The costs associated with the remodeling of your bathroom will depend greatly on the quality of items you wish to install, the time it will take for the whole project and the amount of work you’ll handle yourself. Your bathroom’s size will also be a critical factor in the overall remodeling costs.

In some cases all that a bathroom needs to make it look like new is a fresh coat of paint. However, if a more extensive upgrade is required, there are many ways in which you can control the costs. In all likelihood, the costliest item on your expenses list will be the labor cost and you can minimize it by talking to your contractor who might permit you to undertake some of the tasks yourself, leaving the more detailed work to the professionals.

Another important method to control your bathroom remodeling costs could be to not replace the existing tiles and bath tub, but instead opt for a wall unit and tub that fit over the present one. This way, a job that would have otherwise required thousands of dollars, can now be completed in a matter of few hundred dollars only.

Although a marble or granite countertop would be the ideal choice to make your bathroom look fantastic, it can also cause havoc to your budget. In order to control your bathroom remodeling costs, you can opt for a faux granite countertop that would reduce the cost to almost half. The marketplace has several types of units available that are extremely difficult to differentiate from the real stuff. Trust us they are so fine that only you and your contractor will ever get to know that they are not actual granite.

Another method to keep your bathroom’s remodeling costs under check is to be your own contractor. Although many communities make it mandatory for plumbing and electrical works to be carried out by licensed professionals only and it is done so keeping the best interests of homeowners in mind. However, in case you are good with hammer and nails, you can carry out the basic tasks on your own and hire professionals as and when required during the progress of the remodeling work.

Further on, proper installation of wall and floor tiles can be a tricky process. Even though it may be necessary to involve a professional for this job, it is not impossible to handle it yourself with little knowledge and practice. Especially, if it may cut your remodeling costs significantly.

You must seek assistance of experienced professionals if you feel unsure at any point of time. In case you are based in Calgary, you can reach us any time at  216-8439. We at ClearView Plumbing & Heating have many seasoned experts in our team.

So, you get back home after a tiring, long day at work and all that you need is a steaming hot shower to relax all your strained nerves. You enter the bathroom excitedly only to find that the bad day hasn’t yet come to an end yet. The shower head has very low pressure; too low to enjoy a good hot shower.

Well, obviously, your evening is spoilt and you might have to wait until the plumber fixes it up the following day. However, what if you could fix it on your own?! Yes, it’s possible. Let’s look at some of the handy techniques that can help you fix this low pressure problem yourself.

So, How to fix the problem of low pressure in shower?

Before delving into the techniques for solving the low pressure shower problem, let us look at some root causes which make it happen. One of the main reasons why water might flow at low pressure from the shower head could be the inbuilt design that limits pressure, mainly to limit the flow of water and save on water bills. There could be other reasons as well. Let’s discuss some of them as follows:

Check the water pressure setting at the main water line:

In case the low water pressure problem is not only in the shower head, but also in other fixtures and it has been there for quite some time, check the water flow volume settings at the main water line. The flow may have been set to low. Changing the flow volume will instantly solve the problem.

Get rid of the flow constrictor:

Most of the shower heads manufactured nowadays come fitted with a plastic device known as flow constrictor. The function of this device is to reduce the pressure of the water flow. So all you need to do is remove this flow constrictor and you’ll have the normal water supply thereafter. You can avoid such problems beforehand by making sure that you buy a shower head that doesn’t have a flow constrictor fitted inside it.

Clean up the clogs in the shower head:

If the water pressure problem persists even after removing the flow constrictor, you will need to properly clean the shower head from inside and open up all the blocked perforations. This will definitely restore the water pressure back to normal. In order to remove the clogs, remove the shower head and thoroughly clean any depositions that are blocking the water flow, with the help of vinegar and a wire brush. Ensure that every hole is cleaned out properly.

Replace the shower head: If none of the above techniques work, replace the problematic shower head with a new high pressure shower head. There are many good brands of shower heads available in the marketplace. Opt for the one that suits your needs and bathroom design the best.

For any assistance with plumbing related issues in your home, we’ll be more than delighted to help you.

More and more homeowners are going for the dual flush toilet when they are looking to make “green”, environmentally-friendly upgrades to the modern home. The dual flush toilet, as the name suggests, gives you the option of choosing from two different flushing modes, depending on what type of “material” you are trying to flush. Simply put, it takes much less water to flush away liquids than it does solids, so it makes sense to use a low-volume flush sometimes and a high-volume flush at other times. Dual flush toilets will cut the usage of water for toileting purposes which not only saves money on the water bill, but cuts down on the use of a precious natural resource as well.

Dual Flush Toilets – Required in Some Places!

Although one might not consider that the dual flush toilet can actually save a significant amount of water to make the installation of one a wise investment, the truth is that studies of this type of toilet have shown that the dual flush toilet can reduce the use of water for toileting by as much as sixty-seven percent in some households. In fact, because there is such a high level of water conservation to be reaped through the installation of the dual flush toilet, the country of Australia (which is in an ongoing draught situation) has passed legislation that required that all new toilets installed within the country are dual flush. There are also some drought-stricken areas of the U.S. where similar statutes have been passed in order to conserve water. Although the dual flush toilet has not been on the market that long (a little over ten years), they are destined to become more and more prevalent as the world’s becomes more environmentally-conscious of their consumption of natural resources.

Stylish Options

Other than the water saving capacity of the dual flush toilet, another big advantage to installing this type of toilet is that they are designed with innovation in mind, and they are available in many attractive models. This is a relatively new product to today’s market, and the market is thus very competitive with companies competing to make their models as visually pleasing, comfortable, and easy to use as possible to attract customers. Newest models of the dual flush toilets feature two buttons (one for low volume and one for high volume flushing) which is a bit of an upgrade over the styles that come with a push or pull handle.

The one big disadvantage to the dual flush toilet is the more advanced requirements for installation that are usually not within the realm of the average do-it-yourself homeowner. Most homeowners will need to call out a professional plumber to ensure that the toilet is properly installed, which can add to the cost of installation. There are, however, many guides available online, and each dual flush toilet will be packaged with installation instructions. Regardless of the added cost for professional installation, the dual flush toilet is a great option for areas of the country where there are chronic water shortages and for anyone who wants to make a difference in the condition of the planet by making wise use of its resources.

Have you walked into the washroom of a restaurant and found yourself admiring its design, cleanliness or style? You may have also walked around to examine its murals or looked at the bathroom’s luxury fittings in admiration. If you have, then there is a possibility that this restroom is one of the over hundred Canadian restrooms that has been nominated in a contest to pick Canada’s best bathroom.

You can now choose the best bathroom in the whole of Canada online, with ‘Canada’s Best Bathroom’ contest, the Canadian version of the popular American contest (‘America’s Best Bathroom’). Sponsored by Cintas, maker of cleaning products, the contest attracted in excess of hundred nominations. Now, it is down to five finalists. Public can vote online until August 31st to come to a decision on Canada’s best bathroom.

Of the five finalists, Toronto’s Mildred’s Temple Kitchen is certainly the most colorful of the lot. The restaurant’s marketing tactic this Valentine was to place condoms and Kama Sutra copies in its unisex washrooms, in a bid to encourage customers to have sex in them. Maeve Gallagher, the restaurant’s guest services manager, said that the marketing ploy was just a reflection of their unique brand of humor. Though the restaurant has gained notoriety after this quirky promotion, there is no disputing the aesthetics of its bathrooms. The restaurant’s beautiful murals, painted by artist Alice Jarry, have been acknowledged by the contest.

Toronto restaurant Spice Route, whose garden views have been recognized by the contest, finds itself in the top five. Another finalist, Metro Toronto Convention Centre hosted President Obama recently, one reason why it may have had an edge over the other nominees. But hosting powerful politicians apart, the centre’s hands-free technology has been lauded by the contest. Vancouver’s Cactus Club Café and Shangri-La Hotel are the two other finalists.

The contest’s media relations director David Brandt said that voters should look at two criteria. They should decide how immaculately clean the restrooms are and also judge which restroom is the most memorable, based on their personal experience and the levels of luxury, quirkiness, fun that makes the restroom stand apart.

Brandt added that the competition was not all fun and there was a serious message attached to it – that of cleanliness. He said that that there is direct relationship between washroom cleanliness and customer satisfaction. According to a study conducted by Cintas, 95% of respondents admitted that they wouldn’t go back to a restaurant or public center that had dirty restrooms. Mildred Temple Kitchen’s Gallagher also voiced her opinion on the issue, saying that a clean bathroom is indicative of the level of service provided by a restaurant. She added that the restaurant’s priority was to ensure that customers were comfortable in all areas of the restaurant.

The winner will be crowned in September. It is to be seen how the Canadian public will vote. The contest is sure to inspire establishments to take a second look at the cleanliness of their restrooms.