We get togther as a company, on a social basis several times a year at Clearview Plumbing & Heating. It´s nice to take break from time to time from all those plumbing and heating repairs!

I recently had the pleasure of taking my staff out for a bowling night. I enjoy our get–togethers and meeting my staff’s significant others. It probably sounds corny, but I just have to say how proud I am of my staff.

These events provide a great opportunity for us to get to know each other a little better, and wow, I sure do have the nicest people working for me! Thank you to all of you who were able to join us that night. I wouldn´t be surprised if my staff view me as the uncool dad who doesn’t get out much, but it sure was an entertaining evening.

Tami said it was an all around fun night "shakin´ the work, gettin´ down and having fun." (a direct quote). For Coral and other staff, it was the face to face interaction with other staff that doesn´t happen on a daily basis that made it memorable for her. Garnett said the best part of the evening for him, was "the ribbing and the competition with each other."

Patryk was our "sleeper bowler." With no real technique he really wowed us in the first round with a high score of 178! He wouldn’t admit it, but we think he’s bowling regularly. Unfortunately, as we went into the final round competition was stiff with the chance to win an Ipod, and he wasn´t able to come up with the winning score.

Matt was our comeback kid… going from a low score of 78 to a high score of 150 before the night was done. How did he do that?

Hats off to Garnett our Master Organizer of all things Fun and Social. He’s the one that organizes all our events like this and tells us when to show up. Never one for forgetting any details. So a big thank you to Garnett for organizing this event.

We´re looking forward to our next social night…perhaps paintball or something (I’d better get practicing this time!)

Do you ever get the idea that you´re not alone in your home? Do you ever see or hear things that you shouldn´t? Do you have any reason to believe that your home has a visitor from beyond the grave? Before you call your local ghost hunters or an exorcist, maybe you should have your home checked for carbon monoxide leaks.

The inhalation of carbon monoxide has been linked to numerous side effects, including audio and visual hallucinations and the feelings of dread that are often attributed to a haunting. And, unlike the spirit of a loved one or a previous occupant of the house, carbon monoxide can and will kill you over a long enough period of time. Because carbon monoxide is odorless, people cannot smell it and therefore it posses a bigger threat and danger.

So, if you have seen a spirit in your home, heard voices or footsteps that you cannot explain, or just get the feeling that you’re not alone, perhaps it´s time you called someone. However, instead of calling Ghostbusters, start with your local plumber. They’ll be able to test your home for dangerous carbon monoxide leaks.

With the recent floods, I´ve had a lot of calls from waterlogged customers. We´ve been to their homes and seen the damage – ruined carpets, keepsakes, pictures, furniture, metal appliances rusting, destroyed drywall, and more.

When you´re standing there in a soggy, ruined basement…it´s a lot to deal with. It´s very upsetting. And some don´t even know if insurance will cover the damage.

But I´m glad they called us, because now we can at least make sure they´re protected for the next time, with a sump pump that will keep them dry no matter what happens. (You know what they say about Calgary´s weather: just blink and it´ll change.)

That´s why I wanted to pass this word on: if you don´t have a sump pump in your basement, you should check into it. Experts say that 90 – 95% of basements will experience some kind of water problem at some point. And even one inch of water in your basement can do thousands of dollars in damage!

The important thing is to protect yourself now, so that when the next storm hits – and you hear the sweet hum of your sump pump coming on—you´ll be "singing in the rain."

If you’re considering installing an additional toilet in your home, you had better do your homework before you get started. There is a lot of work that goes into the job, most of which has to conform to your local building codes. This is because a toilet has to tie directly into a sewage or septic system, which is something you don’t want to do incorrectly. Believe me on that one!

Despite the hardships involved in installing a new toilet, the rewards are well worth the struggle, especially if you have a family. Imagine not having to pound on the door and plead with a teenage daughter with nature is calling and will not be denied any longer. And just think of the reading you’ll get done! It seems as though every family needs at least two toilets, if not more. Just make sure you know what you’re getting into or hire a professional.

When you buy a new home, you need to educate yourself on all the different ways you can protect your investment. This level of protection needs to include internal threats, as well as external. While a tornado can whisk your house away in seconds, a neglected hot water heater can rot your home from the inside out. Learning a few simple tips can prevent this sort of catastrophe from ever happening.

Along with tips on how to keep your hot water heater in top working condition, other tips will teach you how to maximize the life of the hot water heater and how to make it run more efficiently. Simple tips like flushing it yearly, wrapping the pipes with insulation, and numerous other things will not only keep you from buying a new hot water heater sooner than you should, it will also keep your energy bills lower than they would be otherwise. Any way you look at it, simple tips that can protect your home investment are wise choices, indeed.