Do you have a sprinkler timer? If so, then this may be for you.
I got one of these timers at the beginning of this season and find it amazing. It connects to WiFi and the weather. It then calculates when and how much to water.
On my walk this morning, I noticed many sprinklers running. With all of the rain we have had that isn’t necessary but because the timer doesn't know about the rain, it just keeps going. I had my old timer set for every three days. If it rained, I tried to remember to skip a cycle but that wasn’t always successful.
This timer is so cool because it runs a cycle based on soil type, amount of shade, what the temperature has been, how much moisture there has been and how much is expected. It is amazing and I can see that it will save a lot on my water bill.
Denver Water is also offering a $75.00 rebate so after that it costs almost nothing. If you are not handy, you can even get installation through Amazon.
AMAZON.COM
Orbit 57946 B-hyve Smart Indoor/Outdoor 6-Station WiFi Sprinkler System Controller, Compatible with Alexa
I have had a handyman business for 34 years. As I went to install a garbage disposal today I saw this price estimate from yesterday for the same job.
Here is a warning about companies out there that take advantage of people not knowing how much a repair should cost. Many of these companies advertise flat-rate pricing. If you have a competent and honest worker, time and material is always going to be cheaper. Also beware if a plumber shows up in a white shirt - more of a salesman than a worker.
Here is an example of a ripoff. Look at the picture. Their basic charge for a standard disposal installation is $655.00. The deluxe model is $1057.00. What you need to know is that the standard disposal costs about $110 and the deluxe one is around $300.
So, labor on the standard is over $500 and if you get the deluxe it is over $700. Both take the same time to install which is under an hour. That may not be illegal but it is certainly an overcharge.
My minimum charge is $118.00 for the first two hours of time. With the disposal and tax my charge to the customer was $237.00.
It always makes me sad to see people being overcharged.
A burst washing machine hose is a top homeowner Insurance claim.
THEHANDYMEN.BLOGSPOT.COM
Washing Machine Hose Failure
I thought this was a really good article on decluttering. I received it from a realtor friend of mine. If you need help buying or selling a home, Garland Thurman is one of the best. His contact info is at the bottom.
But most important, great advice on getting rid of the junk!
I must give a warning about Applewood Plumbing, Heating and Electric.
I had another customer today telling me about their experience with Applewood. Their toilet was leaking water from the tank to the bowl. They had Applewood out and were told that the toilet couldn't be fixed and they would need a new one and that would cost $1600.00.
I looked in the tank and could see that the gasket on the flush valve needed to be replaced. Picked up the part at the hardware for $4.00. That is all that was needed. Took about five minutes to install and the time to pick up the part.
I have had multiple customers through the years who have recounted their stories of Applewood. It's usually about the same story that ends with a very inflated cost. Many were about garbage disposals where the cost ranged from $500 to over $1000. That is for a disposal that costs around $100 and takes less than an hour to install.
The toilet I mentioned above would cost from $125 to $300 and take less than an hour to install.
So hopefully that gives you an idea of what I am warning about. And it's not just Applewood. There are many other companies like them. I always think that if a plumber shows up in a white shirt he is more of a salesman than a plumber.
Make sure to disconnect your hoses from your outside faucets. A freeze is coming.
