Tag Archives: Charlotte NC

5 Plumbing Tips On Septic Tank Installation and Maintenance

July 4, 2016 27680289

5 Plumbing Tips On Septic Tank Installation and Maintenance

septic tank

To protect the health of the public from the dangers of inappropriate sewage disposal practices, North Carolina regulations have been adopted. The regulations are created to help insure that when a septic tank system is used, it will be constructed to meet North Carolina standards, of sufficient size to handle the likely waste load, and that the soil is suitable for saturation of sewage. These regulations require that a Local plumbing permit is needed to construct a septic tank system be obtained from the county code department. A septic tank system may not be covered with dirt until an inspection is made and approval is given by the county plumbing department.

Bear in mind that a septic tank cannot be safely installed on all home lots or building sites. Some lots or building sites are unacceptable because of the type of soil, terrain (too hilly, too low or wet, etc.), size, ground water, rock, or other factors which would obstruct with operation of the system. Die testing is required and in some cases sand mounds are constructed to accomplish the positioning of a septic tank.

Pro Tip #1 normal recommendation is to have the septic tank pumped (cleaned) out every 3-6 years. Some townships, citys or mobile home parks will have strict ordinance code regarding how often.

Pro Tip #2 Only residential waste and toilet tissue should be disposed of in a septic tank system. Keep all kitchen greases out of the plumbing system. Female personal hygiene items, cotton swabs, cigarette buds, hair from hair combs, paper towels, toys or mice from traps should never be flushed down the lavatory. Even a cotton swab can lodge sideways in a pipe and toilet paper will collect blocking the pipe going to the septic tank.

Pro Tip #3 Any leaks that develop in the plumbing system should be immediately corrected. A leaking faucet or toilet bowl, no matter how small the leak, will eventually result in complete penetration and failure of the drainage field.

Pro Tip #4 A septic tank system needs occasional cleaning or pumping out of the collected solids. If the solids are allowed to build up in the tank to a point that they begin to sepp out of the tank into the soil drainage system, the soil will soon become clogged with the solids, resulting in failure of the system. If this happens, costly repairs will have to be made before the system will again work properly. Raw sewage that comes to the top of the ground will indicate that the septic system has failed. It is unpleasant, unhealthy and usually a health violation that could lead to fines which only adds to the cost of a failed septic tank system.

Pro Tip #5 cars and other heavy vehicles should not be driven over the septic tank system. This causes extreme and actual structural damage to septic tank and tile drain field. A drawing of your septic tank plumbing can usually be obtained from your county code department to help you in knowing the location of all lines of the system. This can be helpful in case of problems with the septic system or when the tank is cleaned out.

PLUMBER TRADE SECRET: The recurrence of tank cleaning or pumping is hard to determine as it depends on many factors and ranges with different sizes families. The only sure way to determine the need for septic service is to open the tank lid periodically and inspect it to determine the addition of solids. This should provide a frame of safety, but remember the most proper way to determine the need for plumbing service is to inspect the tank contents once a yearly.

This article was brought to you by Charlotte Plumbing & Repair. At Charlotte,NC we specialize in all of your residential, commercial & emergency plumbing and drain cleaning needs. For more information please visit our website. We service all of mecklenburg metro!

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How to Locate The Really Best plumbing Service Contractor.

June 25, 2015 27680289

A reliable plumbing contractor is resourceful and full of ideas. The contractor you hire should be able to give you or your business ways to improve on your concepts of what the project should look like when completed. With that said, the plumbing repair contractor will be a huge asset to you and your service company. Find out more on how to find a resourceful and valuable contractor from the advice listed below.

Start your search for potential plumbers by obtaining several resumes, this will help you uncover what is important to look for and narrow your list of potential contractors. Any plumbing repair contractor who is not even interested in sending you a resume will not be invested once a project starts.

Make sure you ask the contractors about their priorities while they will be handling your project. If you will that quality is there with high level of customer service, then don’t waste time and hire them. Make sure you don’t come under their cheesy words. You should check the references they have provided you in order to make sure that they are eligible for the work.

Make sure you ask for a list of the workers and plumbers who will be working on your home. This is crucial because you have to make sure who is going to be there, and some projects might include many people in your house at one time.

Know what is expected for your hire. Worker’s compensation is a must if the plumbing contractor is using workers on the job site. But, contractors not using workers are not needed to have workers compensation accounts. These are typically owner-contractors.

Develop preliminary project objectives and budget target before approaching the contractors and see how flexible they are regarding your plan. Flexibility shown and comparative analysis given by the contractors should be taken into considerations as it demonstrates the involvement with your project.

Make clear to your contractor that you expect they will only call you during specified hours. This will set a respectful, professional tone between you and lead to a better working relationship. If your contractor leaves messages for you, be prompt in responding to maintain the professional nature of your working relationship.

References from past clients are the most important pieces of information a potential contractor can offer. It speaks to their reputation, if a contractor does not provide a list of references, consider someone else.

Depending on what state you are in you might need an plumbing contractor with a license. Ask for a license up front and do a search of the license online on the state licensing website. If the search comes up positive then you are set to go but if it was negative you will run into issues.

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Slab Leak Detection

December 3, 2014 27680289

Slab Leak Detection (704)394-5252
A slab leak is the name the plumbing industry uses to refer to the leaks that occur in piping located beneath concrete or stone, usually in a home’s foundation. These leaks are often difficult for homeowners to detect (until the damage becomes serious) and require special tools for plumbers to locate them. Precision equipment is necessary because repairing slab leaks often involves excavation to reach the pipes. The narrower the digging area, the less damage the plumber will need to do to a home’s construction material.

With the trained plumbers from Charlotte Plumbing & Repair working on any slab leak in Charlotte, NC you may experience, you will have the troubled solved quickly and with minimal damage to your home’s foundations. Our plumbers will bring the best slab leak detection equipment available, including:

Electromagnetic pipeline locators
These tools work something like radio antennas: they send out signals of electrons which they then pick up using a receiver, allowing the plumber to map out the pipe location under the slabs and find anomalies. These are extremely useful for non-metallic pipes.

Electronic amplification equipment
This is a fancy way of describing listening equipment. The sound sensors used in slab leak detection are designed to hear through layers of hardscape to locate the sound of dripping or gushing water. (A simple stethoscope will not do this job.) One of the common devices is the multi-sensor ground microphone.

Gas tracer systems
A problem that aural sensors can encounter when trying to find leaks is that an area can have too much noise for the plumber to effectively make out the sounds of the leaking pipe. In these situations, gas tracer systems are an excellent solution, pinpointing leaks with specially designed probes. They are also useful for very deep leaks where listening equipment is ineffective.

Video pipe inspection equipment
If plumbers can access an entrance to the affected pipe, the can use miniaturized cameras on the end of fiber-optic cables to probe down into the pipeline. The video feed on a monitor allows the plumber a view of the pipe interior that will locate the exact spot of the leak.

There’s one more important tool that plumbers bring to leak detection: their own minds. Plumbers have training to use the equipment to get the right results. Without the proper education, these tools are essentially useless. Contact the leak detection experts at Charlotte Plumbing & Repair if you think you may have a leak somewhere in your home.

When you notice that you might have a slab leak. Call for the experts at Charlotte Plumbing & Repair to handle detecting a slab leak in Charlotte, NC.
704-394-5252 http://www.charlotteplumbingsvc.com

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Friendly Environmentally Plumbing

July 13, 2014 27680289

There are a lot of means we can ease our influence on the environment. Making your home plumbing system more environmentally friendly is among them. Greening up your plumbing will have direct perks on the environment, and will save you cash in the long run says Charlotte Plumbing & Repair.

These 5 enhancements to your plumbing system will make the basic things you do every day much better for the environment:

Plumbing Repair Huntersville.
A domestic continuous made by Rinnai in Japan.

Tankless water heater. These energy-saving appliances significantly minimize your environmental effect. Water is rapidly warmed by a heating aspect that provides hot water on demand without a holding tank. Rather of heating 40 or more gallons of water 24/7, tankless water heaters only heat the water you make use of.

Low-flow commodes, fixtures and faucets. We’ve come a long way since the first low-flow fixtures and toilets were introduced to the marketplace. New technology has actually made them not just more reliable, but more effective. Updating your plumbing system with eco friendly fixtures minimizes the amount of water you make use of, and the amount of water you spend for.

Efficient appliances. Anything that makes use of water in your home belongs to your plumbing system. That consists of dishwashers, automatic ice makers, laundry equipment, water heaters and centralized humidifiers. Water is becoming a progressively important resource. The quality and price of water depend on our efforts to make our home water utilize more eco friendly. Update your plumbing system with efficient home appliances that make the most utilize from the least water.

Aerators. Faucet aerators pressurize water that originates from your tap. By presenting air to the stream of water, aerators reduce water use without decreasing water pressure. Aerators frequently increase your water pressure while decreasing overall flow of water in a house.

Pipe insulation. Water heaters are typically located in the basement or remote area of a house. The further hot water needs to travel to the sinks and appliances in your house, the even more heat is lost through the pipes that bring it there. A simple means to maintain more of that heat is to purchase and set up pipe insulation around your hot water pipes. The versatile foam insulation is inexpensive and easy to install. More importantly, it will make your hot water use more reliable and ecologically friendly.

Charlotte Plumbing & Repair hope you take a look at our homepage here too! WWW.charlotteplumbingsvc.com

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Plumbing vent types & Terms

June 5, 2014 27680289

Posted by: Charlotte Plumbing & Repair

Vents play a vital component in a home’s drainage program. A faulty venting program will not only trigger aggravation when the drainage system malfunctions, it could also make you and your loved ones ill if it compromises the seal that traps are supposed to maintain against sewer gas. It really is to recognize the various venting choices doable, at the same time as size and installation basics, in the event you program to alter or add your current method.

Venting Types and Terms:
Here are a couple of of essentially the most widespread kinds of events you will uncover within the home.

Vent Terminal: a vent terminal is roughly equivalent to the distance between floors, but as a result of layout considerations, it frequently starts a foot below one floor and ends of foot below the next.
Broken vent: the term broken vent refers to an improperly installed vent that, consistently is ineffective. A broken vent is a small far better than no vent at all.

Stack Vent: vertical drainage stacks are also considered events since furthermore to carrying water, they pull relief air from above the roof. Short horizontal branch lines extending from a vertical stack don’t need extra venting and therefore, are said to be stacked vented.

Vent Stack: a vent stack is a vertical stack installed from the sole purpose of providing relief air. It doesn’t carry water. A vent stack could be tied into the Stack vent above the highest fixture or exit the roof independently.

You may have observed plumbing diagrams within the past with vent stack beginning below the lowest fixture on the stack and continuing into the attic. All fixtures are shown connected to the Stack vent. Nonetheless, dedicated program wide vent stacks are rarely identified in residential installations. They work best in tall commercial buildings

Stack-Vented Branch Arm: in a correctly created method, fixture drain lines are sized so that they are able to by no means run a lot more than one half full. If a horizontal branch pipe isn’t too lengthy unused best half of the pipe can serve as a bank. It feeds air from the stack to the back of the flow, preserving the trap seal. But such a stack prevented branch arm is limited.

The branch need to serve the highest fixture or fix your combination on the stack. This highest fixture rule applies to every individual stack, even when the highest fixture on a second stack is really a floor or two above or below that of the primary stack, supplying that all stacks extend to the open air above the roof. This nevertheless, can have an exception: rules do not apply to a basement bathroom due to the fact most of that piping is horizontal.

The length of the branch should not exceed the limits established by code. The bigger the pipe diameter, the longer the allowed length for the pipe. For instance, most codes specify that 1 a half inch diameter branch arm can extend 5 feet from the stack to the trap, even though numerous further limit that to 3 1/2 feet. Most codes permit 8 feet for it to winch line and 10 feet for 3 inch line. You have to present something longer.

Re-vent: a revamped is really a vent added to a fixture drain when the primary vent is broken in some way. When a branch arm is too lengthy, for instance, when it should step up to accommodate structural barriers, you have to install a re-vent.

Wet and Dry Vents: a wet vent carries water too as air via some component of it piping. A basement bathroom provides a superb example for this simply because the vent for the toilet line also carries water from the tub and laboratory. Although wetlands are handy and efficient, they have their limits. Simply because air ought to share space with water, what vents are low volume vents. They can’t vent many fixtures. The drive vent does not carry water, so it has greater fixture capacity.
Widespread vent: a typical vent is really a single vent pipe that offers relief air to bore fixtures on the single branch line. When you are venting two fixtures on a single branch line, you have to location a typical event between the train outlets. When you are venting far more than to fixtures, install the vent between the last and second to last fixture outlets.

Loop Vent: you need to install a sink in the kitchen island; a conventional vent will not work. In this scenario, a loop vent may be the appropriate kind of vent to use. Loop vents simply handle the low volume fixtures and (like kitchen sinks) which can be installed in island cabinets.

Loop Vents do not extend to open air or tie into stacks or vent stacks. I have no direct, fresh air connections. Rather, and also the volume of air within the piping loop gives the required pressure relief. For this reason, Loop vents are also recognized as barometric vents.

Automatic Event Device: a nonmagnetic device can take the place of a loop vent. It consists of an inverted cup with the spring-loaded diaphragm. This spring permits the piping method to pull air from the cabinet space but keeps gas from escaping. It’s basically a type of check valve, permitting air to flow in only 1 direction.

Although automatic vent devices might be program savers, do not use them where it is feasible to install conventional fence. Since automatic bands have limited capacity, do not use them to vent high-volume drains or to vent much more than 1 fixture. Install them to ensure that they always remain accessible since they can wear out and might want replacing.

Plumbing Repairs

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Most common misconceptions about plumbers.

May 12, 2014 27680289

What stereotypes come to mind when you think of plumbers? Charlotte Plumbing & Repair plumbers Charlotte NC is not like other companies in the industry. That’s why we’re here to iron out 14 of the most common misconceptions about .

Plumbers make a mess. At Charlotte Plumbing & Repair , this simply isn’t true. We go to such painstaking lengths to respect your home that we actually leave it cleaner than when we found it. For instance, our are careful to park in the street to keep your driveway clear and they never walk on the grass. They even wear shoe covers to prevent tracking anything inside.
Plumbers are not . Perhaps images of smelly, rude, plaid shirt-wearing men are what come to mind when you think of plumbers.Charlotte Plumbing & Repair plumber couldn’t be further from this description. They are clean, polite and wear a professional uniform. You’ve never seen a more professional group of than Charlotte Plumbing & Repair plumbers.
Plumbers charge hefty overtime fees. Have a plumbing emergency? .
Plumbers take their sweet time getting to the residence. We have plumbers on call 24/7 to respond to emergencies in a timely fashion.
Plumbers make up the price as they go along. Our plumbers draw from years of training and experience to produce an accurate estimate before they start on the job. They explain exactly what steps are required for the repair or replacement and how much it will cost so you can decide if you want to go through with it. You’ll always get the price up front, before any work begins.
Plumbers do the work and stick the customer with the bill. Our plumbers keep you informed of any additional problems they find with the or hiccups that may arise during the repair so you’re not left with any unpleasant surprises on the bill.
Plumbers tack on hidden fees. We have clear, upfront pricing and always keep you in the know regarding your plumbing bill. Our plumbers are honest and never overcharge for parts or labor.
Plumbers take their sweet time so they can charge more. Our plumbers arrive promptly and get right to work. They complete the job with the perfect combination of speed and accuracy so the work is completed quickly with no callbacks required.
Plumbers use industry jargon and make the customer feel stupid. Our plumbers want you to understand their process and explain things in layman’s terms to prevent confusion.
Plumbers make far-fetched promises. At Charlotte Plumbing & Repair, we only hire the most professional, experienced plumbers, but even they can’t always work miracles. Our plumbers try their hardest, but they never make a claim unless they can accomplish it.
Plumbers think they know better than the customer. On the contrary, our plumbers know how important it is to ask clarifying questions if they don’t understand the problem. They respect your input and understand that you may have been living with the problem for some time now and therefore understand it well.
Plumbers are loudmouths. If you’ve ever worked with Charlotte Plumbing & Repair plumbers, you know they speak respectfully and calmly without sarcasm or profanity. They never say anything behind your back that they wouldn’t be willing to say to your face.
Plumbers often arrive without the right tools . While it’s true that replacement parts may take time to arrive, every dispatched Charlotte Plumbing & Repair van is equipped to handle any repair, large or small. From indoor faucet leaks to tree roots in your pipes, our plumbers can handle it all. Well-equipped vans prevent trips back and forth and let the job commence without delay.
Plumbers are rude. At Charlotte Plumbing & Repair, courtesy is one of the most important tools we carry. Our plumbers treat you with the respect and chivalry you deserve.

We recognize that exceptional plumbing is about more than clearing the drain clog or fixing the garbage disposal; it’s about assuring that you hired the right company from the moment a Charlotte Plumbing & Repair plumber enters your home. Contact us today to work with a different kind of plumbing company. .
(704) 394-5252.
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Charlotte Plumbing & Repair

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Choising the right contractor

May 1, 2014 27680289

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A problem with the waterheaters in the in the home can lead to significant architectural troubles which explains why having a Charlotte Plumbing contractor on call at any time continues to be a good idea. While the hope is usually that one will never demand the expertise of a Concord Plumbing business, it is best to always be protected than remorseful. Plumbers undertake education and learning to deal with a range of residential plumbing related problems, from your leaking commode to the dripping faucet and a lot more. Do not assume that almost all plumbing contractors are identical, however, as there are many differences in terms of quality and also rates, so you want to ensure you get the best.

You should ask family and friends whom they prefer since they will give you an honest assessment of different businesses contractor. Without having any person in the area you really feel content asking, do some research online seeing as there are many great web pages where evaluations may be read prior to choosing any plumbing contractor. After you have narrowed your own list to a few trained professionals contractor, hunt for assurances and then simply call to obtain estimations. Even though a professional plumbing service will tell you they need to come out and evaluate the trouble right before you’ll get a final price, they ought to be ready to tell you how much you pay for the service call and details of that nature. Last but not least, ensure the plumbing technician has the appropriate bonding and also insurance protection thus, when a problem does indeed arise, the plumbing company is going to be responsible rather than you. You ought to be shielded too while you safeguard the investment in the house repairs. plumbers charlotte nc, plumber charlotte nc.

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What to do in a plumbing emergency

February 17, 2014 27680289

Charlotte plumber sooner or later most homeowners will experience some type of plumbing emergency. Understanding what to do when a problem occurs will make the emergency much easier to deal with.

First, prepare yourself by locating the water shut-off valve, which is located next to your water meter. Once you have located your water meter, the valve next to it will be the water shut-off valve. By turning off the shut-off valve, you will stop all water from entering your home, thus minimizing water damage.

After you have shut-off the water supply, it is also a good idea to open all sink faucets to drain the water from the pipes to further minimize damage. Then, immediately call a plumber. Reputable, professional plumbers can usually send a technician out in a few hours. Follow any instructions given to you, while you wait for them to arrive.
It is also a good idea to use a mop, rags or paper towels to remove excess water, to help keeping water damage to a minimum.

In the case of overflowing toilets, you can shut-off the toilet water supply valve. This valve can usually be located between the bathroom floor and the toilet tank, on the water line supplying the toilet. If this is your plumbing problem, it is not necessary to shut-off the water to the entire home.

Clogged toilets and sink drains can sometimes be opened with a chemical drain opener. If this does not work, a plunger or snake can be tried to remove the clog. If these methods fail to open the clogged drain, you will need to call a plumber.

If it is a water heater problem, immediately shut the unit off. It is a good idea to locate the electrical shut-off switch beforehand. Also be sure to keep the telephone number of a licensed, professional plumber, with emergency services, handy. Handling a plumbing emergency can be made much easier, by following the steps above.

Are you facing a plumbing emergency in the Charlotte,Lake Norman area? Stop and call Charlotte Plumbing & Repair immediately at (704) 394-5252.

Leak Detection & Emergency Plumbing

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Charlotte Temperatures Will Soon Plummet — Frozen Pipes Are A Real Possibility

January 27, 2014 27680289

Charlotte doesn’t tend to get as cold as cities to the north, but temperatures can plummet below 20 degrees, and a storm can bring on a power outage. It’s wise to be mindful of what can do to your home. Frozen pipes, for example, are a real possibility.

You want to avoid this at all costs, as a pipe can burst and create a very messy situation.

Homes built as recently as the 1970s frequently lack sufficient wall insulation. This means that if a kitchen or bathroom sink is along an exterior wall, your plumbing could be exposed to more cold than it should be. As precautionary measures:

Insulate your pipes. Home improvement stores carry a range of plumbing-line insulation. Your options include foil and fiberglass. Perhaps the easiest option is tubular insulation, which can be cut to measure and wrapped around a pipe. All of these supplies are available at home-improvement stores.
Seal the gaps around the plumbing lines coming into your home. Expanding-foam should do the job.
You may even want to talk with your plumbing contractor about relocating your pipes, especially if they’ve locked up before. This tends to be an expensive alternative, but it may be worth discussing with your plumber.
If temperatures plummet before you can do your preventive maintenance, take the following measures:

Let your faucets slowly drip. This will help to prevent a freeze-up.
Open the cabinets under your sink. This will allow warmer air from the room to circulate under the sink.
If a pipe does freeze, try using a hair blower or a heating pad to thaw it. Never use a blow torch or any other flame. A better approach is who can get the pipe thawed before it bursts. The pipe, by the way, isn’t likely to burst where it’s frozen, but instead at a point between the ice and the faucet.
If you plan to be away for an extended time during the holidays, consider draining your system before you leave. Turn off the main valve, and let all the faucets run until no more water comes out. This should prevent a freeze-up while you’re gone.

At Charlotte Plumbing & Repair we know how important it is to keep your water lines maintained. We can help you do that, whether it’s winter or summer. Call us with any questions. We’re happy to help.

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5 kitchen counter upgrades You Can DIY

January 1, 2014 27680289

It’ll take some doing, but if your confident with your DIY skills you can make a kitchen counter upgrade with solid results. How? With step-by-step help from the pros at This Old House, of course. Here are our top projects to help you along. -Tabitha Sukhai, thisoldhouse.com

1. Install a Soapstone Countertop

Too often the price of granite or engineered stone is out of reach of the average renovation budget. Not soapstone. This traditional kitchen topper is easy for a do-it-yourselfer to install, meaning you could save big on the labor, which usually accounts for half the cost. Available to be shipped nationwide from companies such as M. Teixiera Soapstone, where this counter came from, and starting at less than $25 per square foot, soapstone is a great, inexpensive DIY project.

Relative to other stones, soapstone is soft enough that it doesn’t require special tools to machine it. You likely already have what you need to cut and shape it: a circular saw, a jigsaw, a drill/driver, a grinder, and a sander. Here’s How to Install a Soapstone Counter in just an afternoon or two.

2. Install a Butcher-Block Countertop

Sleek granite and sharp stainless. It looks all luxe and modern-and maybe just a little bit, you know, cold. So what to do if you want more warmth in the heart of the home? Cozy things up with rich-looking butcher block. Not only are its well-oiled tones welcoming, it’s easy to install, as we demonstrate in How to Install a Butcher-Block Counter. Just order it to size, and then fasten it down. In hours you can turn a chilly steel-and-stone room into a charming cook’s corner.

3. Create Portable Workspace With a Butcher-Block Island

If you’re going for homey and cozy in your kitchen, skip the built-in cabinet-base island and instead make the central work area a furniture like table with a butcher-block counter. Because these thick wood-slab tops have their edge or end grain exposed, they are stronger than wood laid on the flat. That means they resist warping and nicks better than laminate and almost as well as stone.

With this durability comes an old-fashioned warmth. The trend for wood and furniture in the kitchen is in full swing, and butcher-block islands mimicking 19th-century worktables are perfect for toning down the coldness of stone counters and metal appliances in modern cook spaces. You can bring this classic aesthetic to your kitchen by constructing a prep island from easy-to-buy materials or choosing one of the dozens of styles available through retailers and furniture makers. Whichever path you choose, you’ll end up with an island that can be at the center of the cooking action and still take whatever you can dish out. Here’s How to Build a Butcher-Block Island in 5 steps.

Here’s another variation on this style, which combines iron threaded pipe and butcher block to create a kitchen center piece. Get the steps.

4. Other Kitchen-Counter Hacks: Remove Spots from Kitchen Countertops

“Stones are basically sponges,” says Fred M. Hueston, director of the National Training Center for Stone and Masonry Trades, in Longwood, Florida. He’s working in a kitchen, mixing up an odd-smelling poultice of flour and hydrogen peroxide in the hope of removing a stubborn coffee stain from an island countertop. Spread over the stain, the paste should literally pull the discoloration out of the red travertine. “Granite, marble, and limestone consist of interlocking mineral crystals with pores between them,” he explains. “So spills soak into unprotected stone in just 15 to 20 minutes for granite, and 30 minutes to an hour for marble and limestone.” The liquid evaporates, but a mark remains.

Hueston, who literally wrote the book on the subject of stone restoration (Stain Removal Guide: For Stone, Tile, and Concrete), will leave the poultice in place for 24 hours. This will allow it to “wick” the stain out of the countertop, in the same way that poultices made with other ingredients pull oil stains out of concrete or venom out of snakebite victims. He determines his recipe on the basis of the stain and stone types: an absorbent base like dry clay, flour, or a paper towel, and a wicking chemical such as detergent, bleach, or hydrogen peroxide. If the countertop has been both stained and etched, the stone must be polished and a new sealer applied. “Cleaning spills right away and using coasters is a lot easier,” he says. See all the steps here.

5. Other Kitchen-Counter Hacks: Install Under cabinet Lighting

There’s a missing element in most American kitchens, and it’s not a $7,500 range or a 4-acre refrigerator. No, it’s simply good lighting. And a well-lit kitchen begins with undercabinet task lighting. These hidden fixtures, which are fairly easy to retrofit beneath upper wall cabinets, bathe the countertop in bright white light-a boon for everything from dicing veggies to reading recipes. Connect the fixtures to a dimmer switch, as shown here, and you also have the key to dramatic accent lighting or a night light for midnight snackers.

If you’re a bit tentative about working with electricity, don’t worry. This installation is simple and shock-free, as long as you cut the juice at the breaker box first. Get the rest in How to Install Undercabinet Lighting.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/kitchen-countertops

Plumbers Charlotte NC