How to Fix a Leaky Outdoor Faucet

A frost free leaky outdoor faucet, or spigot, is not just annoying; it can cost you a small fortune in water bills if left unchecked. In addition, a leaky outdoor faucet can also cause damage to your home and yard.

Fortunately, for even a novice do-it-yourselfer, a leaky outdoor faucet can be frequently fixed with just a few basic tools and about 30 minutes of time, saving you a small bundle in otherwise plumber repair costs.

Identify Source of Outdoor Faucet Leak

The first thing you need to do is to determine where the outdoor faucet leak is coming from.

First check to see if the leak is occurring around the top cap that sits just back behind the handle. Inevitably this cap becomes loose on frost free outdoor faucets and all you need to do is simply tighten it back up using your hand. Overtime this cap becomes loose due to changes in seasonal temperatures or simply from frequent use of the faucet.

Next, check to see if it is leaking directly out the spout itself.

If the leak is occurring from the faucet spout, even after you have confirmed the handle is fully turned to the closed position, then chances are there is a failed washer sitting back behind the faucet handle.

Disassembling the Outdoor Faucet

To replace the washer, first turn the water off to the outdoor faucet. Usually the shut off valve to the outdoor spigot can be found inside the home, for example in a utility room just behind the outdoor faucet. The shut off valve may also be located in the basement.

Next, turn the outdoor faucet to the full on position to relieve any pressure in it and to allow the water to fully drain from the faucet.

Now, using a screwdriver remove the screw that holds the handle onto the faucet.

With the screw removed, pull the handle off.

After removing the faucet handle, use a wrench to remove the faucet nut that sits back behind the handle.

Replace Washer and Clean Internal Faucet Area

Typically it is the washer that sits behind the faucet nut (sillcock nut) that fails. Remove it with your fingers or small screw driver and examine it for damage or wear. If you see either, replace the washer. Also, make sure the internal faucet (sillcock) is free from dirt and grime. If there is grime in it, flush it out with water.

Re-assemble Outdoor Faucet

Once you have replaced the washer and the internal faucet area is free of any grit, reattach the faucet nut cap, the handle, and the screw that holds the handle onto the faucet.

Test Repaired Outdoor Faucet

Turn the water back on at the valve within the basement or utility room to the outdoor faucet and observe water flowing freely from the faucet.

Turn the handle to the off position. If the washer or grit was the problem the leak should no longer be present.

Note that with a frost free outdoor water faucet, the actual shutoff valve sits far back into the faucet / sillcock pipe, (approximately 8 inches), so do not be surprised to see a few drips of water initially after shutting off the faucet. After a few minutes, however, you should see no more drips. With that your leaky outdoor faucet is a thing of the past!

About the Author: Over the past 20+ years Mark Donovan has been involved with building homes and additions to homes. His projects have included: building a vacation home, building additions and garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished homes. For more information about Home Improvement and Home Additions, and Home Remodeling and Repair visit homeadditionplus.com and homeaddition.blogspot.com.

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American Inventor TV Show - Try These Inventions

When I saw the "American Inventor" program, I immediately loved the show. It's a parade of ingenuity - and sometimes silliness and total ignorance of markets. Watching some of the inventors come onto that stage, I realized I wouldn't want to be a judge on the show for anything. The judges face the constant choice of either giving false hope or destroying dozens of people's hope each night.

For those of you who haven't seen the show, it is essentially a bunch of amateur inventors demonstrating their inventions and ideas in front of a panel of judges (it's on ABC). Each of the four judges say either yes, and the inventor goes to the next round, or no, and he or she doesn't. The "no" votes are a lot more common than the "yes", especially with the many inventors of new kinds of toilets.

Now, apart from avoiding more toilet inventions, what can you do to improve your odds of making it to the next round on American Inventor? Three quick tips:

1. Be Really Ready! You'll have so very little time to demonstrate your idea or invention, so be prepared to say and show everything in a couple minutes.

2. Show It In Action! A builder with a new form of construction blocks (think full-sized homes made of locking plastic blocks) almost lost out because he was talking about the idea and showing blueprints. He almost had to beg for the third "yes" vote to move on. What should he have done? Walk into that room and start building with the blocks, and then say, "This is how we'll soon be building homes." This approach would get their attention.

3. Prepare Facts And Statistics. Many inventions have lost out because the judges thought their was no market for them. Why did they think this? It seems that two of the judges (you need three "yes" votes) have never ridden a bicycle or done yard work. Naturally they don't know that a device for hanging bicycles or an easily-turned lawn mower would sell. Give them the stats: "More than one million people hang their bikes in garages and sheds from dangerous old-fashioned hooks. This is the better alternative..."

Two Inventions To Take On American Inventor

Hey, I don't want to be the guy who spends $20,000 and four years to create a prototype that gets voted down in two minutes flat. I just like dreaming up the ideas. Therefore, here are two ideas which I won't be making into new inventions, and are free for you to develop and patent.

The Talking Pet. Imagine four colored circular pads on a floor mat. Your dog steps on the blue pad and a speaker says "I want to go outside now." He steps on the yellow one and you hear, "I'm hungry now; please feed me." The red one? "Can you please give me some water?" I leave the last pad up to you. This will take some training, but then the average dogs quickly learns to come and get you for a trip outside, so it can learn this.

The Super-Sanitary Toilet. They'll hate you for this one, but have you ever seen how much fine mist goes up in the air when you flush? This explains the fecal coliform bacteria found on everything tested (including your toothbrush) in the average bathroom. Show this and the American Inventor judges will be ready for your solution: A toilet that automatically flushes when you close the lid - and only when you close the lid. This keeps the bacterial-mist from getting up in the air and all over.

Copyright Steve Gillman. For inventions, new product ideas, business ideas, story ideas, political and economic theories, deep thoughts, a free course on How To Have New Ideas, and 100 more Invention Ideas For American Inventor, visit : http://www.999ideas.com

How Tough Are Concrete Epoxies

Moroccan Lighting - Moroccan Lamps And Lanterns

Imagine coming home after a long day's work and slipping into a living room oasis where you're bathed in soft reds, yellows and oranges while resting on a plush cushion, next to a set of mini palm trees, breathing in the scent of Jasmine incense, listening to light jazz flutes. Selecting furniture isn't just about functionality anymore; it's about creating a comfortable habitat where you can relax, de-stress and enjoy your downtime.

Finding the right lighting is the key to creating an ideal atmosphere. As early as 5,000 BC, the Chinese have been building homes in correlation with the sun to provide optimal light, warmth and energy. Historically, Morocco has hosted groups of diverse people from all directions - Phoenicians and Carthaginians from the East, Sub-Saharan Africans from the South, in addition to Romans, Vandals and Andalusians from the North. This Diaspora of culture comes together and can be clearly seen in these colorful Moroccan lamps and lanterns.

What makes Moroccan lamps truly unique is that they're not mass-produced in a sterile factory -- but rather, each shade is made of sheep or goatskin and is then dyed and stretched over a solid iron frame, where it is hand-painted with a needle in brilliant colors, in the decorative tradition of Henna tattoo artistry. Dating back to the Bronze Age, Henna design mimics the Henna plant, which has a plethora of long, thin stalks and tiny blossoms. Much like the tattoos, the lamp designs showcase fluid black lines and shapes, outlined by tiny dots.

Moroccan lamps, varying in shape, size, color and mood offer the opportunity to turn your living room into a stunning art museum. The African Berbers were primarily an agricultural people, so the curved "Berber" floor lamp is painted with a classy, simple style in neutral colors. Tall, slender styles like "The Pharaoh's Light", "Red Sun" or "Orange Magical Arabian Nights" capture one's imagination, while dazzling with dancing patterns, vibrant colors and swaths of vacuous space that instinctively pulls the eyes toward it in wonderment. End table lamps like "African Sun" or "Fez Sun" provide multifunctional use, emanating a soothing glow, while the glass top holds a piece of art, a plant or a tea set for entertaining guests. When you behold a piece like "Ocean Sun," breathing moonlight into the room with its purple hues and oceanic design, you know that this lamp is not just for providing light, but is a piece of art that will compliment other furniture and themes in the room.

Moroccan lanterns made of stained glass resemble the sort of Church dcor that pervades the Holy Land. The shapes range from a rounded hot air balloon design, to a diamond-shaped street lantern style and they can be hung from the ceiling or mounted on the wall. Traditionally, the stained glass panes are subtle, soothing colors - an olive green, a periwinkle blue or a hint of gold. Handmade and framed in black wrought iron, Moroccan lanterns can bring that one unforgettable, warm summer night into your home.

Moroccan lamps and Moroccan lanterns will add an air of magic to any room. When paired with Moroccan rugs, plants and other furniture, these handmade Moroccan lights really put the finishing touches on a relaxing, unique escape.

Adeal Benhayoun is the founder of Star of Morocco, which specializes in exquisite Moroccan lighting items. Please visit us if you have any questions related to Moroccan lanterns or Moroccan lamps.

Problems With Black Mold

The Brilliance of the Bagua

Today, people are folding more and more Feng Shui practices into their lives. Restaurants, malls, shops and even public places have realized the remarkable usefulness of Feng Shui and its many facets. One of the most important aspects of Feng Shui is the Bagua. The Bagua is an octagonal mapping system that is designed to help you understand how to maximize your energy. The Bagua is a great tool to bring all the elements of Feng Shui into perfect synchronization.

The nine aspects of the Bagua, and thus Feng Shui, correspond to integral parts of our life and must be harmonized for optimal results. It's an accepted fact that

subtle vibrations play a very important role in our lives. The right vibrations can help is achieving prosperity while the wrong ones can create problems in our lives. According to the Bagua, there are nine areas of our lives, namely: family, health, relationships and love, prosperity, fame and reputation, creativity and children, skills and knowledge, helpful people and travel, and career.

Feng Shui and the Bagua suggest people with money problems concentrate on prosperity. The associated elements are water, wood, and the color purple. When you want your fame to grow, then the area of fame and reputation is to be concentrated upon in Bagua. This aspect is governed by the elements of fire and wood. The color of this aspect is red. If you want to enhance or initiate a new relationship, then you need to concentrate on the area of relationship and love in Bagua. The color of this aspect is pink and it's ruled by the elements of earth and fire.

These days there are a lot of divorces happening across the world. If you have a family issue that needs to be sorted out then you need to concentrate on the family area of Bagua. This aspect has the main element as water. The colors associated with this aspect are green, black and blue. If you are suffering due to your health, then you can harmonize the health aspect of Bagua. The colors related to this area are yellow, brown and orange. Health is governed by the components of fire and earth.

Children tend to have a number of developmental adjustments to deal with as they grow. Feng Shui and the Bagua has an answer to a number of age-old problems. The Bagua is designed to help children by optimizing their space and their environment. Child development is governed by the color yellow and earth tones. Life skills and knowledge and prosperity can all be enhanced by the use of this powerful design mechanism.

H. Reich

http://www.sheffield.edu/

How to Become a Better Grandparent

All grandparents want to play a critical role in their grandchildren's lives and be helpful. However, creating that crucial link takes more than just a simple wish. One has to get more creative and constantly review whether things are working out in relationships. Sometimes, a grandparent may be forced to play the role of a parent due to unavoidable circumstances. In such a case, they should remember that they have a distinct role in their grandchildren's lives.

The best starting point when trying to build a better relationship with grandchildren is to bond with them. This will involve spending time with them and taking part in activities that they like most. Play is definitely top on the list. This will create plenty of memories that will always be vivid in the child's mind. Understanding children requires that a grandparent get down to their level. They will therefore need to look at life from the grandchild's viewpoint, especially if they are young children. Children are not only innocent; they are genuine, curious, very energetic and fun to be around. Take their naughty stunts with a corrective grace.

Communication is another area that can help keep the relationship between a grandchild and their grandparent. Talk to them about issues that they have in their lives or things that they find interesting. Write to them or send them emails. Keep the content very simple and full of fun. It is wise to ensure that they enjoy reading those letters or emails. Appreciation is another key element that grandchildren understand and crave no matter how young they are. Appreciate them by praising every effort they make to learn new things. Additionally, be helpful and get involved in their activities. Cherish their art or gifts by placing them on a conspicuous place where they can see.

Give them an opportunity to be themselves. This way, the grandchild will be free therefore building a comfortable and friendly relationship. Do not try to control their schedule in a way that is unnecessary. Additionally, it is wise to find activities that both the grandchild and their grandparent can do together and have fun. For some it is singing while story telling works best for others. Some grandchildren will be content watching childhood videos and going through pictures. If telling a story, try to visualize it and give the child a role to play. Make it funny and real and allow emotions to flow.

Try to help the grandchildren develop their milestones without appearing to do so. Help them acquire the desirable characteristics by modeling these aspects in different circumstances. Finally, as they grow, move along with their developmental stages by adopting activities that are more advanced in nature. Develop a genuine interest in their life and always keep track of what is happening to them.

Grandchildren need to find reasons to spend time with their grandparents. Find out what they like and try to do it as often as possible. Be patient with them and take time to explain out things however simple they may seem. They will appreciate it as they grow.

Find helpful and creative ideas for parents and grandparents while you shop our great selection of kids furniture (including our popular toddler beds) and classic toys. Visit http://www.TheMagicalRockingHorse.com today!

What Is a Wheat Berry?

Wheat is one of the oldest and most important crops in the world. Second only to rice, it is the main staple for much of the world. Wheat kernels have been used since the beginning of time, and they have been seen in instances of ancient art, and language. For many people it is used every single day of their lives, often whether they realize it or not.

A wheat kernel is a seed produced by the wheat plant. A wheat kernel is often called a wheat berry by nutritionists and health nuts. The kernel is the simplistic form of wheat, and comes in a variety of colors. Most commonly red and white in color, and rated as soft or hard kernels.

Wheat kernels can last for years if they are stored in a cool, dry place. This makes it one of the more sustainable crops, if treated correctly.

Wheat berries are much more elaborate than they look, and are made up of several parts that give them the nutrients, and flavor our bodies need. Wheat kernels have vitamins A, which helps with our vision, immune systems, and skin; Vitamin B, which reduces cancers, helps with our immune system, and promotes cell growth, and Vitamin E. Pretty impressive, isn't it?

The outside of the wheat kernel is the bran, and if you've ever had bathroom issues, you've probably been recommended bran cereals to provide fiber. Wheat germ is the "life" of the wheat kernel, and the main particle that allows wheat to sprout. The endosperm is a word that you may recall from middle school biology, and that's the last part key factor in the makings of a wheat kernel; the endosperm is the part of the wheat berry that contains all the starch.

When you take the time to think about it, it's really amazing what one kernel is made up of. Like the snow flake, no wheat kernel is the same. There are over fifteen thousand varieties of wheat that are grown in the United States, and they are all based around harvest times, colors, and what they can be used for. When many of us think about wheat, a loaf of bread is probably what pops into our minds, but what about pastries, pasta, oatmeal, and flour? These all originate from a different type of wheat, grown at a different time!

Whole wheat is something almost everyone needs more of in their diet. Dr. Grandma's sells nutritious whole wheat mixes and wheat berries (aka: wheat kernels). To learn more about whole wheat foods and to find some great wheat berry recipes visit DoctorGrandmas.com.

Designing for Life - Architecture and Design Psychology

Design psychology is the use of psychology as the fundamental principle for design decisions in architecture and interior design. Cultural patterns of architecture reveal many fundamental principles of design psychology. A group of architects led by Christopher Alexander compiled what they learned about architecture around the world into a book called A Pattern Language (1977, Oxford University Press). This book discusses virtually every aspect of buildings including entrances, windows, hallways, fireplaces, kitchens, sleeping areas, home offices and workshops, walls, and storage spaces.

The research done by these architects revealed the need for people of all cultures to feel safe and nurtured in their homes, neighborhoods and towns. Simple patterns for positive environments included things like designing rooms to have light coming in from at least two sides and more than one entrance or exit if possible. Our eyes are built to handle visual processing with multiple light sources rather than a light from a single direction. This makes seeing more difficult in environments where light is coming from only one direction. In addition, we have an instinctual need for an escape route and recoil psychologically when confronted with cave-like rooms where we may feel trapped.

A closely related field to design psychology is proxemics, the study of cultural differences in personal boundaries and space requirements. Proxemics is intimately connected to design psychology and the placement of physical dividers such as doors and walls. In offices and homes alike, a social order is established by proximity. The offices that are the most distant from the waiting room and closest to the boss are for the most important staff members. Likewise, master bedrooms are usually the most distant from shared spaces such as entryways and living rooms. The rooms closest to the kitchen, family room and gathering areas are for those lowest on the totem pole, usually the children.

Proxemics also has much to do with issues of privacy. Those who have important activities and conversations to engage in need to have their space. When material dividers aren't available, visual and auditory clues can serve to define boundaries. Signs, frosted glass, bells and intercoms can serve to separate places where others are welcome and places where they must have permission to enter.

Design psychology and feng shui share many principles. Although the two approaches often come to the same conclusions, they differ in their foundations. Feng shui practice generally relies on a combination of tradition and intuition and design psychology generally relies on a research model. It could be argued that feng shui is a right-brain approach and design psychology is a left-brain approach. Perhaps a combination of these approaches with equal measures of common sense and practicality will yield the best solutions for architectural environments that meet both the basic and higher needs of their inhabitants.

Kathleen Karlsen, MA is an artist, writer and design consultant residing in Bozeman, Montana. Fine art and unique gifts by Kathleen and other selected artists can be found at http://www.livingartsoriginals.com Visit us today to find a wonderful addition to your home decor or a gift for someone special! For an extensive article about flower symbolism see http://www.livingartsoriginals.com/infoflowersymbolism.htm To see a selection of available flower paintings, please visit http://www.livingartsoriginals.com/originalfloralart.htm

Truth About Coconuts

The coconut palm thrives on sandy soils and is highly tolerant of salinity. For optimum growth, coconuts need high humidity and prefer warm areas with abundant sunlight and regular rainfall, like shorelines of the tropics. Regardless of its origin, the coconut has spread across much of the tropics, and become an important ingredient to many coconut recipes.

Coconut is the fruit of the coconut palm (Cocos Nucifera). The origin of coconut plant is unknown. Most claims the home of the coconut is South Asia, while others claim South America. It has probably aided in many cases by sea-faring peoples. The fruit is light and buoyant and presumably spread significant distances by marine currents. Some coconuts have been collected from the sea as far as Norway.

Botanically, a coconut is a simple dry nut known as a fibrous drupe. It is not fruit. The shell of the coconut has three pores that are clearly visible on the outside surface of the shell. Adhering to the inside wall of the shell is "the coconut meat", the white and fleshy edible part of the seed.

Coconut meat contains less fat than other dry nuts such as peanuts and almonds. It is noted for its high amount of saturated fat, as approximately 90% of the fat found in coconut meat is saturated. Coconut meat also contains less sugar and more protein than popular fruits such as bananas, apples and oranges, and it is relatively high in minerals such as iron, phosphorus and zinc.

The coconut shell is hollow inside, filled with a liquid known as coconut water. Coconut water from the unripe coconut can be drunk fresh as a refreshing drink. It's refreshingly sweet. When the coconut is still green, the "meat" inside is thin and often eaten as a snack. The main reason to pick the green nut is to drink its water, as a big ones can contains up to one litre. The meat in a young coconut is softer and more like gelatine than a mature coconut and sometimes it's refers as coconut jelly. The water and meat from young coconuts is used as opposed to the meat of older coconuts which tends to be very hard and typically have less water (if any).

Besides being highly nutritious, young coconuts also have medicinal qualities for heart, liver and kidney disorders. In fact, the coconut has recently been reported to reduce the viral load of HIV. Coconuts are a great blood purifier as the coconut water is identical to human blood plasma. Plasma makes up 55% of human blood.

Drinking coconuts water it's like an instant blood transfusion. No wonder coconut has become an important ingredient to hundreds of Coconut Recipes

Coconut Recipes is a source of many delicious recipes for the coconut lovers.

Fantastic Feng Shui Plants

So you're looking into moving the concepts and principles of feng shui outside of your home and into your garden. This is a fabulous idea - after all, the energy you create outside your home directly affects the energy that is created within your home.

One of the best ways to create balanced, positive feng shui in your outdoor living space is to use plants to create positive energy. But do you choose just any plants? Are there certain plants and flowers that create better feng shui than others?

Although most all plants create positive energy for your household, there are some that clearly stand out as fine selections for generating vibrant, renewing, comfortable energy. Here are a few examples:

Jade (Crassula Ovata) - this plant is wonderful for creating abundance and prosperity. You can use this plant near your front door (your career area) to invite abundance-producing energy into your home. You can also use this plant in your "fame" area at the rear of your home, as well as the "wealth and p[prosperity" area at the left rear section of your home, to help provide opportunities for notoriety, publicity, and personal wealth.

Peony (Paeonia) - this flower symbolizes love and affection. If you have adequate sunlight, you can plant this flower in the right rear corner of your home (the "love and relationships" area) to promote harmonious family relationships. This is also a good choice for planting in or near the "creativity and children" section, in the central right part of your home, to help foster acceptance and approval of a child's creative endeavors.

Chrysanthemum - this flower is associated with ease of life, happiness, and joy. Yellow chrysanthemums are particularly good for creating joyful energy around your home. This is a fantastic choice for the "love and relationships" area located at the rear right corner of your home.

Narcissus - this flowering bulb represents good fortune. This is another good flower to place at the front of your home, to attract abundance and good career opportunities.

Money Plant (Philodendron Scandens) - a wonderful plant for shaded areas. Make sure you keep the leaves trimmed so they do not become too large. This is ordinarily placed at the front of the home; however, if the front of your home is very sunny, you may want to skip this plant, because not having a money plant at all is better than having a money plant with dead leaves.

Lillies - these flowers help promote positive energy and good feng shui throughout the year. They also grow easily in just about any kind of soil, so they are a low-maintenance flower that you can count on year after year.

You can see that you have many choices when selecting plants for your feng shui garden. Just remember to intersperse these plants with metal sculptures and other objects that will help break up the dominating wood element of the plants and flowers. You can easily mix these elements to create a landscape that is both visually attractive and pleasing to the remainder of your senses (including the metaphysical ones) as well.

Linda Binns shows you how to be more successful in all areas of your life by working with your environment. Get FREE Feng Shui Success Secrets. These powerful and practical secrets can help you transform your life. Go to http://www.fengshuiexplained.com now.

Linda Binns is author of Feng Shui for Your Relationships: Changing Your Environment to Create Better Relationships. She has been a Feng Shui Practitioner, Author, Speaker and teacher for over 10 years. She has appeared internationally on television and radio and in local publications. Linda is also the founder of The Feng Shui Success Institute - which teaches in-depth Feng Shui training and practitioner certification.

Empty Calories - List of Foods With Highest Empty Calories

In the battle against flab, one tool that will come very handy is a List of Foods with Highest Empty Calories. Empty calories not only induce unnecessary weight gain in the body, they lead to a host of other problems and disease that if untreated could lead to life threatening afflictions. We can avoid the harm done by empty calories by steering clear of foods that contain them, or limiting the consumption of such foods.

Saturated Fats:

Butter
Palm oil
Meat fat
Ice-cream
Margarine
High fat cheese

Carbohydrates:

Colas
Candy
Cookies
Burgers
Crackers
Doughnuts
Hot dogs
Shortening
Potato chips
Refined sugar
Refined grain products

Proteins:

Lamb
Pork
Veal
Bacon

The best way to avoid these foods with empty calories is to adopt healthier eating habits which would not only help you to reduce fat and lower cholesterol, but they will also provide you with the nutrients that your body needs for energy and to fight sickness and ageing. You can begin to replace these foods with empty calories by keeping their consumption very low and replacing them with healthier options such as fresh fruits, whole grains, fresh vegetables, and lighter oil like olive oil.

Keep this List of Foods with Highest Empty Calories in mind while planning your meals. If you plan your meals ahead of mealtime you are less like to binge on foods that are forbidden as foods with highest empty calories. Just remember more refined the food, higher would be the calories. These would be quickly absorbed by the body and converted into fat.

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