Hot Headz seat warmer

The product highlight for December is the vehicle seat warmer from Hot Headz. They are an after market car seat warmer that you plug in to your power adapter or cigarette lighter. They have a high and low setting and fit in most cars, trucks and suv’s. I love this product. I have a Ford pick up truck that takes about 15-20 minutes to fully warm up whereas the seat warmer takes about 1-2 minutes to warm up. It’s a great product at a very affordable price. At only $19.99 it makes a great gift.

Find the Hot headz seat warmer at LeVahn Brothers Hardware Hank

We are located at 12700 Bass Lake Road Maple Grove, MN 55369

reach us at 763-553-1222

Find us at the web at LeVahnbros.com and at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/levahnbrothers

Mortons system saver MSD34C

A water softener is one of those appliances that you don’t think much about. Besides the occasional bag of salt there isn’t much you need to do. So how do you know if it’s doing what it’s supposed to be doing? Water softener failure can come in a few different forms some being much more devastating than others. Most times when a water softener fails it stops softening the water. When this happens you’ll notice that your dishes are cloudy or that it’s taking a lot more soap to suds up and get things clean. You also may notice that you’re not putting salt in at the rate that you used to. A simple water hardness test with a test strip can tell you right away whether you softener is still softening your water. The test strips are free and can be found at our retail store in Maple Grove.

Water Hardness Test Strip

Another issue that can occur is that a water softener can fail and backwash resin beads into your water system. This is the issue that I am going to focus mostly on in this article. A water softener has resin beads inside the brine tank that work to soften the water. The beads are periodically cleaned using the salt that you painstakingly put in the salt holding tank every few weeks. Usually set to go off at night, the system regenerates and cleans the resin beads and washes them clean. If for any reason the membrane breaks that is in place to hold the resin beads, the beads are free to travel throughout you water system. A sure sign of this would be low water pressure. Low water pressure is one of those generic symptoms that we see a lot of in plumbing. One of the main culprits of low water pressure is the water softener.

When the softener back washes resin beads the beads don’t go anywhere until there is movement in the system. In other words they don’t move if the water isn’t moving. Often times what occurs is that someone opens up a faucet in the morning to brush their teeth or to fill up their coffee maker and they notice very low water pressure. There’s little pressure because the faucet is plugged with tiny resin beads. If you notice a sudden change in water pressure shut the faucet off and if possible pull off the aerator and examine it. If the softener back washed you will see little tiny beads like the ones below in the aerator. Immediately go to your water softener and put it into “bypass” mode. Putting a water softener into bypass varies by manufacturer but normally it involves turning a valve off or like on the Mortons softener you push a valve in. This step makes it so the water no longer goes through your softener thus preventing the adding of additional beads.

Water softener resin beads

You now know that you have resin beads in your line and now you need to focus on getting them out which is not an easy or fun job. The first thing that you need to do is to tell the rest of the people in you house not to use ANY plumbing, especially hot water. Next you should shut off the cold water intake valve on the water heater to help ensure that no beads enter your tank.  Everything that you run water through will potentially get plugged with resin beads. This includes: faucets, toilets, showers, washing machines, etc. Next you should go to your laundry tub (make sure that it does not have an aerator on it) and open up the cold water valve fully. Try and look for resin beads in the laundry tub to see if you are getting the beads out. If needed try to catch them in a strainer so you can see if there are still beads leaving the system. run the water until it is clear of beads. Now you can move on to a bath tub and do the same procedure over again, running water until it is clear of beads.

If the hot water was turned on that means that there is a good chance that the resin beads are now inside your water heater. You will need to drain the heater to get the beads out. If you do not do this there is a good chance the beads will show up in your system later. Here is a link on how to drain a water heater.

Depending upon how much travel the beads had throughout your water system you may periodically see beads appear later on even after you’ve flushed them out. You may have issues with toilet valves getting clogged. If the toilet valves have an issue they will probably need to be replaced. Occasionally faucets may get plugged to the point where they also need to be replaced. If all of this seems over your head you can always call a professional plumber to do the flushing of your lines. We have seen it all when it comes to the extent of damage caused by a water softener backwash. We can flush your system and replace your water softener so that you can get back to flushing your toilets and taking hot showers again.

LeVahn Bros. Plumbing and Hardware  is located at 12700 Bass Lake Road in Maple Grove, MN 55369

You can contact us at 763-551-8990 or at andy@levahnbros.com

You can find us on the web at levahnbros.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/levahnbrothers

Pinhole leak in copper pipe

A pinhole leak is a small hole that develops in a pipe causing a mist or stream of water to shoot out. In most cases these leaks develop due to the pipe being eroded from the inside out. There are a number of factors as to why a leak happens. Some of the main factors that lead to a leak include: age, your municipalities water pressure, the amount of minerals found in your municipalities water, how the pipes are configured(i.e. elbows, bends, turns etc.), what season it is, and how the plumbing was installed.

In most cases the leaks occur near the water main inside the house. They occur near the water main because this is where the water pressure is the greatest in the home. Just like how water over time can cut deep into rock creating things like the Grand Canyon it also can erode the inside of your pipe. It slowly erodes the inside of the pipe until it eventually breaks through. This meter horn developed a leak at the bend on the left side. When a meter horn leaks you should check with your municipality to see if they are responsible for replacement, or if it’s up to you. In this case the resident was responsible for replacement so they came in and purchased one from us and installed it themselves.

Meter Horn with a pin hole leak

Most of the factors that cause pinhole leaks can’t be avoided. We can’t change the mineral content or temperature of the water coming into the home. Most leaks occur at or near a joint. In other words where a connection is. This could be an elbow or even a coupling. When water passes by a joint there is turbulence. The water swirls and spins as it passes through the joint. Preventing this is somewhat unavoidable. The turbulence cause the water to erode the pipe from the inside out.

copper fitting erosion

When a leak occurs at a joint it may be due to the installer failing to ream out the copper after cutting it.  When a copper pipe is cut with a pipe cutter it gets pinched as it’s being cut. This creates a lip on the inside of the pipe. This lip can exaggerate the amount of turbulence that occurs at the joint. The pipe in the picture below has multiple holes that probably occurred due to  the installer not reaming out the pipe after cutting it.

Pinhole leaks at solder joint

To help avoid this from occurring you should always use a pipe reaming tool to get rid of the edge that’s created when a pipe is cut. Some pipe cutting tools have a reamer attached right to them. If your pipe cutter doesn’t have a reamer, or if you don’t like that style, you can use a different style such as the one below. It is a very simple tool to use. All you need to do is run it along the inside edge of the pipe you cut and it takes off the lip created when the pipe was cut.

Copper tubing reaming tool

In our area where our store is located (the western suburbs of the Twin Cities) there is high water pressure and lots of minerals in the water. These factors coupled with the average age of the homes (around 25-30 years old) means that we’ve had a large volume of pinhole leak calls in recent years. High mineral content in water can cause multiple plumbing issues. Everything from water heaters to faucets and pipes are affected by the minerals. Softening your water doesn’t help much either. Softening water doesn’t remove many of the minerals that are present in the water.

If you get a pinhole leak what should you do? First you need to cut back the copper piping to a point where the copper is still sound. Remember that the pipe has been corroding from the inside out. The spot where the pin hole occurred is just the first place that it broke through. If you were to replace just the small section of piping where the pinhole is located you would probably be repairing another spot six months down the road.

Paper thin copper removed from a home in Maple Grove

Next you need to replace all the pipe and fittings that you’ve removed. I would recommend replacing the piping with a thicker commercial grade copper. Type “M”copper is the standard grade copper used for residential plumbing. Use a type “L” commercial grade copper instead. It costs a little more per foot but  it’s worth the investment. Make sure you ream out your cuts like mentioned above and solder everything back together.  If you don’t feel comfortable soldering a pipe and you’re going to have someone else do it make sure they cut enough of the bad pipe out and that they use type “L” copper when they replace it (you can also tell if it’s type “L” copper if the writing on it is blue, type “M” is red).

Type "M" (red) and type "L" (blue) copper

For more info on pipe leaks check out this blog: copper pipe leak

If you have any questions call us at 763-551-8990

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd. Maple Grove, MN 55369

this article is also now featured on ezine here’s the link http://EzineArticles.com/featured/

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com and on Facebook at  http://www.facebook.com/levahnbrothers

Frost covered leaves

There is cold weather coming and there’s no way of stopping it. In fact we’ve already  hit lows in the 30′s and its only the middle of September. You can curse and grumble all you want but the reality is summer has come and gone. Now is the time to start getting your home ready to take on the cold Minnesota winter. Here are  a few easy tips to help combat the effects of winter on your home.

1) Drain your outside faucet

When the temps are consistently reaching the freezing mark at night you need to drain your outside faucet line. Doing this prevents your water line that supplies your outside faucet from freezing and bursting during the cold winter months. Most outside faucets should have a shut-off valve inside on the water supply line. It will look something like the valve pictured below. Start by getting a bucket to catch the water. Shut the valve off supplying the water to the outside faucet. Next go and open up the outside spigot to prevent an airlock in the line. Then go inside and unscrew the small brass drain cap located on the side of the valve being very careful not to lose the cap. When it’s done draining PUT THE CAP BACK ON. If you lose the cap you are going to be kicking yourself when spring arrives. You can purchase new caps for most valves but not every manufacturer makes the same. For more info check out these other blogs: How to prevent an outside faucet from freezing, What’s the deal with backflow preventors for outside faucets and What to do for frozen pipes

Brass ball valve with drain

 2) Make sure all gaps and cracks are filled around your home

You should go around your home and do a visual check of your window and door casements, and your foundation to make sure there are no cracks for cold or uninvited guests to get in. Use an all-weather window and door caulking. I like to use a caulk that’s 100% silicone like GE Silicone II supreme. It stays flexible and is rain ready in about 1 hours time. You should also patch any cracks and holes in your foundation to prevent critters from entering your home as well as preventing heat loss. Unwanted guests of all kinds including insects and mice are going to be looking for somewhere warm to spend the winter. Don’t let it be your home. For more info on getting rid of unwanted guests check out these blogs: How to get rid of mice, how to get rid of ants in and around your home

Seal all cracks in windows doors and foundations

3) Replace weather seals around windows and doors

Check the seals around your windows and doors to make sure the weather-stripping is still in good shape. Caulking the casement helps but you also need to make sure the seals on the windows/doors are doing what they’re supposed to. It gets a little more difficult when replacing the seals on windows and doors because every manufacturer has their own specific seal that fits only their product. You can use a generic adhesive backed foam in place of what was there but if want the best seal you need to go back to the manufacturer. For more info on insulating your home check out this blog: How to save money by insulating your home

adhesive backed foam tape

4)Prevent frozen sump pump lines and damage from ice dams.

Take advantage of the still bearable weather to install heat tape to your sump pump line and to your roof and gutters. We all know about the remarkable amount of snow we received last year. People all over the U.S. were dealing with ice dams and the Twin cities area was no exception. Now is the time to install roof de-icing cables, before there’s snow and ice present. If you had problems with ice dams last year you should purchase and install cables on your roof or at least in the gutters to keep the water flowing off your roof instead of in your home. 

If you have a sump pump that is constantly running even through the cold winter months they’re aren’t a lot of options that meet code. One non-code option is to run the line into a floor drain or work sink. Remember this is not an option that is code. In order to solve the issue and still be up to code you need to find a way of keeping your line from freezing. Try using a water proof heat cable inside the sump line to keep the water flowing.

For more info on roof dams and frozen sump lines check out these blogs: Roof de-icing tablets, Roof de-icing cables, Get a roof rake to prevent an ice dam, how to prevent an ice dam on your roof, what to do for a frozen sump pump discharge line,

 For more information on what to do for your house before the

snow flies call us at 763-553-1222

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd. Maple Grove MN 55369

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/levahnbrothers

Blood filled mosquito

Mosquitoes in Minnesota are notoriously bad. In fact it’s often joked that mosquitoes are the real official state bird. With that said this year has been one of the worst for mosquitoes that I can remember. It’s gotten so bad that it was keeping me inside. That’s right, even though we have only 6 months of weather without snow to enjoy the outdoors I would rather have sat inside then get eaten alive.

Here was my problem. My little girl was turning 3 and we planned a birthday party for her at the house. We invited 36 friends and family members 18 of them being children under the age of 12. We needed to be able to go outside for our own sanity. In preparation for the party my wife went outside to do some weeding. Even though it was about 85 degrees out she wore long sleeves and pants and covered herself in bug spray. It didn’t help. She could only handle it for 10 minutes and she was done. I watched as she constantly waved her hand in front of her face to shoo away the swarm of mosquitoes around her.

Mosquito Beater Hose End Sprayer

I had never tried it before but we sell a product that is called Mosquito Beater by Bonide. It comes in a few different forms including a granule shaker and a hose end sprayer. A few hours before the party we applied the spray version to the yard and garden around the house itself. Right as the party was starting we decided to apply the granules to the areas we didn’t spray down near the lake that we live on. In both instances the mosquitoes were relentlessly attacking us as we applied the Mosquito Beater. But I can honestly say that I didn’t see a single mosquito during the party. In fact, I had completely forgotten about it until my dad mentioned how well the Mosquito Beater was working.

Mosquito Beater Granule Shaker

I highly recommend using this product in your yard if you have a mosquito issue. It is a residual insecticide so it will continue to work for a number of weeks after you apply it. Using this product made it possible for me to go back outside and enjoy the few remaining weeks of decent weather that we have left.

If you would like more information contact us at 763-553-1222

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd. Maple Grove, MN 55369

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

For more tips about getting rid of mosquitoes and other pests check out these blogs: How to get rid of 1-5,000 mosquitoes a night using a bat house, how to get rid of wasps hornets and yellow jackets, How to get rid of Box elder Bugs

Adult Boxelder bug

 Box elder bugs are a nuisance bug that are completely harmless beyond the icky factor. They are a bug that doesn’t do any harm to you or your home but most people including myself don’t like to live with the bugs. Box elder bugs start showing up in the spring having hatched from their winter hiding spots.  They emit an odor that attracts other boxelders to the spot and in no time they can cover the warm southerly facing side of your home. Boxelders are prolific breeders (just watch them for 5 seconds and you’ll know what I mean). They lay eggs on and in your windows and siding and in  few weeks you’ll see thousands of tiny red bugs swarming all over your walls (like the picture below).

newly hatched box elder bugs

In the fall box elders will again swarm the southerly facing walls of your home in preparation for winter. They’re looking for a warm place to spend the winter and if they’re on your house it means they’ve found their spot. If you don’t want them covering your house in the spring or getting into your house during the winter months I suggest taking care of them in the fall. 

The best poison to use is a residual bug insecticide like Bug Max 365. You can apply this to the outside of your home where you see the box elder bugs. Spray the siding directly with the insecticide  focusing on the foundation. Make sure to get all cracks and crevices because you don’t want them making your home into their home. You may also want to consider sealing up those cracks you find with caulking to prevent any unwanted guests. With a residual insecticide you do not have to spray the bugs directly. The insecticide will continue to kill the bugs day after day until the insecticide finally wears off. On my house we would spray the house above the deck and have to sweep up giant piles of dead box elders daily. There are other residual insecticides out there but based on my experience this one seemed to work the best.

Bug Max 365

Box elder bugs get they names from, you guessed it, Box elder trees. If you have a severe problem and hate the idea of using insecticides you could remove any box elder trees that are nearby. Please make sure to only remove trees that are actually on your property. We don’t want to be responsible for any fights or legal action from your neighbors.  

Another non-poisonous ways to get rid of box elder bugs is to use a shop-vac to suck them up. They stink when you squish them and remember that they emit an odor that attracts other bugs so do you best not to smash them up. Suck them up, bag them and throw them away.

For more information contact us at 763-553-1222

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd. Maple Grove, Mn 55369

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

For more information on othe pest control check out these blogs: How to get rid of Grubs and Japanese Beetles, How to get rid of Yellow Jackets, Wasps, and Hornets, How to get rid of ants in your home and yard, How to get rid of mice, How to Get rid of 1-5000 mosquitoes every night. Try a Bat House., What to do for Emerald Ash Borer, summer lawn care: how to kill grubs, moles and ant control

Japanese Beetle

Japanese Beetles are  a pest that were accidentally introduced to the eastern U.S. in the early 1900′s. Now they are sprouting up everywhere including in Minnesota. This year in the twin cities metro area they are as bad as they’ve ever been and they are devouring everything in their path. Japanese Beetles cause damage in multiple ways.

 GRUBS- Grubs are present in your lawn during spring and early summer from eggs that were laid and hatched the previous fall. The grubs devour roots of plants (including: trees, grass, plants, flowers and ornamental shrubs). They cause stress on your lawn by not allowing roots to establish causing large patches of grass to die in the heat of summer. Pull up the dead turf and roll it up until you reach the edge of the green. If it is grubs you will find them here at the edge of the green turf eating away at the roots. Another issue that may arise out of having these grubs in your turf is the fact that other pests eat these grubs. Grubs in your turf will attract moles, shrews, and even skunks that all feed on the larva.

Lawn damage due to grubs

ADULT JAPANESE BEETLE -From about the beginning June through the end of August they mature into the beetle and they emerge hungry. They attack plants of all kinds but they seem to like roses, ornamental shrubs, and fruit trees. The beetle emits a pheromone that attracts other beetles to the spot resulting in an infestation on a single tree or garden.

Beetle Damage

 They retreat to the grass in the evening to lay eggs in your lawn/garden. The eggs will hatch in the late summer and the larva will immediately begin the cycle again feeding on roots before winter arrives.

TREATMENT- There are a number of products out on the market that will help control Japanese Beetles. You can attack them in a few different ways. The first is to use a systemic treatment for your trees and shrubs. Infuse by Bonide is a systemic treatment for trees that will help protect them from a number of different insects including Japanese Beetles and Emerald Ash Borer. To kill grubs it’s best to apply a granular insecticide with a spreader from July-September. At this point in the grubs life-cycle they are weak and can be killed off easily.  

Grubex Granular grub killer

To kill adult Japanese beetles proves to be a little more difficult. Removing the Japanese Beetles as soon as they are present is key due to the fact that having beetles present attracts more beetles. Use a spray insecticide and thoroughly treat the infested area. ou may need more than one treatment to completely kill off an invasion. Be careful to use an approved insecticide when treating  a fruit producing plant and follow the instructions on the bottle.

Bonide Fruit Tree Insecticide

Use of traps to capture Japanese Beetles have mixed results. Some people who use them say that they’ve had great results in controlling the infestation. However, traps use a pheromone that attracts beetles to that spot which may result in attracting more beetles to a spot without actually capturing them.

For more information on Japanese Beetle control and prevention check out the Univeristy of Minnesota Extension page.

For more information on insect control check out these blogs: What to do for Emerald ash Borer, How to get rid of wasps, hornets and yellow jackets, Summer lawn care: how to get rid of moles grubs and ant control, How to get rid of ants in your home and in your yard

All the products listed above can be found at:

LEVAHN BROTHERS HARDWARE AND PLUMBING

For more info call us at 763-553-1222

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Road Maple Grove, Mn 55369

Check us out on the web at levahnbros.com and also on Facebook

Honey Bee

The first thing you need to know when attempting to get rid of a bee, wasp, hornet or yellow jacket is to identify exactly what variety of insect you are looking at. The image above is that of a Honey Bee and when at all possible you should try to avoid getting rid of them. Honey Bee populations have plummeted in recent years having an adverse effect on our food crops. In fact, according to the National Geographic Honey Bee populations have declined by 50% in the last 50 years. Farmers depend on bee populations to populate their crops and if this trend continues it’s going to have severe effects on the food we consume. Please be careful and identify that the pest that you’re about to spray is in fact a pest and not a vital contributor to our environment. With that being said, there are a number of wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets out there that can be a big nuisance.

Paper wasp with its nest

One of the most common wasps that we see in this area is the paper wasp. The Paper Wasp builds its nest in trees, building overhangs, eaves, or other areas out of the elements such as sheds, or children’s playhouses. If at all possible leave a nest alone if it’s not bothering you. Paper wasps are not considered pests and are actually beneficial to the environment. They feed on caterpillars, beetle larva, flies and other nuisance insects. If a nest is too close for comfort a can or two (depending on the size of the nest) of wasp and hornet killer can be used to kill a colony of paper wasps. It is highly recommended that this be done at night preferably when it’s cool (50 degrees or less). Wasps have a hard time flying when the temperature is cooler. It is also recommended that you don’t make sudden movements as this will attract any wasps toward you as a target to defend against.

A 30+ year old Paper Wasp nest hanging in the store from owner Loren LeVahn's back yard

Yellow Jacket

 Yellow jackets are  a wasp variety that is attracted by sweets, and meats. They will congregate around public areas such as parks, zoos, schools, beaches or anywhere else they can find sources of food. For this reason preventative measures should be taken to prevent yellow jackets from taking up residence near you. Here are some tips to help prevent yellow jackets from becoming a nuisance:

• Keep garbage and recycling contained and covered at all times.  They would love to make a meal out of your old discarded food and drink refuse.
• Get rid of your hummingbird feeder. I know this may be painful for some of you out there to do this but it may not be as painful as a yellow jacket sting.
• Properly seal awnings, siding, and trim around your home. Yellow jackets would love to nest inside the walls of your home so seal-up all gaps that you can find to prevent this (and make your home a little more efficient in the process).

  

  Yellow Jacket Trap

• In the springtime use a yellow jacket trap to hopefully snare a queen looking for a place to set-up shop. Queens will be making their rounds in the springtime looking for the perfect place to start their colonies. The traps can also be used in the summer months to help control populations of yellow jackets and wasps.

Once yellow jackets are established in your area they are  more difficult to get rid of due to the fact that you can’t normally see the actual nest. Do your best to locate the entry point of where they are coming from.  Yellow jackets will nest inside your siding/awnings of your home, in your foundation, in your retaining walls or any other number of locations. Be mindful that the actual nest may be up to a couple of feet or more away from the entry point. In other words spraying a poison into the hole may not be sufficient enough to take care of the problem. You may need to drill multiple holes into the structure and inject poison directly into a nest to be certain that you kill the whole colony. Be incredibly careful when attempting to do rid yourself of yellow jackets. They are more aggressive than other bee varieties and can really cause some harm when aggravated. They will defend their nests to the bitter painful end and will sting multiple times before they die. If  you have no choice make sure to follow these hints: Work late at night in cooler temps (50 degrees or less) and wear protective clothing. Move slowly to attract less attention (easier said than done). Have an arsenal of yellow jacket and wasp killer at your disposal and use all of it. You may want to do 2-3 treatments to ensure that you’ve got all of them. The winter temps will kill off the colony so if possible don’t be a hero and wait until nature takes care of them for you. Be careful to make sure that you killed off the ENTIRE colony before you plug up any holes (they have been known to chew their way out of a nest and that could potentially mean chewing into your house instead of out of it).

For yellow jackets that make their nest in the ground the rules change a little bit.  Instead, use an insect killer that is in dust form like sevin, eight, or Dursban. You can also use a few aerosol cans of Yellow jacket killer. Find some means of injecting the dust or spray into the ground where the nest is located.  On a cool night locate the nest and inject an ample amount of poison into the nest. Move slowly to avoid attracting attention to yourself as a threat. You may need to treat a nest a few times to ensure that the nest is fully dead.

Take the proper precautions when dealing with bees

Whenever dealing with bees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets take the proper precautions. If you are allergic, have someone else take care of it for you. Don’t take a chance it’s not worth the risk.

For more information contact us at 763-553-1222

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd. Maple Grove, MN 55369

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

For more information on pest control check out these blogs: How to get rid of ants in your yard, How to get rid of mice, How to get rid of mosquitoes using a bat house, What to do for emerald ash borer

Sweet Ant

Got an ant problem? If you do you’re not alone. It seems that this year we are having a bumper crop of ants and with the recent rain they’re all trying to come inside. Sweet ants seem to be the main culprit, although we’ve had a number of people who say that they’ve got the black or “common” ant showing up as well.

Common Black Ant

 Ants enter your house for the same reasons we do: its dry and that’s were the food is. If allowed, ants have no trouble finding a way in to your house. They can crawl into cracks in the foundation and start colonizing your home in no time. Before you know it you’ve got a full-fledged infestation on your hands.

To help prevent ants from entering your home you have to start at the entry point which is your homes foundation. There are a few options you can choose to form a sort of temporary force field around you home. One of them is a product from Terro called Ant Killer Plus. It is a granular that you shake out around the perimeter of your home. This product also controls cockroaches. fleas, and a whole list of other insects. It claims to be long-lasting but it is vague in terms of what that actually means. You can also use this product as a spot treatment for ant hills in the yard.

Bug Max

Another option is to use a product called Bug Max by Enforcer. Bug Max is a liquid that you spray around the foundation of your home as well as on door frames and window frames. It is a residual which is just a fancy word for saying that you don’t necessarily need to spray the actual bug for it to be effective. Bug Max also works on a number of other insects including Box Elder bugs and Asian Lady Beetles.

If you can’t prevent them from coming inside or you already have a problem don’t worry there is a solution. If you want to rid yourself of your ant problem you need to kill them in their nest. The problem is, you probably have no idea where their nest is. You could try tracking one until he reveals his hideout to you but there is an easier way.

The ants that you see in your home are the ants in charge of gathering food for everyone else back at the nest. That being said, if you kill only the ants you see you won’t solve the problem because there’s more ants that will take their place. The solution is to use a poison that the ant will take back to the nest.

Terro liquid ant baits

There are number of options when it comes to ant poisons. Terro is one option. It comes in liquid form that is in a bottle or in a pre-baited container that you cut open. The only problem with the liquid Terro products is keeping cats, dogs, or little children from ingesting the poison. For this reason you should place the baited traps in places that you have seen ants but also where only the ants can get to it. Terro seems to work best for the small brown sweet eating ants.

Raid Ant Baits

Another option is  to use a product that is not a liquid and is more child/pet friendly like Raids Ant Baits. This product is enclosed so the poison is easily accessible to ants but not to pets or children. It is still highly effective and seems to work better for the common black household ant.

Both of the products mentioned above WILL TAKE TIME to completely kill the colony. This isn’t an instant gratification solution to the problem but it is the most effective. You will see ants by the dozens eating from the ant baits and you are going to wonder to yourself if it’s really doing what it’s supposed to do. Like I said earlier the ants you see are bringing back food to the others in the nest and eventually you will stop seeing anymore ants. 

If you have any further ant related questions please post your question or call us at 763-553-1222   

LeVahn Bros. Plumbing and Hardware Hank is located in the Bass Lake Shopping Center at 12700 Bass Lake Rd. Maple Grove, MN 55369

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

Check us out and “like” us on facebook as well

For more info on ants and other pest control check out this blog on summer lawn pest control

Bird feeder

Spring is a great time to establish or re-establish your bird feeding station. During the spring you have the return of birds that have been away for the winter. You’re feeder is also going to get a lot of migrating birds that are just passing through that you wouldn’t normally see in our area. If you haven’t been seeing many birds there are a few things to consider.

The first thing you need to do is to check your feeders. Are they clean? If you have old, wet, moldy seed your birds are not going to eat it. Clean out your bird feeder with a anti-bacterial soap or a mild bleach solution. Use a tube brush to clean out your tube feeder. Make sure they are thoroughly dry before you refill them. You also need to clean up any seed piles that are on the ground. These can become a real source of disease as well as being an eyesore under your feeder.

Tube bird feeder brush

The same needs to be done for bird houses and bird baths. Make sure they are clean and are in good working order. Make sure that bird houses  haven’t become mouse hotels over the winter. Repair any damage caused by winter and/or rodents. If the feeder, bird house or bird bath is too damaged you should replace it.

Offer a variety of seeds in different feeders. This will allow birds that can dominate a feed station, such as Grackles, a spot to eat as well as having an option for other birds. Try putting out nyjer thistle or safflower seed to attract cardinals, chickadees, finches and titmice.

Black Capped Chickadee

Offer a fruit option such as orange and apple slices, raisins, and grapes for migrating Orioles and other fruit-eating birds.

Put out nesting materials for birds. This can be as simple as pet hair, or yarn. You can also purchase all natural bird nesting material that can be hung near your feeding station.

All natural bird nesting material

 Offer mealworms for insect-eating birds. Spring (especially in Minnesota) can be very unpredictable for insects and a sudden cold spell can keep insects from appearing. Offering mealworms is a good supplement for birds such as orioles, warblers, and tanagers that are looking for insects.

If you are looking for bird feeders, premium bird food, and bird feeding accessories stop in to LeVahn Bros Hardware Hank 

We are located at 12700 Bass Lake Rd Maple Grove, Mn 55369

Call us at 763-553-1222

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

Visit our Facebook page and “like” us

For more info on Bird feeders and Bird food check out these posts

Product Highlight: Wild Delight Bird Food

Winter Bird Feeding Tips

Bird Feeding Tips

Wet Basement Floor

If you have a home that has a sump pump you may be familiar with that humming sound that happens every so often. You may also lie awake at night during the spring months worried when you don’t hear it. If this is you then you may want to ask yourself this question: what am I going to do when my sump pump fails? Sump pumps have a lifespan. A sump pump will last between 5-10 years depending on how often it’s used. The problem is, your pump won’t let you know when it’s dead. There’s no announcement, just a basement full of water.

Step one would be to test your sump pump periodically to make sure it’s still working. To test your pump all you need to do is lift the float up to see if it turns on. Pumps generally have three styles of switches on them. The first style is a  switch that is in a float that is tethered to the unit. You will need to lift this style switch almost vertical before it will turn on your pump. The second is a pump that has a float that travels up and down on a rod. The third switch is a pressure switch. To test the pressure switch model you would need to add water to the sump basket in order to turn it on. (Check out the slide show below for examples of these pumps.)

Now that you know that your primary pump works you are going to want to consider what could happen if and when that pump fails or when you lose power (like during a heavy storm). The safest bet is to have a back-up system installed. That way, if your pump fails, there is something in place to save your basement man cave. A back-up unit is installed above the primary pump and will engage only if the water level reaches its switch. There are essentially two options when it comes to back-up systems. There is the battery back-up and the city water powered Sump Jet.

Battery Back-up sump pump

First I will talk about the battery back-up unit. A battery back up unit obviously works off of a battery. It uses a car battery sized battery that will need to be replaced about every four years. A battery back-up will run for about 7-8 hours before the battery runs out of juice. In other words, if your power is out for more than 8 hours you will be bailing out your basement. Also, if you happen to be out-of-town for a week and your sump fails the battery back-up unit won’t even give you a full day help.

Liberty Sump Jet back-up sump pump

The other option is to have a Liberty Sump Jet back-up sump pump put in. This unit is powered by your city water so it takes no electricity to run. For every gallon of city water that is run through it, 2-3 gallons of water are pumped out of your sump basket. The downfall of this unit is that water lines will have to be run to it in order to power it. You also have to check with your municipalities for code issues with running the water lines. In some cities back flow check valves have to be installed in-line to prevent contamination of the water system. In other words a licensed professional plumber should be the one installing this particular pump. This unit along with a check valve and copper pipe to supply it end up being about the same cost in terms of materials as a lower end battery back up unit. Check out this link to a news piece that we did on back -up sump pumps. Here’s a video of another news piece we did on sump pumps and back-ups:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl6rnBpU3sc

For more information on sump pumps check out these other blogs: What to do for a frozen sump pump discharge line, Product Highlight Liberty Sump Jet, Sump pumps for a flooded basement

For all of the products mentioned above go to LeVahn Bros. Hardware Hank

Located at 12700 Bass Lake Road Maple Grove, Mn 55369

To contact us call 763-551-8990

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

Also, come “like” us on Facebook

The product highlight for this week is Wild Delight Premium bird food. We’ve been selling Wild Delight products for the last 15 years and we love their product. Wild Delight uses high quality seeds that are screened to take out debris like sticks and other junk that you see in lower quality seed. Wild delight is full of real fruits and nuts. Many of their seeds are fortified with other essential nutrients for healthy birds. You won’t find filler seeds like millet making up 1/2 the bag either. They even have “no waste” varieties that are shelled so you don’t end up with giant piles of shells below your feeder. We highly recommend this product. Stop in and pick up a bag or two and don’t forget to get a Wild Delight frequent buyer card.

For bird feeding ideas check out our blogs: Winter Bird Feeding and Bird Feeding tips

As always the product mentioned above can be found at our retail hardware store located in the Bass Lake Shopping Center in Maple Grove

12700 Bass Lake Road Maple Grove, MN 55369

If you have questions call 763-553-1222

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

Frozen Sump Pump Discharge Line

Sump pumps are a necessity in our area of Minnesota. Besides the ground being clay, we have developments all around us that were placed on top of back-filled swamps and marsh land. Residents of this area have their sump pumps run year round. Because the pumps run year round that creates issues when the temps are below freezing. If your sump pump seems to be running continuously it could mean one of two things: either your back flow check valve is failing or your discharge line is frozen.

Sump pump discharge lines can freeze causing the sump pump to run continuously, eventually burning up the pumps motor. It also means if the water has nowhere to go the sump pump basket may overflow flooding your basement.

A person can do a few different things to prevent this from happening. Often times the sump pump is hard piped from the sump pump to the outside of the house. Once the pipe is outside however it is often then attached to  flexible sump pump discharge tubing. This flexible discharge line should be removed in the fall so that it doesn’t freeze up. The problem with doing this is that if the sump pump needs to run in the winter it will be discharged right next to the house instead of away from the home. When that happens it is likely that the water that you just pumped out of the basement will make its way back to the basement again.  A homeowner should have a couple flexible discharge lines on hand so that if you have a period of heavy sump use you can throw a flex line on to get the water away from the house. Then, if and when the line freezes up, you can detach that line and put your other spare flex line on.

We do not recommend directing the water into a floor drain or laundry tub inside the house. This is considered an illegal hook-up of the sump discharge. However in an emergency situation this is an option.

Another option would be to use some kind of heat cable on the discharge line. You would only do this if your discharge line is hard piped with PVC. This is not something we recommend if you are using the thin flexible discharge line. You could use a roof and gutter de-icing cable and run it through the discharge line and plug it in as needed. DO NOT use pipe heat tape. Pipe heat tape is meant to be used on the outside of the pipe in indoor applications only and is not to be exposed to the elements.

De-Icing cable

It’s good practice to periodically check your sump basket to make sure that your pump is working properly. If you have a flex line on the sump make sure that it is free and clear of debris, snow, and ice during the cold winter months. You may also want to make sure that it is not discharging water that will freeze and create dangerously icy conditions in a spot that could cause you trouble. In other words don’t allow your sump pump to discharge massive quantities of water onto your sidewalk and driveway.

Take Our Poll

Check us out on a KSTP eyewitness news report talking about back-up sump systems http://kstp.com/article/stories/s2024543.shtml?cat=63

For more on sump pumps and flooding basements check out these other blogs: Sump pumps for a flooded basement, basement flooding and sump pumps, Product highlight: Liberty Sump jet sump back-up sump pump

For more info or to have a sump pump installed call us at 763-551-8990

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd Maple Grove, MN 55369

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

We’re also on Facebook check us out and “like” us

Liberty Sump Jet back up sump pump

The product highlight for the week of February 21st is the Liberty Sump Jet back up sump pump. This is a back up sump pump for emergency use during pump failure or power outages. If you have a sump pump you may want to consider a back up for when you lose power or for when your main pump fails. It’s good peace of mind to know that you’re covered in case of an emergency.

The Liberty Sump Jet is a unique back-up pump that is powered by your houses city water supply. For this reason it will not work off of a well unit during power outages.  The Sump Jet removes two gallons of water from the basket for every one gallon of water supplied. It is superior to battery back up units because of the fact that it never has to have a very expensive battery replaced. It also won’t quit working after 4-6 hours of running like a battery back-up unit does. If you have prolonged power outage or if you can’t make it to a store for a day or more you don’t need to worry about this back up pump quitting.

The only issue involved in adding a Liberty Sump Jet unit is the fact that you need to have 3/4″ water line with a back flow preventer run to the unit. If your handy enough you can do this yourself but in most cases a person would want a professional licensed plumber do the work.

Check out LeVahn Bros. Plumbing on KSTP news in Minneapolis talking about back-up sump systems http://kstp.com/article/stories/s2024543.shtml?cat=63

For more info check out this link on sump pumps

For more info from Liberty check out their website here

To purchase a Liberty Sump Jet unit or for installation of a sump pump call LeVahn Brothers Plumbing and Hardware at 763-551-8990

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Road Maple Grove, MN 55369

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

you can also come like us on Facebook

Foam Rubber Floor Squeegee

The product highlight for the second week of February is a very high quality foam rubber floor squeegee. It’s mostly sold in our area for getting water/slush out of a persons garage. As many of you know living in Minnesota means having to deal with a certain amount of snow during the winter. Snow accumulation causes of number of issues that  person has to deal with on a daily basis. One of these issues is the fact that when you pull your car into your garage you tend to bring a certain amount of  snow with you. This snow drips, drops, splats and plops messes all over your garage floor.

Traditionally we sold people a floor squeegee that was made of heavy-duty rubber. This style squeegee was always frustrating because it always seemed to skip and bounce  across the floor missing water and debris along its path. It also would warp over a short period of time. We started bringing in the foam rubber squeegees a few years ago. At first I was highly suspect that it would do a good job or hold up to the Minnesota salt, gravel, ice, snow, slush mix that accumulated in my garage. In fact, when my squeegee I had started warping on me I purchased another heavy rubber model instead of the new foam model that we started carrying.

I finally got talked into one after a few months of battling with the rubber model and I couldn’t have been more impressed.  The foam rubber squeegee outperforms the conventional rubber squeegee in almost every facet. It doesn’t miss anything, it removes significantly more water, it doesn’t skip and it surprisingly holds up to the salt, ice and gravel. They’re even less expensive than the rubber models.

We sell these to people and the never go back to the other old rubber style. We have customers that come from all around just to buy the foam squeegee that we carry. Try one, you won’t regret it and you’ll never go back to the old style rubber model.

For the product listed above stop  in and see us  we are located in the

Bass Lake Shopping Center 12700 Bass Lake Road Maple Grove, MN 55369

Call us at 763-553-1222

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

check us out on Facebook and “like” us

Roof Melt

The product highlight for the first week of February is “Roofmelt” roof de-icing tablets. This product is designed to help aid in the removal of ice dams that form on the eaves of your roof. It comes in a bucket that has approximately 60 tablets in it. You place the tablets about a foot or less apart along the backside of where the ice dam has formed. Down below is the instructions from the back of the bucket.

Roofmelt "how it works"

We have found the claim that you can “throw the tablets safely from the ground” is not the best way to do it. Unless you are a major league pitcher and can throw the tablets from the ground and have them land directly behind the ice dam with about a one foot spacing in between them, you are probably going to have to get on a ladder and place them on the roof.

The point of the roof melt is to HELP aid in the removal of the ice dam. It is not magic pixie dust that makes your ice dams disappear after one day. If used correctly it will help create a channel for the water to go and it will help loosen the ice that is already there. We’ve found that people expect instant results and that’s just not going to happen. It is a good product, that when used properly will help you get rid of your ice dams. Just don’t expect a miracle.

For more information on getting rid of ice dams check out these blogs:

Product Highlight: Roof de-icing cables

Get a roof rake to prevent an ice dam

Get your home ready for winter

How to prevent and get rid of ice dams on your roof

The product above can be found at LeVahn Brothers Hardware Hank

12700 Bass Lake Rd. Maple Grove Mn 55369

To contact us call 763-553-1222

Check us out on the web at levahnbros.com

Check us out on Facebook and “like” us

Roof de-icing cables

The product highlight for the last week of January is Wrap-on roof de-icing cables.  The reality is that this is a product that should be purchased when you don’t have two feet of snow and ice on your roof but nobody thinks about it when it’s warm out. Roof de-icing cables are a device that is applied when there is no ice or snow on the roof and are used when the snow and ice are present. They are a heat cable that will melt snow and ice in your gutters and on the first few feet of roof to prevent ice dams from forming. It is not designed to totally clear a roof of snow nor is it meant for a flat roof. It works to create channels for the water to flow so that when a roof naturally thaws it has a place for water to flow. Packages range in length from 40′ to 120′ and each package comes with shingle clips to hold the cable in place and instructions for how to properly install the cable.

Ice dam prevention

This is a highly recommended product that we suggest you buy now while the image of ice dams is still fresh on you mind. If you wait until spring, summer or even fall the memory of that ice dam will fade until you have another issue next winter.

For more about ice dams and ice dam prevention check out these blogs:

Get your home ready for winter, How to prevent and get rid of ice dams, and Get a roof rake to prevent an ice dam

To purchase heat cable or if you have other questions call 763-553-1222

LeVahn Bros Hardware and Plumbing is located at

12700 Bass Lake Rd Maple Grove, MN 55369

visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

Check us out of Facebook and “like” us

Place your bird feeders closer to the home or on the deck to allow for easier feeder refilling. You can purchase hangers that will attach directly to the deck railing without drilling any holes.

Double branch deck hanger

Single arm deck hanger

Here are the species that you should be targeting:

Chickadees

Chickadees are a beautiful bird that will feed in numbers when you have a consistent seed present. Chickadees eat millet, sun flower hearts, black oil sunflower seeds and dried fruit.

You also want to make sure that you have a suet cake available for the chickadee to munch on. Suet cakes are high in fat and protein and are a bird favorite in the lean winter months.

Cardinal in the snow

Cardinals

Cardinals are beautiful in the winter time against a white and evergreen backdrop. Cardinals eat; safflower, black oil sunflower, suet, striped sunflower, and dried fruit available for cardinals. You can also purchase blends that are designed specifically for cardinals. Make sure that the blend you purchase is for cardinals and doesn’t just have a picture of a cardinal on the package.

Blue Jay

Blue Jays

Blue Jays are a somewhat of a bully when it comes to the birding world but they are beautiful to look at. They have a varied diet that consists of peanuts, sunflower seeds, berries, corn, acorns, insects, suet, and the occasional small mouse, baby bird or egg.

Nuthatch

Nuthatches

Nuthatches are a small fast bird that are an intense bundle of energy and are very entertaining to watch. They love to eat peanuts, black oil sunflower seeds, striped sunflower seeds,  insects, peanut butter and suet.

Grosbeak

Grosbeaks

Often mistaken for a purple finch, the male grosbeaks we have in our neck of the woods are a rosy red color. They prefer eating black oil sunflower seeds, striped sunflower seeds, sunflower hearts, safflower, and suet.

Purple Finch

Purple finches will stick around for at least part of a Minnesota winter. They like to eat black oil sunflower seeds, thistle seed (also know as nyjer seed), outdoor finch food, sunflower chips, and safflower seeds. They prefer coniferous trees to take refuge in.

Downy woodpecker

Woodpeckers

The Downy woodpecker is the species most likely to visit a feeder. A smaller version of a classic woodpecker body plan. They prefer insects but will also eat seeds and fruit. They love suet, peanuts, black oil sunflower, and millet.

For all birds make sure that you have the feeders near shelter such as a small bush or tree so they don’t feel exposed. Try placing the feeder in a place that the birds can escape from the wind and the elements. Use a cluster of two to four feeders and vary the feeder types. Use platform, tray and hopper style feeders. Have some feeders closer to the ground and some higher up.

If you feed the squirrels, rabbits, pheasants and or other critters place that feeder toward the back of the yard and away from the bird feeding station. This helps keep the other critters away from eating from the bird feeders. It doesn’t assure that your bird feeders won’t be attacked by unwanted pests but it helps.

Do not place the feeders too close to windows to avoid having birds crash into the glass. You may also want to consider putting out a heated bird bath for drinking water purposes. For more information on birds and bird feeding check out this post on bird feeding tips.

As always you can find the products spoken about above at our Hardware Store located in Maple Grove, Mn.

to contact us call 763-553-1222

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd Maple Grove, MN 55369

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

Check us out on Facebook and “like” us

Toro Power Shovel

The Product Highlight for the last week of 2010 is the Toro Power Shovel. It features a telescoping handle, 12″ clearing width, and can throw snow up to 20 feet. It is the perfect tool for decks, porches, stairs, sidewalks or small driveways. It is electrically powered so there is no gas or oil. You plug-in an extension cord and off you go. It is very lightweight and easy to use.

To purchase a Toro Power Shovel:

Call LeVahn Bros Hardware Hank  at 763-553-1222

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd Maple Grove, MN 55369

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

the "ultimate" scraper

The product highlight for the week of Dec 20th-26th is the “Ultimate” Scraper. The “ultimate” scraper is a fantastic tool for removing ice and compacted snow. It’s blade is made from a spring steel that you can really abuse without it breaking or bending. It’s meant to be used as a scraper and not a chopper for ice but I’ve used it as a chopper and it holds up. The blade is replaceable if it does break or wear out. It has a spot to push with your foot, which I thought was  nice feature. It can also be used for removing other things such as old carpet and carpet padding, mud and other compacted debris or for general clean up of work spaces such as barns, garages and work spaces. It works better than a classic ice scraper and if you ask me the less work the better when it comes to ice and snow removal.

the "Ultimate" scraper in action

For more ice and snow removal tips check out the blog ice removal for your driveway and sidewalk or the product highlight post incredible orange

For more info call us at 763-553-1222

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd. Maple Grove, Mn 55369

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

Check us out on Facebook and “like” us

Weber S-310 3 burner stainless gas grill

The product highlight for this week is the Weber S-310 stainless steel gas grill.  Weber has a tradition of building grills that last and this grill is no exception. The S-310 grill has stainless steel throughout including:  stainless steel burners, cooking grates, lid, side tables, and front cabinet doors. It features 3 burners that put out 42,000 BTU’s. It has 637 Square inches of cooking area. It has an electronic crossover ignition (like the kind used for gas ranges). The tank is now enclosed inside the cabinet of the grill (a nice feature that helps prevent squirrels from chewing on the gas lines).

Weber has done some changes on some lines of their grills that I’m not entirely found of but the Genesis line is still a good heavy-duty grill that will last. I have a Genesis grill that is 10+ years old that I’ve had to replace a few parts on but it’s still running great. I would highly recommend this grill to anyone that wants a high quality grill that will potentially last decades if it’s taken care of.

For more info call us at 763-553-1222

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd. Maple Grove Mn. 55369

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

Metrodome roof collapse due to snowfall

With 2 feet of snowfall occurring in the metro area of Minnesota you need to make sure you stay on top of the accumulation of snow on your roof. Take the collapsing of the Metrodome as a sign that snow accumulation on a roof is not a good thing. Snow accumulation on your roof isn’t going to collapse your roof but it can cause damage.

Ice dam

The biggest issue with snow accumulation on a roof is the forming of ice dams.
Ice dams occur when heat from your home melts the snow that is in direct contact with the roof surface. This melted snow then re-freezes and builds up an ice dam, normally at the gutter. As time goes by and water continues to feed the dam, the ice dam grows. If you have icicles forming, that is usually an indication that a dam may be forming.

Water bubble formed by a roof leak

The problem that arises due to ice dams is that the water that is backing up at the ice dam can find its way into your home. The water finds cracks and openings in the roof and makes its way into your attic space. From there it will make its way down walls or through ceilings. It can cause major water damage in your home.

Remove the first few feet of snow with a roof rake

To avoid having an ice form on your home use a roof rake to pull snow from the roof. A roof rake is essentially a really shovel that is turned on its side so that you can pull snow from the roof surface. When removing the snow you don’t need to worry about clearing the whole roof. All that you need to remove is 2-3 feet of snow from the roofs edge. The first couple feet of roof is where the dam forms and you need to keep this area free of snow to avoid having the water accumulate here.

Avalanche snow rake

The are a number of different roof rake options out there to purchase. The models that we carry are all around the same price (around $50-$55). A new unique version is the Avalanche snow rake. It slides under the snow allowing the snow to slide off the surface of the roof. There are also different length options so be sure to look at what length you need. If you have a really tall roof and need to extend your rake make sure you buy one that has that option. A five foot extension runs about $10.

"Roof Melt"

If you have an ice dam already formed do not attempt to chip or pull the ice up with your roof rake. They are meant to pull down snow only and they will break if you attempt to use them as an ice chipper. Remove the snow on top of the dam and as much as you can reach behind the already formed dam. As a last resort use a product such as Roof Melt ice dam remover. Roof Melt is a large pellet of ice melt. It is magnesium based so it doesn’t harm the surface as much as a sodium based product. I can’t say for sure that it doesn’t harm the shingles but I’d rather replace shingles then have to deal with gutting a room due to water damage.

If you have an issue with ice dams on your home you should strongly consider installing roof and gutter heat cables on your roof. Once installed, the heat cables can be plugged in anytime to melt an ice dam from your roof and/or gutters. They also can be placed on a thermostat that activates the cable at a certain temperature. It’s something that needs to be installed before there is snow and ice on the roof. We have dozens of customers (and this year hundreds of customers) that come in every year for ice dam issues. We always recommend the roof cables and hardly anyone remembers to come back and buy the cables in the summer or fall. I would recommend buying the cables now while it’s on your mind. If you have them on hand you’ll be much more likely to remember to install them in the warmer months. Cables can be purchased that are between 60′ and 120′.

Check out cable 12 for a story that they did on ice dams in the twin cities. They will be airing the story at 4:00 and 6:00 on Friday the 17th.

For more info on roof rakes and ice dams check out the blog “how to prevent and get rid of ice dams”

For more information call us at 763-553-1222

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd Maple Grove, MN 55311

Or visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

Check us out on Facebook and “like” us

An RPZ or RPZD valve is a “reduced pressure zone device”. It is a type of back-flow preventer whose purpose is to protect the water supply from contamination. Most commonly, RPZ valves are found in commercial spaces that have waters that can potentially be contaminated. They are also found in residential houses on some hot water boilers and also on irrigation systems.

The point of a RPZ is to prevent contaminants from entering back into the clean water supply. Back-flow preventers or double-check valves are often not permitted because, unlike RPZ’s, they cannot be tested to make sure that they are functioning properly. Federal, state, and local regulations require yearly RPZ testing. They also need to be rebuilt every 5 years. This helps insure proper function of the valve.

Like anything else in plumbing, RPZ valves can leak and will need to be repaired. If you have a valve that needs to be repaired you need to know the manufacturer. There are a number of different RPZ valve manufacturers and all use different parts. To have your valve tested, rebuilt or repaired call a professional, licensed plumber. You need to use specific RPZ testing equipment. This is not something that a business or home owner can do on their own.

If you are in need of RPZ testing, repairing, or rebuilding and are in the Twin cities Metro area, contact LeVahn Brothers Plumbing at 763-551-8990

Or, stop by and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd Maple Grove, MN 55369

Visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

"The Snow Plow" snow pusher

Our product highlight for the first week of December is “The Snow Plow” push shovel. It is by far our best-selling snow shovel, and for good reason. It is a high quality shovel that is made in Iowa. It’s made from a heavy-duty highly abrasive resistant plastic. It’s impact resistant even in cold weather, and is non-caking and sticking.

It is by far the best push shovel I’ve used and it works great on those irritating weekly snow dustings we get here in Minnesota. It comes in a variety of sizes from 24″ to 48″ wide. The 48″ wide model has 2 handles and is perfect for quickly cleaning off backyard skate rinks.

Also check out the blogs: ice removal for your driveway and sidewalk,

Incredible orange ice melter, and the “Ultimate” Scraper ice and snow scraper

For more info check out their website at thesnowplow.com

Have questions? call us at 763-553-1222

Stop in and see us at 12700 Bass Lake Rd Maple Grove, MN 55369

visit us on the web at levahnbros.com

Frozen outside faucet tap

Frozen pipes in the winter time aren’t anything new to plumbers in Minnesota. We see this issue arise every fall around these parts. The problem with a dripping outside faucet in the winter isn’t the massive ice rink that can form under the tap, it’s the possibility of the pipes freezing and bursting.

When you have an outside faucet that is dripping it indicates that either you don’t have an interior shut off valve or that the valve is failing. Every fall, when it gets cold enough to freeze, the homeowner should shut off and drain the water going to the outside water spigots.

If you have a drip coming from the outside faucet even when the internal shut off is closed, you have the potential of having pipes freeze and burst during the cold winter months. You need to have the problem valve addressed by having it repaired or replaced.

To repair this internal shut-off valve you need to shut the water off to the whole house.  When repairing the valve be aware that they are factory sealed and are not easy to take apart. Make sure to be careful when attempting to take them apart so that you don’t put too much stress on the solder joints. Use two wrenches in opposite directions holding on to the body of the valve and the section that you are attempting to remove. Make sure to grab the hex shaped spot below the packing nut. Removing the packing nut won’t get you to the washer you need to replace.

Some valves do not take washers and therefore you cannot repair them. If you have a washerless shut-off valve that leaks it will need to be replaced. You will need: a propane torch, solder, flux, sandcloth, a wire fitting brush, a small section of copper pipe (most likely 3/4″ I.D.), a slip coupling (again probably 3/4″) and a shut-off valve. I would highly recommend installing a ball valve with a drain on it as opposed to a washer style valve. If you purchase a decent quality ball valve it will last a very long time.

Note: If you do not feel comfortable soldering, then do not attempt this.

To replace it you need to first shut off the main water and cut out the old valve. To cut out the valve use a copper tubing cutter and cut the copper piping near the valve. Next, you will  have to solder the new valve to a small section of copper piping. Make sure that when you are soldering the valve that it is in the open position. Measure the space and cut the copper tubing to size. Next, solder the valve to the existing pipe making sure that the drain that is on the valve is on the outside wall side and not the house side of the piping. Finally, slide on the slip coupling and solder that into place to both the new pipe and the old pipe.

Not all faucets  have or even need interior shut-off valves. If your valve is a “frost-free” style of valve then you wouldn’t need a shut off inside. Frost free valves are a style of valve in which the water shut off for the valve is located internally in the valve inside the house. The use of a frost-free valve is best suited for locations in which an internal shut off valve is inaccessible such as a location where the walls and ceilings are all finished. This style faucet can leak over time. If you have a frost-free valve that is leaking you will need to replace the washers internally on the valve to prevent the valve from freezing and bursting.

Mansfield Frost-Free Valve

Make sure that you do preventative maintenance on all of your outside faucets to prevent a very cold, wet, and costly problem down the road. Paying to have a plumber replace a faulty valve will cost you significantly less than having to pay for emergency plumbing service work when you have a pipe freeze and break in the middle of the night.

Pipe Heat Tape

Another option for helping prevent an outside faucet from freezing would be to add a section of heat tape to the pipe. Heat tape is a cable that you wrap around the problematic pipe to help prevent it from freezing. It comes in varying lengths and you can plug it in and unplug it when needed. It is a cost-effective option that does work. Simply wrap the heat tape around the pipe, cover it with fiberglass pipe insulation and plug it in. This can also be used to help thaw already frozen pipes, although it does work better as a preventative measure.

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For more info on frozen pipes check out this post on frozen pipes

For more info on valves check out this post on frost-free outdoor spigots

For all questions call 763-551-8990

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