John Hartford
Honoring the Legend

John Cowan Hartford (December 30, 1937 – June 4, 2001) was an American folkcountry and bluegrass composer and musician known for his mastery of the fiddle and banjo, as well as for his witty lyrics, unique vocal style, and extensive knowledge of Mississippi River lore. Hartford performed with a variety of ensembles throughout his career, and is perhaps best known for his solo performances where he would interchange the guitar, banjo, and fiddle from song to song. He also invented his own shuffle tap dance move, and clogged on an amplified piece of plywood while he played and sang. - Wikipedia 
A Legend
A live John Hartford concert was an intimate and engaging experience. He was a true "one-man band" and utilized not only a multitude of stringed instruments, but also a variety of props such as plywood squares and boards with sand and gravel on which to stomp, kick, and scrape to create all manner of natural and organic background noises.


Im a fan of John Hartman's music so I created this blog to honor him and to highlight some home improvement subjects I'm interested in with helpful articles, and to bring awareness to some of the outstanding businesses I support and have trusted to work with.
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Home Plumbing tips, techniques, and Services

Most of us rarely spend time thinking about our plumbing works and maintenance until the unexpected happens when it stops working or starts developing faults. 

Dealing with plumbing issues could be a bit tiresome and worrisome; this is why we have highlighted some tips and technique you can use to handle your plumbing issues.

1.     Avoid Pouring Grease Down The Drain

Pouring grease or oil down the drain will gradually pile up and clog your pipes leading to serious plumbing issues in the future. Next time you want to pour cooking oil down the drain, think about the potential havoc it could cause and look for a safer alternative. One of the alternatives is to allow the fat to solidify so you can dispose of it the compost bin.

2.     Use a Strainer

One of the most prevalent problems that could affect your pipes is clogging. It could become messier with the accumulation of soap and hair residue. You can avoid this mess by using a strainer, and it will prevent a tedious and spiteful task in the future.

3.     Be careful of What You Flush

You need to watch out and distinguish between the things you can flush away through the pipes and things you shouldn’t. For instance, serious clogs can be caused if you flush other things aside from toilet paper and body waste down the drain.

4.     Identify where Your Main Water Valve is located

Though you may not be very keen to know much about how plumbing works, it’s imperative that you identify the spot where your water valve is located in the case of any issue. For instance, if you have a burst pipe, all you need do is to turn off the main water valve to reduce the damage caused till a plumber comes to fix the issue.

5.     Check for leaks in Your Toilet’s Flush Valve Seal

It could be uncomfortable to deal with toilet leaks which are why you need to prevent it in the first instance by checking for leaks.

One of the spots you will see leak is in the flush valve seal of your toilet. This valve prevents water from entering the toilet bowl from the tank whenever you aren’t flushing. One of the techniques to identify a leaking flush valve seal is to add a few drops of food coloring into the closet tank. After a few hours check back to observe the changes, if your colored water has flowed into the toilet bowl it means there is a leak.

6.     Ensure accessibility of your Main Sewer Drain

While you may not see most of the plumbing work in sight, it’s imperative to identify where your sewer drain is located and ensure it’s easy to access anytime in case there is a blockage.

7.     Prevent Your Plumbing From Freezing

This might not pose a challenge in the summer, but it could be a risk in the winter period when the temperature drops to a very low degree.

One strategy you can employ is to always ensure the circulation of air around your home at least to a temperature of 16 degrees Celsius. Also, ensure most of the wall plumbing lines are well insulated to avert potential catastrophes.

8.     Avoid Chemical Drain Cleaners

Using chemical drain cleaners can affect your plumbing in a bad way as it causes damage to pipes in the long run. People tend to fall for the advertising gimmick that it works immediately and effectively, but it causes long term damage.

9.     Separate your Shut Off Valves

At some point or the other, you will need to make some repairs on your plumbing. Installing a different shut off valves will help you preempt the scenario whereby a fix needs to be done, and as such, all water is shut off. For instance, if there is an issue in a certain section of the house you can easily use water in another section since they have been separated.

10.Extend Your Tap’s Life

Most of the time we turn off our tap too tightly, and this wears it off more quickly till it reaches a point whereby it starts dripping water. The best tip to avoid this is to turn off the tap until you could feel the stopping point naturally.


You can contact the professionals at Permian Basin Plumbing for additional tips, their website is http://www.plumbingodessatx.com they are among the top plumbers in Midland and Odessa Texas. 

The aforementioned are ten tips and technique you could employ in your home for a hassle free plumbing. 

Exterior Painting- Step by Step
When you are ready to paint your home, you will first need to decide if you are wanting to take on the project yourself, or look to have it done by a professional.

Regardless this article will help you understand the steps that will need to be done to achieve the perfect paint job and look for your home's exterior. Regular painting of your exterior protects the wood and provided years of the materials as well as beauty. 

Color Selection
You will want to first determine the color scheme for the property. keep in mind the surroundings and the ultimate look you are going for. Purchase several sample size paint colors and apply them so that you can actually see what they look like on the home. You will be surprised how different a color can look in different lighting and even with different surroundings near the home.

After you choose the main body color, you will want to choose an accent color to paint the trim of the house. Many times homeowners like to accent the front door with a third color, or the trim color can be used.

Pressure Washing 
You will want the entire surface of the exterior to be washed and free of dirt, mold, grime, and pealing paint. Wash the home with a power washer to leave the siding and trim clean and ready to receive the new coating of paint.

Caulking and Taping Off
Every crack and nail hole on the exterior of the building will need to be filled with a quality caulking to seal it up. This keeps moister out as well as bugs and little critters.

You will also want to tape and paper off all the windows, stone, faucets and anything that you do not want over spray to get on.

Spraying Top Coat Paint
When applying the paint with an airless paint sprayer, you will want to keep your arm constantly moving. If the sprayer is on and held in one place for just a split second, it will make the paint build up in that area and not be smooth. If the happens you will need to brush out that area.

Spray all of the exterior surface and then start over and do a second coat of the entire property.

Trimming Out
After the main color has been sprayed, you will want to remove the tape and masking paper and begin trimming out the property. At this time you will also want to cut in the main color where it might have been missed.
Make sure your lines are very straight on all of the trim work. Finally you will want to apply the third color to the exterior of the front door.

Your property will look amazing with a fresh new coat of paint. If you feel like you need a professional to handle the job, contact the best Austin painter who also offers great pricing on interior and exterior painting. Austin Paint Pro is a quality paint company serving AUSTIN TX and the Central TX area. This specialize in commercial as well as home paint jobs.

We hope you enjoy painting your property, or find the perfect company or paint contractor to get the project done fast and beautifully. 
The Causes of Joint Pain and Some Treatments

Bones are connected at the joints. The joints assist in movement and support; therefore if there is any damage to the joints movement can be impeded and the person left in pain.

Several conditions could cause joint pain; some of them includes strains, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, sprains, etc. Joint pain affects any part in the body from hands, shoulders to ankles and feet. The older one gets, the more prevalent the joint pain becomes.

Joint pain also comes in different degree of pain from mild to severe. It may last for a few days or weeks, or the chronic ones could linger for months. Both the short term and long term joint pain can affect one's quality of life. Regardless of the pain experienced, it can be managed through medication, alternative treatments, or physical therapy.

You will need to consult your doctor for a proper diagnosis before treating the joint pain and eliminating inflammation and pain. 

If you are looking for a product with a supplement that helps your joint, please consider the science of Carbon60. It is also known as c60, and is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. 

Joint Pain Treatment options

There are several treatment options available for the treatment of joint pain, and one needs to consult a medical practitioner for proper diagnosis and recommendation of a treatment plan. Some of the options include:

Medications

Prescription over the counter can be used for joint pain with swelling. Some of the NSAID pills available for joint pain include aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen sodium. These pills come with their side effect which includes the high chance for gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding.

Other pills that can act as a pain reliever for joint include:

•      Muscle relaxants for spasms

•      A few antidepressants and antiepileptic drugs

Injections

For those with minimal success using topical or oral medications, they may be recommended to take steroid injections directly into the joint. This type of injection is commonly taken by patients with joint inflammation, arthritis, or tendinitis. It offers an immediate relief but with a temporary effect. It also comes with side effects such that the masking of the steroids over the injury could make you overexert force on the joint thereby causing further damage.

Additional injection options are:

•      Fluid removal from the joint

•      Hyaluronan injection which is an artificial version of natural joint fluid.

Physical Therapy

A physical therapist can help you strengthen the joint muscles, bring stability to the joint, and ultimately enhance your motion. Some of the techniques used by the therapist include ultrasound, hot/cold therapy, manipulation, and electrical nerve stimulation.

For overweight and obese people, simply shedding some weight might relieve some pressure on the joints. One of the best ways to lose weight is through exercise and diet change but be wary of the exercise you do as low-impact exercises can further affect the joint. Exercises like swimming and cycling are a few of the best exercises as they help to exercise your joints with minimal impact.

Home Care

Short term joint pain can be relieved using simple homemade techniques which include:

•      Using brace or wraps to protect the joint 

•      Relax the joint and stay away from activities that could lead to pain.

•      Apply ice to the joint and leave for at least 15 minutes daily till it heals.

•      Bandage the joint with the use of an elastic wrap.

•      Raise the joint above your heart level.

Placing ice on your painful joints helps to relieve inflammation and pain. If you are experiencing muscle contractions around the joints, try wrapping with a heating pad. You may also receive medical advice to splint the joint for minimal movement or pain reduction. However, that should be done for a short period so as to avoid stiffness or loss of function.

Alternative Treatments

Most people with joint pain find relieve by using alternative treatment methods such as chondroitin and glucosamine supplements. These two substances are constituent of normal cartilage whose function is to protect joints and bolster the bones. You can get these two supplements in different forms such as tablet, powder, capsule, or liquid. Though these supplements might not work for everyone; since there are no known side effect associated with its use, you can give it a trial.

Whatever form of treatment recommended by your doctor, it’s advisable to seek urgent medical help if the pain increases or you suddenly experience inflamed joint, or your joint becomes immobile.