needing to calibrate your Fieldpiece LT17A Digital Multimeter, there is a very simple solution. Calibrating the LT17A is easy even if you are on the job. Just fill a bucket of ice water to obtain a known temperature of 32°F (0°C) and place the thermocouple in the ice water. Then, adjust the TEMP OFFSET pot on the face of the LT17A's meter until it reads 32.0 (0.0).

You can find the LT17A Digital Multimeter, as well as a large variety of other Fieldpiece Instruments and Meters at www.supplyhouse.com.

Stay Cool While Looking Cool

Are you afraid that your mini-split air conditioner won't blend in with the interior decor of your home? Is it (for lack of a better word) an eyesore? With LG's Art Cool Mini-Split Air Conditioners, you can bask in the luxury of air conditioning without having to devalue the aesthetic quality of the room. These mini-split air conditioners each comes with an art panel, into which you can add a piece of artwork of your choice. The panel is placed over the air conditioner, disguising it behind some decorative art. In the mood for some Picasso? Maybe a little Van Gogh? Or how about the latest family portrait! Customize the art panel however you please, and prepare to forget that you even had an air conditioner in the room to begin with.

You can find LG's Art Cool Mini-Split Air Conditioners at www.supplyhouse.com.

Inspector Gadget

Every dad, whether he is more of a Homer Simpson, Bob the Builder, or Sherlock Holmes, appreciates a gadget to make his life a little easier. For your favorite couch potato, get him a wireless thermostat that he can control without having to get off the sofa. If you really want to bring out his inner tech junkie, a Bayweb Network Thermostat will enable him access to the thermostat right from his smart phone. If your dad is more of the ‘hands-on’ type, amp up his toolbox with some Fieldpiece Pocket tools like a pocket LED flashlight, a lighted mirror extension tool, and a pen style thermometer decked out with an LED flashlight. Keep all of his nifty new tools organized in a Fieldpiece brief-case style instrument bag. Finally, don’t forget about the curious dad! Unleash his inner detective with the SeeSnake Micro Camera. He can use it to peer into any space, such as beneath large appliances or behind a wall- perfect for scoping out anything from wiring to piping, and even mice!

So surprise your dad this Father’s Day with a gift that reminds him how much you appreciate and enjoy his little quirks, even if it means having to put on extra layers in the winter. Happy Shopping, Happy Father’s Day!

All these gifts ideas and more Father's Day Featured Items can be found at www.supplyhouse.com.

The King of the Bathroom

After a long day at work, Dad should be able to come home to an oasis. However, most of our homes can hardly be considered paradise. That is why the king of the house will seek solace in the one place he can call his own: the bathroom. Spoil yours with a new rain shower head or one of Kohler’s Water Tile Bodysprays with settings that replicate a full-body spa experience. Make sure he is always warm with a set of heated towel warmers and give his favorite robe a new place to call home with an antique robe hook by Kohler. Finally, no kingdom is complete without a thrown. A heated toilet seat will ensure that your dad can reign over his kingdom with comfort.

Treat your Dad this Father's Day to a gift that he will love. You will find all the products included in our Father's Day Featured Items at www.supplyhouse.com.

The Top Chef

Everyone loves a man who can cook. Ensure that dad’s workspace is up to date with brand new kitchen accessories. Get his creative juices flowing with a sturdy Elkay wood cutting board on which he can create his masterpieces (they are also available in a variety of shapes). When he is done, a sink sprayer and garbage disposal will help clean up the mess.

Find our entire list of Featured Father's Day Items at www.supplyhouse.com.

Don't Touch His Thermostat!

Father #2 is what I like to call: A Member of the Thermostat Police. For a reason that will remain a mystery to sons and daughters everywhere, fathers have a sixth sense when it comes to their thermostats. They tend to know exactly when someone adjusts the temperature higher than their desired setting (which always seems to be set at cold). Give dad some peace of mind this Father’s Day! A Honeywell programmable thermostat with a password lockout function allows him to set a password on the thermostat so that only he can change the settings. Such thermostats include the TH8110U1003, TH8320U1008, TH8321U1006, T7351F2010, AQ1000TP2, and the TH8321U1097.

You can find Honeywell Thermostats, as well as the complete list of featured Father's Day Items, at www.supplyhouse.com.

Counting Down: Mr. Do-It-Yourself

Father’s Day is the Groundhog’s Day of parent-praising-holidays. Each year, we celebrate Dad with what I like to call the default gift: a new tie and a cheesy card (the counterpart of jewelry and flowers on Mother’s Day). Why do we insist on showing how much we care by getting him a one-size-fits-all present? For once, Dad deserves a gift that fits his lifestyle.

When shopping for Father’s Day, it is a good idea to think about the type of dad you are shopping for. If he’s anything like mine, he is convinced that he can fix anything, or if he’s anything like Family Guy’s Peter Griffin, he is obsessed with a constant thermostat temperature. Whatever type of dad yours is, the team here at SupplyHouse.com encourages you to keep him and his unique personality in mind while shopping. Starting from today, and for each day next week, we will feature a different "type" of SupplyHouse dad and some gifts that he will love.

The first type of dad we will be covering is Mr. Do-It-Yourself. When it comes to building or fixing something around the house, this type of dad trusts no pair of hands other than his own. He can build anything out of nothing and will fix things that are even half-broken. A well-stocked toolbox will be sure to keep him happy. Don’t forget the essentials: a wrench, level, tape measure, pliers, and a screw driver. Then take it over the top with some Malco cushion-gripped hand tools. Introduce him to the art of plumbing with a PEX Plumbing Starter Kit. And for someone who’s into more heavy-duty projects, a self-lighting soldering torch will really get him fired up.

All these items can be found at www.supplyhouse.com, and keep checking back next week for more Father's Day gift ideas!

The Ultimate Fieldpiece Instrument

Fieldpiece's Classic Style Digital Multimeter with Temperature is as close to a super thermometer and voltmeter as you can get. This versatile device covers most of the parameters and ranges needed for most HVAC/R applications. It measures current, resistance, voltage, capacitance, frequency, continuity and temperature and is compatible with all Fieldpiece accessory heads. Just hold down the MIN/MAX button to record the minimum or maximum readings during a measurement and let the continuity indicator alert you when you have hooked up to a circuit over 30V. A magnetic hanger and tilt stand lets you do your job without the meter getting in the way. It also features a blue back light for easy-reading in poorly lit spaces.

You can find the Classic Style Digital Multimeter with Temperature, as well as other Fieldpiece products, at www.supplyhouse.com

Avoiding AC Mold

Many of us depend on air conditioners during summer months. We rely on them to keep us cool and comfortable when the weather is hot and the sun is scorching. However, did you know that mold can effect the efficiency of the machine (not to mention your health)? An air conditioner is an ideal place for mold to develop: it is damp and cool. To keep this enemy from forming, there are a few simple steps you can take.

Try to avoid shutting off the air conditioner. Most air conditioners have an "auto" mode which keeps the device turned on. This way, even if you leave on vacation, air is always cycled throughout the home. Stale air is a common breeding ground for mold, and the constant circulation of air will prevent it.

You will also want to regularly clean the insides and outsides of your air conditioner. Wipe away any forming mold, dust, or accumulated water. Mold tends to appear in cool, damp, and dark places (such as your air conditioner) so it is important to keep it at bay early and frequently.

Just take these precautions, and you can enjoy a cool and comfortable house without having to worry about mold forming in your air conditioner.

You can find air conditioners at www.supplyhouse.com.

Great Things Come in "MINI" Packages

The MANABLOC system, manufactured by Viega, is an all-in-one unit that handles both hot and cold water lines. However, if you find yourself needing more fixture ports than an existing MANABLOC provides, you will want to get your hands on a MINIBLOC. Contrary to what you may be thinking, a MINIBLOC is not a tiny version of the MANABLOC. Instead, it is used as an addition to an existing MANABLOC. All you'll need to do is tee off the main supply line(s) and add one or two MINIBLOCs, as needed. Just remember that MINIBLOCs, unlike MANABLOCs, do not support both hot and cold water lines. If you need additional ports for those lines, you will need to add a MINIBLOC for both. If you only need additional ports for one temperature, then one MINIBLOC will suffice.

You can find both MINIBLOCs and MANABLOCs at www.supplyhouse.com.

Lose Those Keys

A common concern of installing a thermostat in a space such as an office building, school, restaurant, or rented property is the inability to control who has access to it. If your thermostat does not feature a password lockout option, your next best bet would be to get your hands on the StatGuardplus Thermostat Guard w/ Combination Lock. Unlike other similar guards that require a key, the StatGuardplus is entirely key-less. The thermostat inside can be accessed via a combination lock that you set to a three-digit code of your preference. No more keeping track of keys! Just memorize the code and you'll never have to worry about unauthorized persons accessing the thermostat- and if you are a stickler for keeping thermostat settings untouched (as I, myself, will admit to being), then the StatGuardplus Thermostat Guard w/ Combination Lock is an accessory you can appreciate.

You can find the StatGuardplus Thermostat Guard w/ Combination Lock at www.supplyhouse.com

Check Out Our Newest Video!

If you are shopping for a Honeywell Thermostat, be sure to check out our newest video: "Finding The Right Honeywell Thermostat", located at the bottom right hand corner of our Honeywell Thermostat Finder tool. In the video, you will learn of the different options that are available when purchasing a Honeywell Thermostat.

Confused about application and programmability? Don't be! In the video, we cover the choices you have for application and programmability, as well as user interfaces. Not sure what the many different features imply? Don't worry! The video covers all the features that Honeywell offers in their thermostats.

Best of all, everything covered in the video is mirrored in the Honeywell Thermostat Finder tool to make your shopping experience easier than ever.

You can find both our new video and the Honeywell Thermostat Finder tool, at www.supplyhouse.com

Moving A Water Heater

When moving a water heater, don't forget how cumbersome and dangerous the job can be. You will want to enlist the help of another person, and you must always remember to take a few necessary precautions.

First, you must turn off the power to the water heater. A volt meter will tell you whether or not there is a current running to the unit. Water and electricity can be a deadly mix, so always take care to keep them isolated from each other.

Second, turn off the water supply and drain the tank. Provide a location for the water to drain that has the capacity of handling a large volume, such as a bathtub.

Next, disconnect the electric. To do this, remove the electric connection cover plate at the top of the water heater and unscrew the wire conduit connector revealing the heater power connections. Remove the set screws for the black, white, and ground wires. The tank should now be completely disconnected from all wires and pipes.

Place a bucket below the drain valve and have someone help you tilt the tank so that the remaining water drains into the bucket. (Be careful, for the tank is heavy!) When the tank is completely drained, close all valves and plug all openings so that water will not drip when moving the water heater.

Now, you will be able to (with the help of a friend) move the water heater onto a dolly and to a new location.

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

Treat Yourself to Luxury

To some, the bathroom is the only place in the home where privacy, peace, and solitude can be found. Why not include comfort on the list, too? With a heated toilet seat manufactured by Brondell, you can experience the style and luxury of a king (or queen)! Brondell toilet seats are designed to complement any bathroom decor and deliver superb functionality. Treat yourself today!

You can find Brondell Heated Toilet Heats at www.supplyhouse.com.

Don't Forget The Lift Gate!

When purchasing a boiler, don't forget to also order a lift gate. Ordering a lift gate will ensure that when the truck arrives with your new boiler, it will be equipped with a lift gate to transfer the boiler from the truck to the street. This way, you will not have to worry about finding several people to get the boiler out of the truck!

You can find boilers and the lift gate at www.supplyhouse.com

How To Replace A Flush Valve

After several years of use, you may notice that your toilet is not flushing properly or that it may be leaking. If so, it sounds as though it is time to replace your toilet's flush valve.

1. First, turn off and disconnect the water supply. Once the water is shut off, flush away all the water in the tank.
2. Unbolt the tank from the bowl and use a wrench to remove the nut and plastic retaining nut that holds the flush valve in place. Remove the old flush valve.
3. Check and adjust the height of the overflow pipe.
4. Install the new flush valve by assembling the tank-to-bowl gasket onto the threaded end of the flush valve and install the valve in the hole at the bottom of the tank. Use the wrench to tighten the retaining nut.
5. Connect the flapper chain to the tank lever arm and attach the existing refill tube to the overflow pipe.
7. Reconnect the tank to the bowl and turn the water supply back on. Flush the toilet several times to make sure that it is working properly.

Fluidmaster's Toilet Flush Valve, as well as other bathroom plumbing specialties, can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Air Conditioner Pads

If you plan on installing an outdoor air conditioning unit, you must also purchase an air conditioner pad. An air conditioner pad (or equipment pad) is a base on which an outdoor air conditioner sits on. It absorbs some of the noise and vibration that is produced by a unit and is built to withstand the elements. With an air conditioner pad, you don't have to worry about whether or not your air conditioner will sink into the ground! Usually made of plastic or concrete and steel, an air conditioner pad is designed to sturdily support the unit, transfer its weight evenly, and prevent it from moving around.

A variety of air conditioner pads can be found at www.supplyhouse.com.

DetectIt: The 'Backup' Solution

Never be caught off guard when sewage backup occurs! A DetectIt Basic Alarm System, which includes the DetectIt transmitter and a basic receiver alarm unit, can alert you before it becomes an issue. Just replace one of the threaded trap caps on the main waste line trap to your sewer or cesspool with the DetectIt and the basic receiver alarm unit can be plugged into any 110v electrical outlet. When the DetectIt device senses imminent sewage backup, the receiver alarm unit will both sound an audible alarm and display a red visual alarm so you can troubleshoot the issue before it grows into a larger problem.

The DetectIt Basic Alarm System can be found at www.supplyhouse.com

Pre-Sleeved AquaPEX

Wirsbo (Uponor) manufactures Pre-Sleeved AquaPEX Tubing to be used in hot and cold water applications. The high-density (HDPE) corrugated sleeves protect tubing during concrete slab installations and from soil, and its ease of installation and convenience makes it a worthy choice for commercial high-rise and residential slab rollout applications.

During installation, Pre-Sleeved AquaPEX tubing can be secured to the rebar with wire or zip ties. Since the tubing is not attached to the sleeve, troubleshooting problems is not an issue. It can be easily removed by detaching the tubing at the manifold and fixture and pulling it through. New tubing can then be threaded through the same sleeve without disturbing the slab or soil.

Pre-Sleeved AquaPEX tubing also acts as a barrier from the elements, shielding pex tubing from UV exposure during installation. Post-installation, its resistance to chemicals protects tubing from termiticides and pesticides.

You can find Wirsbo's Pre-Sleeved AquaPEX Tubing and various PEX Installation Parts at www.supplyhouse.com