Day with A Plumber & Utility Update Print

• Remembering Dr. Edgar Mitchell
• We discuss moonwalking....no not the dance!
• Conspiracy theories around the moon landing.

• Private companies and the possibility for civilians traveling space.
• New innovations could allow for reusable rockets.
• Fun questions Rosie wants to know about a trip in space.
• Some silly morbid questions.....
• Getting involved and how you can participate.

• We discuss a "Blind Spot" in the galaxy.
• Romey has some "Boy Scout" questions.
• Using your hand and the north start to help navigate.
• How stars help navigate throughout history.
• More details on an upcoming trip with Dr. Sky.

Thank you to Dr. Sky for joining us again this weekend!

Jay from Harper's Nursery & Landscaping Company is here to answer your questions about your landscape and garden.

Tip Of The Week: It's the perfect time to get your garden's ready! Jay talks about all the plants you can be putting in the ground right now.

• Watering tips & tricks for this time of year.
• Jay has the Pond Gnome at his nursery this weekend. We talk about what they are able to do.
• Using water features to cancel out noise in your yard.
• How's your lawn look?

Text From a Listener:

• We need to move an orange tree. What's the best advice to do so?

Recommendation - Timing is key and this is a great time of year to do it. Make sure you save enough of the root ball so it can survive. They can always call a tree mover if it's worth the cost and you can get the equipment into the space. 

Caller:

• Kris - She wants to cut back a cerus cactus because it's gotten too large for the space they intended. Do we know how to do it?

Recommendation - She can trim it herself and is usually doable for a homeowner. If she's not confident in that, she can call Integrity Tree Service.

Romey interviews Tucson author Marylee Pangman who wrote "Getting Potted In The Desert"

• Monthly advice.
• Rose care and special attention for specific situations.
• The benefits of using pots to garden.
• How Marylee turned this into a business.
• Seminars she's holding at Pottery Blow Out

Caller:

• Mark - He wants advice on grass variety planted under a few trees.

Recommendation - We use fescu grass the most in shady areas and he'll want to get it established before it gets too hot outside.

Text From a Listener:

• How do you care for a hibisucs in a pot?

Recommendation - They generally do well in this area and are cold sensitive, so having them in a pot allows you to move them indoors to avoid freezing. They like consistent temperatures and heavy feeders. More fertilization is needed for potted plants. Keep them in a brightly lit area and they should do well.

• We continue with our discussion on using pots to grow your garden.
• Planting in-between trees and using the shade.
• Snakes in the garden?!

Letter From a Listener:

• Dwayne - New to Arizona and wants advice on growing roses here.

Recommendation - Roses are roses and need to be fed regularly and pruned back regularly. Jay talks through his options.

• Fertilizing citrus trees this time of year.
• Just about everything can be fertilized right now & we discuss everything that goes into it.
  

Caller:

• Carmen - She likes St. Augustine grass and wants to know how it will do in Arizona.

Recommendation - With our soil conditions, it can be very hard to grow here but it is possible to plant it here. It's just a lot of work and it needs to be panted in March, April or May. With shade it can be very succesful.

• Frank - He's heard about a grapefruit tree disease and want to be sure it'll be safe to give the fruit to his friends?

Recommendation - It's called "citrus greening disease" and it effects all citrus, but luckily IT IS NOT IN THE AREA YET. Even if the disease is present, you can still eat the fruit. It just needs to be cleaned.

• Greg - He started composting and wants to know if he can use oleander in the mix?

Recommendation - Jay says not to use it. It is poisonus and just a good idea to never use the oleander. As far as the palm litter, it is fine. It just takes a long time to break down.

Text From a Listener:

• Is three feet enough space in between rose bushes?

Recommendation - That should be fine. More would be better, but he should be fine.

Remember, you can reach Jay during the week at Harper's Nursery & Landscaping Company!!!

Jason Watson with Intelligent Design Plumbing joins the broadcast for another "Day with a Plumber"

• Jason's history and how he ended up in the plumbing industry.
• What Jason thinks is the top problems he finds as a plumber. (What is flushable and the shutoff valve doesn't get maintained.
• Changes in the plumbing industry and how it effects your home.

• Jason shares a special for our Arizona listener's.

Callers:

• Jim - The water pressure at his kitchen sink is very low. Any idea why it would be doing this?

Recommndation - After investigating, it sounds like it's a water line that was damaged during construction. Jason talks about a way to test the system.

• Stan - His rental has a partially clogged toilet. He suspects something is stuck in the trap. Is there a trick to clearing this?

Recommendation - He can buy a toilet auger specifically designed for this. If he pulls off the wax ring and the ring was damaged that could be blocking the drainage as well. He can pick up an auger at ACE hardware for a fair price.

• Rosie reminds you to join us at the Arizona Capital Museum for Arizona's Statehood Day!
• Jennifer has a question about a high-end American Standard toilet line. What happens when it breaks?.?.? It takes a plumber.....you wouldn't work on your own Lamborghini!
• Cost comparisons for bathrooms and kitchens.

Caller:

• Ken - Is this a wive's tale......"should he run 5 gallons of water through the system monthly to keep the system clean"

Recommendaton - Jason thinks this is a good idea for kitchen sinks but he's never heard of it in toilets. It won't hurt, but the benefit shouldn't be that great. Make sure that the water level inside the tank is high enough.

• Dee - Her home is all electric and everytime she uses a washer, the electricity interferes with our broadcast signal?

Recommendation - We're going to send an electrician out to Dee's house to investigate.

• Brandon - He bought a tankless water heater and he's wondering if there is maintenance on them and our overall opinion?

Recommendation - Tankless water heaters do require annual maintenance and he should be sure to read the owner's manual for instruction. Some need a specific cleaner that should be used. Jason loves them "In the proper application."  He does not like electical tankless water heater unless it's attached to a solar water heater. With gas, it's great.

*Listen to the full details on Tankless Water Heaters and when they are a good installation and when to avoid them.  

Callers:

• Kurt - His gas water heater creates a lot of heat and he wants to move it outside. Should he use copper piping or pex piping?

Recommendation - Jason says, "when it's not a challenge to run copper, run copper. If the access requires pex, than use that." He uses that all the time. It's a 50/50 opinion from qualified plumbers.

• Chad - His home is 15 years old and he's having a problem getting hot water into the shower and has a unique way of getting the water hot. What could be causing this?

Recommendation - There is something going on inside the fixture that is creating a pressure issue. We recommend taking a picture of the fixture and taking it to Van Marcke Trade Supply (formerly San Plumbing Supply) to investigate. 

• Don - Where can he find an under the sink water heater in Tucson?

Recommendation - Unless you are going to use this water heater all the time, don't do it. It heats the water up so much it can create a foul odor and make your water taste bad.

Text From a Listener:

• How long should a water heater be drained?

Recommendation - Simple. Once a year. (Unless you haven't done it in years!)

• Is there a way to prevent sediment buildup in water heaters short of installing a water softener?

Recommendation - No. The water will need to be treated somehow.

If you're in Tucson and need a plumber, contact Intelligent Design Plumbing!

• Rosie shares a fun story about Baby Kay's Cajun Kitchen.
• We giveaway tickets!
• Stan with Rosie On The House Remodeling joins the show to help homeowner's with issues at their home.

Dave Burzynski, Director of Marketing for APS joins us to talk about a recent offering we've discussed the last few weeks.

• They are offering HomeServe insurance to customers. 
• Who it went to in the Phoenix area & why they offered the service.
• Details on the offer and who it is geared towards. Some of you are NOT a good candidate for this plan. 
• What is NOT covered. 
• Opinions on this program by our Rosie-Certified Electricians.

• We give tickets to an ASU Sun Devil's Basketball game!
• Stan with Rosie On The House Remodeling joins the show to help homeowner's with issues at their home.

Callers:

• Nancy - She is replacing the canned lights in her home and they need to add light in the kitchen. What do we recomend doing?

Recommendation - Go to Statwide Lighting before you do anything! They may have an option that could help brighten up the area without adding fixtures.

• Stan gives us an update on what homeowner's are working on right now.
• Unique and extravagant bathroom fixtures and jobs we've been a part of. 

Callers:

• Susan - Her toilet bowl is not holding water in the bowl and no one can seem to figure it out....

Recommendation - She recently had new tile installed and Rosie and Stan both think the tilers rinsed their tools in the toilet and the sediment is blocking the toilet line. She may need to take the toilet off and snake the line, clearing it.

• Patricia - She has a crack in her saltillo tile under a covered patio. What's the right way to do it?

Recommendation - She may need to remove the tile to fix it. She can use a Belgard Paver over the top. She also can also use the pavers in strategic places to "patch" in a new aread. She also has drainage issues and she could call CYC Landscaping or Think Green Irrigation & Landscaping for an assesment.

Sign Up for the Sanderson Ford Staycation Here!!!

• Rosie talks about next weekend....Join Us!!!

• We give out more tickets for the Arizona Coyotes!
• Rosie took a geography quiz and shares his results.

Join Rosie On The House Every Saturday Morning!!!