Home improvement

There are many different wood fences types to choose from. Wood fencing in the west coast is primarily western red cedar, it’s natural beauty shines in the privacy fences that adorn many residences. You can also find douglas fir becoming a bit more popular because it is much less expensive than cedar. In the midwest, wood fences are often installed with pre-made fence panels. Fence installers come to your house set the posts and then place the panels. In the Pacific Northwest it is more common for the fence to be built on site because the terrain is very uneven and hilly, making it difficult to use pre-fabricated panels.

The most ubiquitous wood fence is called the estate style fence. The estate fence is built with a 2?4 as the bottom rail of the fence panel and a 2?4 as the top rail. Most often wood fences are built with 6 foot tall fence boards that are approximately 1 inch think and 4 inches wide. Most large fence builders will use posts that measure 4 1/8 inch by 4 1/8′s inch. These posts are much bigger than posts you will find at Lowe’s or Home Depot which commonly measure only 3.5 inches by 3.5 inches.

Experienced fence builders know that you need to set your posts in concrete between 18 and 24 inches into the ground. For the sturdiest posts you should let them cure at least 24 hours before you come back and build the fence. Setting your posts is the most important step in building your fence, if you get off line the whole fence will be crooked, so make sure to take extra care on this step!

If you’re looking for a fence that is more intricate than a basic estate style fence, try looking into a modified panel fence. A modified panel fence has a 2?4 that runs on top of the fence boards to give the fence a much cleaner, more sophisticated look. In addition, there is a 1?4 and a 2?4 that run just under the top 2?4. When you finish the fence off with custom post caps, it’s easy to see why this fence is extremely popular.

If you want to go for the grand-daddy of them all wood fence, look into a full panel construction. This type of fence is similar to a modified panel, except that there is a 2?4 that runs parallel to the ground. If you ask your local fence builder about any of these types of fences, they should be able to build these for you. There are lots of extras you can add to these fences, such as: spacing between the fence boards, custom post caps, lattice, trellis, gate arbors and much more!

By: Chad R Fisher

With many the many different climates that the Earth has to offer there are products that can offer great convenience to many homes around the world. One of the most convenient home products that offer climate control for your home is a storm door. These doors are not for storms but for climates and the convenience of having the option of having the front or back door open without the problem of pests such as animals and insects. This is an additional door that is installed over a home’s metal or wooden door, usually the front that has glass or screens to prevent moisture from getting on a home’s front door. There are many different types of doors that range from metal, steel, aluminum, wooden or even fiberglass that not only prevents moisture and bugs, but also gives some homes a different look. In some cases the storm door may not be used due to the damage that they may give a front door due to heat or direct sunlight.

There are many different types of doors that are available at many home improvement stores such as, Home Depot or Lowes. These doors can be as low as $75 and can cost up to $400 or $500, depending on how it is constructed. Metal Storm doors with glass are usually more expensive than that may be made from fiberglass. Fiberglass storm doors have changed over the years and many home owners are changing from aluminum storm doors to fiberglass storm doors that have internal screens. These internal screens have the ability to change from a glass opening to prevent weather damage to screens with the touch of a button to give the option of getting a fresh breeze throughout the house. Many home owners that may not have storm doors over their doors may have to replace their doors more frequent than a person who may have storm doors on their home.

The best storm doors available to home owners come from one of the leading manufacturers of storm doors and windows in Larson Doors and Andersen. Larson Doors has been a leader since 1954 and also offer custom doors that best fit a homeowner’s needs. Larson offers many different styles of doors where consumers can choose from many different designs and colors. Andersen in the company that offers EMCO doors, that have built in screens to prevent home owners from constantly changing screens and glass whenever the weather changes. This a convenience that many homeowners are starting to choose now.

By: Clyde Hart

Looking online for a job is a great way to start off on your new career. With the advances in the internet, many retail chains no longer require you to come into the store to fill out a job application in person. Applying for a job via the internet, like with the Home Depot Online Job Application, now allow you to apply for several jobs in one sitting, rather than having to spend hours going from venue to venue. Still, there are some things you should know before you apply online that are relevant to most internet based job applications, including the Home Depot online job application.

When you are seeking out applications online, you should always look for job applications that are secure like the Home Depot online job application. Identity theft is a concern of many people when using the internet, and with information filled forms like the Home Depot online job application, a secure website can keep you information private and safe from thieves. Even though you are not including monetary information, you are still sharing a lot of your personal information on your Home Depot online job application and the like. Usually the company will put some sort of notation on the application letting you know it is secure, or there will very often be a “lock” icon at the bottom of your browser window.

Applying for jobs via the internet require you to have your information readily available. For instance, on the Home Depot online job application, like many others, you will need information on your job history, military history, and education. Keep a record somewhere that lists all you dates of hire, resignation, salary, supervisors names, and contact numbers, so that filling out forms like your Home Depot online job application can be done much more quickly.

Also, note that you do not necessarily have to be looking for a line position to use the online application process. With the Home Depot online job application, you can apply for entry level to store management level job opportunities. So if you are looking for higher level jobs, you cannot necessarily rule out the chance to apply online, like with the Home Depot online job application. The convenience of the internet is not limited to line staff, and it also allows you to focus your qualifications directly to the company to which you are applying, as with the Home Depot online job application.

The nice thing about the Home Depot online job application and others like it, is that your information is often stored should you need to take a break from the application process. Our lives are filled with interruptions, and the Home Depot online job application and those like it often come with a “save” button so that you can walk away and not lose anything that you have already completed. Most of these companies will save your application anywhere from four weeks to six months from the date you begin your application.

Read the rest of the article here: Home Depot Online Job Application.

By: Charles Fuchs

Who Needs Workbench Plans?
Today my knees are really killing me, again. Even after promising myself that I would never try to build something on the floor, last night I was in the basement, back down on the concrete trying to replace the belt on a vacuum cleaner. I tried to make the job more tolerable by tossing down one of those foam pads you see for working in the garden. I even tried throwing down some old pillows and blankets, but nothing seemed to really work. Then I started thinking about those professional-style knee pads I always see at Lowes – which I always walk past because I think I’ll only use them once.

So today I decided that what I really need is a way to get my work up off the floor and keep it at a reasonable height…something that my back will appreciate. That’s an easy one. But where do I get one? I’m not even sure what “get” means at this point. I suppose I’ve seen a couple of workbench kits at places like Home Depot and Lowes, but I didn’t see much of a selection really. I could buy one of those bright-red, metal frame workbenches that have the particle board top and a pegboard back. Those workbenches would probably be easy enough to set up without too much trouble. That is, if I’m willing to pay the $100 bucks or so to buy it…and, also if I have a way to get those huge boxes into my car.

Build a Workbench or Buy One?
I guess I’m thinking that a simple workbench should be a fairly easy thing to build myself. And doesn’t it make sense to build my own…especially if I’m going to use that workbench to build more stuff? That makes sense. Besides, a lot of the workbenches I’ve seen in other people’s basements look fairly simple…like they’re put together with 2x4s. I could handle that. If only I could remember (or even understand) how everything went together. That’s kind of the problem. Even with my rough sketches of the kind of workbench I think I’d like to build, I’m still a little fuzzy about what kind of joinery I should use in the corners where the legs come together. I’m not an engineer after all, and I don’t want this thing to be wobbling all over the place after I get it set up.

A Little Help with a Plan
What I’m looking for is just a little help with the overall design of the workbench. So with a quick search on Google for “workbench design” and “workbench plans” I’m seeing lots of websites that say they can help me out with a plan… and most of these I can get for free. At first I’m pretty excited that there’s so much to pick from.

Woodworking or Just Work?
First thing I notice with my Web search for workbench plans is that the word “workbench” is mostly about woodworking…which might not be what I’m looking for exactly. Here’s the test: If you have no idea what a mortise and a tenon joint is, then most of the workbench plans that come up in a Google search are probably not what you’re looking for. Nothing against woodworking, really. In fact, I hope someday I can delve into the fine craft of building fine furniture. That would be wonderful. Maybe build a baby crib for a grandkid. If this is something you are leaning towards, then by all means you should consider taking the leap into building (or buying) a nice woodworking bench.

A workbench can be a beautiful pieces of shop furniture, actually. And experienced woodworkers take no greater pride in having a beautiful workbench to show off to their friends. It’s a very passionate kind of hobby, where serious woodworkers get all perky and excited from just a little whiff of sawdust in the air. That kind of thing. But believe me, serious woodworkers pay out the wallet for their woodworking passion. Most really nice woodworking benches (made from hardwoods like oak or maple) will cost you no less than about $500 for a kit (like at Rockler.com) or at least several hundred dollars in wood and materials just to build it yourself. Not to mention that you’ll also need some fairly sophisticated shop tools to build the really nice woodworking benches…like a planer, drill press, router table, that sort of thing.

Something Simple
But back to my original problem, what I need is simply something to get my work up off the floor and at a reasonable height – and not spend a lot of money doing it. The kind of bench I’m talking about goes together with really simple materials…like 2x4s and wood screws that you can buy at Home Depot or Lowes. And this is stuff I might even be able to fit in the back of my hatchback (and save $50 on a delivery charge). Heck, you can even slide 2x4s in the back trunk with some cars (if you have an open panel behind the back seats).

But I’m not ready to head off to the lumber store just yet. I still need to have a rough idea how the 2x4s should go together, and then how many of the boards I’ll need to buy once I get there. This is where at least some type of workbench plan can come in handy, especially if you want to get started right away on the project. Believe me, starting off with someone else’s design can remove a lot (and I mean a lot ) of the guesswork you’d otherwise be facing if you design your bench from scratch.

Finding a Simple Workbench Plan
If you haven’t already noticed, there are tons of websites on the topic of building a workbench. However, be ready to do some digging to find the kind of simple workbench design I’ve been talking about so far. Remember, most “workbench” plans you’ll find on the Web are designed for some pretty serious woodworking. They might look nice, but be prepared for instructions that want you to do work on a planer, a drill press, a router table, and some other tools I’ve never heard of.

Free Plans?
The next thing you’ll notice with your online search is that a lot of the listings advertise free plans. Believe me, I’ve meticulously gone through these “free workbench plans” websites and I can tell you without hesitation that this stuff is mostly junk. Like a lot of stuff on the Web, it’s simply a ploy to get you interested in looking at something else…like a new cell phone or a free credit report.

A Better Plan…under $10
My opinion in regard to workbench plans overall is that you’re better off to spend the $5-$10 and get something that more resembles what a real workbench plan should be-step-by-step instructions with nice illustrations, cutting diagrams, and shop tips and techniques. What I’m talking about here are plans that have at least five pages of content (unlike the photo-copied isometric drawings that some free sites have) and some reasonably good-quality photos of the finished product. The photos alone can be real life savers when you’re trying to put everything together the way it should go together.

By: Andy Duframe

Plan it out: Many investors, especially newer investors, try to make their house the prettiest one on the block like they see on the tv shows. This will cost you big time. Your goal should be to bring the property up to date, not to gold plate it. If your new property is in a Joe Lunch box neighborhood, don’t try to make it look like the ones on TV’s Extreme Home Make Over. Kitchen cabinets can be sanded and re-painted. Adding some new hardware makes a dramatic change in the effect without spending a lot of time or money. If the cabinets need to be replaced you can often get a bargain on in stock cabinets at your local Home Depot or Loews. Vertical window treatments can be replaced fairly inexpensively. When buying the hardware, see if you can get a large box of knobs and hinges instead of buying them one packet at a time. Think about making your selections for appliances, cabinets, bath room fixtures, lighting, paint, etc. a duplicatable process so that you save time on the next job and so you begin to know what items should cost.

Bids: If you are not doing all of the work yourself, get at least 3 bids on everything. Even if you have a bunch of regular contractors that you deal with. To get a head start on the bidding process, you can use Service Magic online to start a flow of qualified contractors giving you bids. They can arrange to have at least four different contractors contact you and will gladly add more if you don’t like what you got from the first batch. Keep in mind, that when you find a contractor that you like… the one that seemed the most professional may not be the cheapest but you can absolutely tell him or her that they were not the lowest bid, but you would still like to use them if they can just match it. Most often, they will match it or come much closer to it just to get the work. This saves you money as well as gets you the contractor you really wanted to use.

Paint: you can buy “mistake” paints for several dollars a gallon, If you take all of the extra cans they have on the floor and throw them in a 5 gallon bucket, invariably, you will get a beige or taupe color. Just add some more white to lighten it to a shade you like. Put a little on the backs of several outlet plates so you have an example to use for matching if you need to have more blended in the future. The mistake paint may cost only three to five dollars a gallon but still give you a good quality paint. If you do not want to have to do all of the hard work of painting the exterior yourself, use your pressure washer to blast the outside of the house and then go to the local big box home improvement store and look for paint trucks (Any vehicle with paint splatters, a ladder with paint splatters or any type paint equipment.) Approach the drivers as they return and tell them you are looking for someone to paint the outside of the house either this week end or the following week end. Tell them the house is already pressure cleaned and will be ready to paint (You will need to mask off the windows the day before they get there). You have set them up for an easy extra pay check for just a little extra work. You provide the paint… they only need to show up.

There are numerous ways to pinch a penny. The best ways involve having others take care of the tasks that you either can not do yourself or just prefer not to do yourself. You will save a little money, some back breaking work, and speed up your whole process by not having to do it all yourself.

By: Kurt Wells

Could you do it on one Saturday? Yes, but don’t plan on it unless you have experience in construction. Two saturdays should do the trick. The main things you need to do are to buy the right screws and ties. And, use a hammer drill for the cement. Timberlok landscape screws are a lifesaver (available at Home Depot). They are long, go in wood well, and will help hold cinch up the whole thing. In addition, get square headed Phillips screws. For the ties, get Simpson ties from Home Depot or Loews unless you want a more deluxe version. If so, check you local specialty lumber yard.

You will need the following tools: square, crayon, chalk line, tape measure, skill saw, drill, level, hammer drill, mason line, wrenches, screwdrivers, and reciprocating saw or jigsaw. Material list: Phillips Square Head Screws, posts, beams, lateral wood, post holders, and mounting hardware.

Step 1- Locate Where You Will Put The Posts.

Ten feet is the maximum distance for posts. You will get a sagging beam with further spacing. It will be best to try and keep the posts 8 feet apart or less. Measure your patio. You will put the posts a foot or two from the edge furthest from the house. Use this same distance to correlate the other two posts. Measure for the posts and put a crayon mark where you have decided the posts will go. Then, take your post holder and place it on the crayon mark. Draw the square shape of the post holder. Then, just for safety, pull a chalk line to make sure they look evenly spaced and straight. It can’t hurt to measure a second time, either. If you are going over 10 feet, just use extra posts.

Step 2- Drill and Set Post Holders

Use a hammer drill to drill a hole for each post holder. Each post holder will come with a cement screw that will screw down into the cement. Screw the post holders down. You will need a wrench to get it tight so make sure you have a wrench or socket to fit the screw head. Tighten it down and make sure the posts holders are straight with each other. If in doubt, get a long square board to lay on the patio and butt it up against the post holders and use a level to see if it’s perfect.

Step 3- Put you posts in the post holders.

Use your screws (usually 2″) and screw the post base to the post. Be careful, because the posts aren’t very secure yet. Use at least a four by four post. I would recommend six by six posts out of cedar or redwood, if you have the cash to spare.

Step 4- Install Top Beams Using Ties, Notching, or Both

It will look a lot like the post base. Once again, use your two inch screws. You should use the Phillips Square Headed Screws because they won’t strip out. Regular screws are much more difficult to get in because the head strips out continually. Another option is to notch out the beam. To notch out the beam, you can use a reciprocating saw with a long wood blade. Cut at a diagonal, at first, so you can get into the wood. For strength and beauty, I like to notch out the beam and use the Simpson Tie as well. There are other better looking ties. Check with your specialty lumber supplier to see what the options are. The upper beams should be the same size and number as the posts.

Step 5- Measure, cut, and screw in the top cross pieces.

Here is what makes it look like an arbor. You will cut each board, at the end, at a thirty degree angle. A jigsaw or reciprocating saw will do the job. Cut the angled cuts first. That way, if you make an error, it may be easier to fix. Use two by fours or two by sixes; depending on your preference. The bigger wood looks better, but is more expensive and harder to work with. Once again, you will use Simpson Ties, specialty ties, notching, or both. If you notch these boards, you can use Timberlok Landscape screws coming down from the top. They will hold them in nicely. If you use ties, just use some Phillips Square Head one inch screws. These top boards will be space about every 1.5-2.0 feet.

Step 6- Screw on secondary cross pieces.

Use 1*2 or 2*2 boards as secondary cross pieces. Space them every ? -1.0 feet apart. Set them straight and screw from the top down with your one inch screws.

Step 7- Fasten the arbor cross pieces to the house.

Simply use a Simpson tie and screws. It will make the arbor a little more sturdy.

Step 8- To protect the wood, put a wood stain on that repels water.

When you are finished, have a big patio party!

By: Kristy Snow

You see them advertise on the TV every day, orange aprons fluttering down the aisles at Home Depot, “You can do it! We can help!?”, the warm voice of Gene Hackman telling you “Lowes, let’s build something together”. These big names spend big bucks to convince you that if you want to improve your home you need to do it up big time at their big name, big box, home improvement chain stores.

Whew, that’s a mouthful and in a lot of ways very true too. Except for vinyl fencing. Oh, they sell vinyl fencing and their prices seem to meet the big box standards but everything is not always as it seems.

One of the first questions clients always ask me is, “How do you compare to them?” or “Why was our fence more expensive then theirs?” (If it was more). I found the best way to respond was by simply telling the truth. Sometimes our prices were more and sometimes they were less but one thing was certain. We always delivered a higher quality product.

I have nothing against them and have even advised certain people that the H. I. C.S. might better suit their unique needs. For example, I had a guy who was flipping a property and needed the cheapest fence he could buy. He wasn’t concerned with how long the fence would last, he just wanted to sell the property. I suggested, Home Depot.

The key to big box store shopping is to know, what you are getting for the price you are paying. I highly urge you to go and look at their fencing first hand. Feel it, touch it, push it and you will see that it gives quite a bit. The panels are thinner and are generally hollow with no internal ribbing and reinforcement.

They also utilize a bracket system which is an inferior way to assemble vinyl fencing and requires external hardware which distract from the clean lines of vinyl. Their fencing usually comes pre-assembled.

Oh, I hear you out there, “Isn’t that more convenient?”

Yes, assembled sections do provide more convenience but always remember that lower quality residential grade vinyl fencing normally comes assembled, as fence panels, while prime quality commercial grade vinyl fencing always comes unassembled.

Why? To be able to ship your order more securely so you receive it, complete and undamaged. It also allows you the opportunity to personally attend to each stage of construction, insuring the lifetime strength and durability of your fencing investment.

Keep in mind that the slide and pop assembly of commercial vinyl sections are very similar to “legos”, making them relatively easy to assemble. I, personally, am not a very handy man and I can tell you, from experience, they are not hard to put together.

One last thing to realize when evaluating prices between the H.I.C.S. and a vinyl fence dealer. The H.I.C.S. ‘s panel pricing, generally, does not include the costs of posts and caps. This is very misleading.

They get you in on the appearance of a lower price, which is usually for the fence panel only. Then they add in these costly but essential items at the time of sale. Right when you have reached that point when you are ready to buy.

Odds are, you usually carry on with the sale and find out the hard way that the posts and caps are where these stores make their money. Which is why they sell their fencing in six foot panels (rather then eight) as this means more posts and caps. You will of course, need posts and caps to assemble a vinyl fence. So when you’re pricing various options, you’ll need to add these costs into the total.

Wow! That great chain store price wasn’t so fabulous after all, was it?

Think about it. If you are going to make a lifetime investment in vinyl fencing for your beloved home. The rule of thumb is that, quality always trumps economy. In the long run you’ll end up paying less for a whole lot more.

Copyright 2008 David Spangenburg & Michael Goldman

By: David Spangenburg

Finally there is an adaptor that slides right in to your trailer hitch and transforms that normal receiver hitch into a super hitch. Introducing the Hitchet. Hand made in the good old USA the Hitchet works with any standard 2 inch receiver and with standard locking pins.

Tailgating
So how can this truck accessory help you? Well if you’re a tailgater you’ll be in the shade or out of the rain in just seconds with any standard size patio or beach umbrella. There is also a smaller bracket for golf umbrellas.

You are still able to open and close the tailgate when using a Hitchet on a pickup truck or suv. It works great for ATV, Side by Sides and Golf Carts.

BBQ Grillin
Do you have a hard time finding someplace to set up your BBQ grill? Well not after you get your Hitchet with the BBQ bracket attachment. Now its just a matter of seconds before you’re set up and ready to start cookin!

The generic BBQ pit bracket allows you to mount many different types of BBQ pits that are available at The Home Depot, Loews, or your local home improvement store. This bracket is pre-drilled, and comes with the mounting hardware that installs in minutes. Once the bracket has been mounted to your pit, you can handle burgers, dogs and steaks anyplace, anytime. This is the perfect tailgating accessory.

Hunters
For you hunter’s there is no longer a need to find the perfect tree with the perfect limbs to be able to dress out your kill. There’s a mobile game hoist attachment that comes with a six foot center section and a second Hitchet, with the pull of a pin it disassembles and stores easily. This unit comes complete with winch, cable, pins, it’s ready to use as an attachment on your existing Hitchet. The additional Hitchet that comes with this unit could even be used on another vehicle or for the fishing attachment.

Contractors
Life is not all fun and leisure and for those of us that have to work out of our trucks life just got better with a Hitchet. Now you have the means to mount and use different tools easily. Each bracket can be used for multiple applications and you can switch between applications in seconds! Use the Small 8″ x 8″ steel plate brackets to mount smaller items like a vise. Use the large 16″ x 24″ steel plate brackets to mount bigger items like a chop saw.

You can drill and bolt or weld attachments to the bracket and they are ready to be used with any standard class 3, 4, or 5 receiver hitch using Hitchet.

By: Ivan W Smith

Lowe’s gives customers a 10% off coupon who are moving. You can get this coupon at the Lowe’s website. It is sent in the mail, however, and can take a few weeks to receive. You can also go to your local post office and ask for a moving coupon book that contains several coupons for home improvement.

Lowe’s will match any competitors price or coupon so if you have a Home Depot sales advertisement you can show it to the cashier at Lowe’s. You can use the price match with any coupon. Home Depot coupons can be used at Lowe’s also.

If you go to the Lowe’s website and register you will receive coupons throughout the year. They are usually $10 off a $25 purchase. You can sign up at the Home Depot website also and all of your coupons can be used at Lowe’s.

Lowe’s also has a clearance section where items are marked down every week until most of it is sold. If you see something you are interested in you can ask a sales associate to mark it down further especially if it has been there for awhile. Go to the store frequently and watch the items on clearance. Sometimes if you wait a few more days you will see the price has been lowered. They do not want to have any liquidation so most of the time they will mark it down even more.

Combining Lowe’s discount coupons with items already marked up to 40% off clearance price is a great way to save money. You could also buy these items and sell them for full retail price.

Another way to get Lowe’s coupons is to purchase them for very little. Your price may be $1.00 to $5.00 for 10 coupons or more. This is another excellent way to save.

Lowe’s discount gift cards can be purchased below face value too and can also be used with your order.

By: Brandi Yates

This article describes how to install the stop and waste water connection outside and on the culinary system. For most new construction, the irrigation connection is performed in the basement. In previous years, the connection was always outside near the hose bib or park strip. The main advantage to putting the connection outside is that if it ever leaked it wouldn’t be in your home. New home builders put them in the home because it is cheaper for them. There is less digging involved.

Pre Install Tips

For this type of installation, don’t ever buy these parts from a big box store like Home Depot or Loews. They sell a junky stop and waste with a bell top. It is a piece of junk. You need to go to a real sprinkler or plumbing store. A good stop and waste is made by Mueller and costs around $80. 00. You should always use brass. Don’t substitute with galvanized and never ever mix galvanized with brass. If you ever run into a galvanized main line, use a dielectric union to prevent current. When galvanized and brass mix it can create an electric current that breaks down the pipe. Nowadays, most people replace the galvanized main line because they are so old. Lastly, use at least three rounds of Teflon tape for all threaded connections.

Items needed

Stop and waste, brass tee, two six inch brass nipples, threaded brass elbow, schedule 80 toe nipple, Teflon tape, pvc purple primer, pvc blue glue, reciprocating or hack saw, two pipe and two crescent wrenches, 10 feet of 2 inch pipe, two inch pipe cap, schedule 40 pvc pipe, coupling, gravel, sprinkler key, shovel, railroad pick, and sturdy soled boots. Crescent wrenches are optional.

You will know what sizes after you find the main line. If you are unsure, cut off a piece of main line and take it to the plumbing store and buy accordingly. Most main lines are one inch or ? inch.

Outside Water Connection

You could have culinary, secondary water, or both. In each case, the connection is quite different. Most people will know they have secondary water because there will be another green box in the park strip with the connection. If you are unsure, call your city to find out.

Culinary Outside Connection : Placement

Find the water meter in the park strip. Face the house and look directly at the nearest hose bib. This is the way your water line will run into the home. Many people put the connection right next to the house. The theory is that if you are right next to the hose bib you can know right where the water connection will be. However there is one giant drawback. Eventually the connection will leak. When it does, do you want it right next to your house? A better idea is to put it a few feet from the water meter. Then, when it eventually leaks it won’t flood your basement.

Dig

Call 811 (Blue Stakes) before you dig. You don’t want to accidentally puncture a gas line. After the property is staked, you can start digging like crazy. You should have a sharp shovel, a railroad pick, and some sturdy soled boots. Dig down to the main water line. The average depth is 5-6 feet. Some are as deep as 12 feet and some are only around three feet deep. It will seem like forever, but it should only take you a few hours of hard work; or less. You will know that you have the right pipe (generally) because it will either be copper or galvanized and ? or 1 inch in diameter.

Turn Off The Water

Call your city and have the water main turned off. Then, double check to see that the water in the house is off.

Cut Pipe

The best tool to cut the pipe is a reciprocating saw with a metal blade. It will only take a few seconds to cut the pipe. You might also use a hacksaw or rolling pipe cutter. Look at the brass tee and measure from groove to groove. In other words, you need to carefully look at the tee and figure out how much pipe to cut. It’s a nobrainer, but you should err on the side of caution. You can always cut more if it’s not enough. Don’t get dirt in the main line. Put something over the pipe to prevent dirt from getting in. A cloth with rubber band works nicely.

Install Brass Tee

Unscrews the tee ends and insert the tee. Make sure it fits snugly. Take a crescent wrench and tighten the tee into place. Most people use a pipe wrench, which is fine, but not recommended by the industry because the teeth mark up the fittings.

Install Brass Nipples

First, install the brass nipples to the stop and waste. You will use Teflon tape. Make three clockwise rounds with the Teflon tape on the threads (universally three times, at least, for all threaded connections). Then, using two pipe wrenches tighten the nipples onto the stop and waste. Make them as tight as possible without going crazy.

Second, install one brass nipple to the already installed tee. Use Teflon tape again. One very important point–Don’t put the stop and waste in backwards. There is an arrow on it indicating the water flow direction. Placing your wrench onto the stop and waste gives you more leverage to tighten the nipple into the brass tee.

Install Elbow

Now, you have installed the brass tee, brass nipples, and stop and waste. Take your elbow and install it to the remaining brass nipple. Don’t forget to use Teflon tape. The elbow should be threaded brass (ideally). Don’t use schedule 40 and never ever use male adapters on this type of installation. Male adapters and schedule 40 elbows are a common cause of failure.

Install Pipe For Sprinkler Valves

Attach a schedule 80 toe nipple to the elbow. Don’t forget the Teflon tape. Then use sprinkler primer and sprinkler glue to attach schedule 40 pipe to the toe nipple. You will also need a coupling to attach the toe nipple to the pvc pipe that runs to the valves.

Install Two Inch Pipe

The stop and waste will have a two inch pipe sitting on top of it. It will be held in by dirt. It makes it so you can turn it on and off with a sprinkler key. You can use schedule 40 pipe and just cut notches in the bottom so that the two inch pipe fits securely over the water main line and the stop and waste. You should use a two inch cap on the top of the pipe to prevent dirt from coming in. To make the pipe look nice, cut the top of the pipe to ground level. Some stop and waste valves are threaded on top. It works very well to thread a two inch threaded coupling to the stop and waste and then glue the pipe to the coupling.

Final Tips

Test everything before you bury. You don’t want to do the project twice. Put a small amount of gravel under the stop and waste. It will help prevent it from getting clogged and help the water go down more easily. Also, make sure you don’t get any dirt into the water main line. Right after cutting the pipe cover the pipe until it is reconnected.

By: Kristy Snow