Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Next Level Essential Oils

Do You Use Essential Oils?

Are you a fan of them, have you only ever heard of them, or maybe you just don’t know where to start since there are so many different types and accessories?

Here at the Next Level Plumbing office, we use essential oils everyday and for practically everything! They can be a big help in changing the atmosphere of a room, adjusting an individuals mood or focus, and fixing various other problems that can happen throughout the day!

These oils can also be a huge help while we’re all quarantined, trying to stay healthy, and keep our moods & mindsets positive as well!

Here are NLP’s 5 favorite essential oils/essential oil products and what we use them for regularly!

Essential Oil Diffuser:

Having a Diffuser is the main room is an absolute must for us. To walk into a room and smell an essential oil being diffused can be like having a weight taken off your shoulders unexpectedly. It fills the room with a great smell, and can often change the atmosphere depending on which essential oil you put in it!

Haven’t invested in a Diffuser yet? They’re not too expensive, easy to maintain, and come in a lot of styles. Not to mention the benefit they bring by diffusing great smelling essential oils into the air! You can find them on Amazon or basically any store like Target, Publix, or Walmart.

 

Muscle Ease Blend/ Deep Blue do-Terra lotion:

These two separate types of essential oil products are necessities these days here at the NLP office. Plumbers have hard physical labor jobs and can be expected to finish off the work day feeling sore in some part of their body. So whether diffusing the “muscle ease” oil blend or using the Deep Blue lotion blend on sore muscles Byron is able to find a bit of relief through the blends, topically or by simply breathing it in.

The Muscle Ease blend consists of peppermint, rosemary, cinnamon leaf, and arnica oils giving off a warm, soothing and relaxing vibe. The do-Terra “Deep Blue Rub” lotion has a lot more ingredients but a few of the more prominent ones include: wintergreen, peppermint, eucalyptus, ylang ylang, blue chamomile, and menthol.

 

Peppermint & Coconut Oil mixture:

This is a simple concoction that requires melting coconut oil into a small lip gloss container or something like it. Once the liquid coconut oil is in the container I like to add in a few drops of peppermint oil and stir it up. Toss it in the fridge to harden up and it can be used as a lip balm, rub a bit at your temples to help improve focus, rub on your stomach to help reduce stomach aches, massage into your hands or any tight muscle group for a relaxing effect, it can also help with skin irritations (I use it on mosquito bites) and also as a pet odor neutralizer. So many wonderful things peppermint oil can do! This is by far the best and most useful oil (in my opinion!)

 

Lavender/Peaceful Sleep blend:

Lavender is another essential oil that has a multitude of uses, but it’s especially great for helping people relax and improve their sleep! Diffusing this when you sleep can help reduce any anxiety or stress and improve your overall sleep.

If you’re looking for something that isn’t just the lavender scent, you can try out one of my favorite blends ”Peaceful Sleep.” This floral citrus blend is incredibly refreshing and isn’t too strong either. It’s a mix of orange, tangerine, lavender, chamomile, ylang ylang, and sandalwood oil. Either one is great but I love to diffuse the “peaceful sleep” or put a tiny bit on my pillow at night to really help me relax and sleep well- it works great!

 

Peppermint/Vanilla “Wish” Aromatic Mist Spray:

This spray is my automatic go-to when I want to freshen up a room, or even wake myself up a bit by spritzing some on myself! While the blend can be easily made at home, I bought my spray at Richard’s Foodporium (where they have other varieties of essential oil sprays as well.)

I’m personally a huge fan of the sweet Christmas/winter vibes the peppermint gives with the soft undertone of vanilla mixed in. I haven’t met a single person who doesn’t take a deep breath in when smelling it then proceed to drop their shoulders in relaxation and smile at how good it smells!

Now you know all about Next Level Plumbing’s favorite essential oils! They’re an integral part of our lives and we love them- if you haven’t tried any of them and are interested, do a bit of research to find the quality products and give it a go with a crowd favorite like peppermint or lavender!

Stay safe everyone!

Concerned about your home and plumbing? Give us a call!
Did you enjoy today’s Next Level blog? If you did, go ahead and check out these other blogs!

Next Level Spring Cleaning Tips!

The Interactive Plumber for You!

Next Level Quarantining: Plumbing Ed.

 Hope you enjoy!

As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, or email us at nextlevelplumbingllc@gmail.com we’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

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Friday, May 1, 2020

Next Level Spring Cleaning Tips!

Spring Is Upon Us!

Although it often feels like Florida skips Spring entirely and jumps straight into Summer- many of us love Springtime!

While spring cleaning may not be on your preferred activity list during this cooped up quarantine we’re experiencing… making the effort does result in a sparkly clean home with a nice, organized, and relaxing atmosphere! (Sometimes the mess makes more stress!)

Need help getting started? Here are some Next Level easy and effective tips!

8 Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy Spring Cleaning Tips

Work those Windows: The best way to get squeaky clean windows is with a squeegee. Use a 50/50 simple solution of distilled vinegar and water and watch them sparkle!

Tackle the Refrigerator: Get that fridge ready for all those tasty summer snacks! An easy and natural way to clean your refrigerator is with salt and soda water. The bubbly soda water and the gritty salt make a great cleaner…get wiping!

Screen Time: Nobody likes cleaning window screens, right? Well, we have the perfect easy tip for you: use a scrap of carpeting to brush away all the built-up dirt—it’s surprisingly effective!

Polish those Faucets: Clean lime buildup around those faucets with paper towels and vinegar! Lay paper towels over the faucets, soak it with vinegar, and let it set for an hour. The lime buildup will weaken and be easy to wipe away!

Fluff Up Your Drapes: Take your drapes off and run them through the air-fluff cycle in the dryer along with a wet towel (it gets rid of the dust!) for 15 minutes. Hang them back up immediately. Voila—looking good!

Clean the Fans: Use a coat of furniture polish to clean your ceiling fan blades. Spray it on and buff it off, perfect!

Comfort Your Comforters & Blankets: Air out those blankets and comforters after a long winter of use. Hang them outside for a day…you’ll be surprised at the difference.

Vacuum Those Walls: This is the easiest way to get rid of dust and spider web build-up. Use the brush attachment and say good-bye to dirt!

We told you these were super easy! You’ll be wonderfully pleased with how these 8 tips make a big difference in your home. We hope you enjoy your spring season!

Stay safe everyone!

Concerned about your home and plumbing? Give us a call!
Did you enjoy today’s Next Level blog? If you did, go ahead and check out these other blogs!

DIY: Repel the Smell!

Simple Spring Plumbing DIY’s

8 Easy DIY Spa Upgrades for Your Bathroom

Hope you enjoy!

As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

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Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Next Level PSA: Water Heater Life Expectancy

NEXT LEVEL PLUMBING SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:

What’s Your Water Heater’s Life Expectancy?

An Ask & Answer Session by Your Neighborhood Next Level Plumber, Byron!

A lot of us have more time on our hands these days and for many that is turning into organizing and upkeep the house. One of the more frequently asked questions we have is the age and life expectancy of a water heater.

The age is found in the serial number. It is usually in the first four digits representing the month and year it was built. It is best to google to specific brand of the water heater to find which way your brand makes it.

One example could be that the serial number starts as 1106 and that means, depending on manufacture, it was built November of 2006, so it would be 14 years old at the time of this writing.

It may be a different process depending on the water heater you have. Bradford White water heaters give letters that correspond to the year and month. They also have a chart that you can look up to see those ages.

How long should you expect your water heater to last?

We find that many fail in the 10-12 year range.

Some can last longer while others have a shorter lifespan, but when looking at averages it is a good rule of thumb.

How proactive you need to be depends on where it is located, the water heater’s age, and how you want to deal with it. If it is inside without a pan or upstairs, we recommend going with a preventive replacement every 10 years. If it is in the garage and leaking wouldn’t cause any real damage you could push the 12 years much safer. And of course, if you want to make sure you do the replacement on your terms, then earlier is better.

Once you know the age of the water heater, you can have an idea of when you should replace it.

Stay safe everyone!

Concerned about your home and plumbing? Give us a call!
Did you enjoy today’s Next Level blog? If you did, go ahead and check out these other blogs!

PSA: COVID-19 (Part 2)

Next Level PSA: Preventative Maintenance

PSA: Washing Machine Hoses

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

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Wednesday, April 22, 2020

The Interactive Plumber for You!

NEXT LEVEL PLUMBING

The Interactive Plumber for You!

At Next Level Plumbing we communicate directly with you- since we are a small, family run business you can count on having reliable help for your plumbing problems!

Here are all the various ways you can communicate with us whether you’re self isolating, in quarantine, or not!

TEXT!

Not many of your plumbers are reachable by text are they!? When you send us a text it goes directly to our office manager or technician on call- so you’ll get a fast reply- even on the weekends! If you’ve tried calling with an emergency but there was no answer since it was after hours, shoot us a text! That often will do the job!

CALL!

Our office hours are Monday through Friday: 8am to 5pm. We have an emergency technician on call most days but if we don’t answer please leave us a voicemail and/or shoot us a text message on the office line and we’ll respond ASAP!

EMAIL!

Send us an email if you prefer that method! We check our email daily during the week and will get back to you using your preferred method of contact. You can reach out through our website or by sending us an email at nextlevelplumbingoffice@gmail.com.

If you want to reach out to the owner of our business, sending him an email is also the fastest and best form of contact for him.

VIDEO CALL!

Want a Next Level plumber to look at the plumbing issue you’re having- but don’t want anyone in your home at the moment? We totally understand! Due to the recent COVID-19 crisis we have switched things up a bit. You can now schedule a video call with one of our technicians just like you would a normal appointment!

At the scheduled time our plumber will reach out via phone call first to confirm you are ready to video chat and what method you prefer to use, then you’ll be able to video chat with your plumber, show him the problem you’re having, and discuss the best way to fix it! He will be able to quote the work, give advice and even walk you through fixing the problem yourself if he can!

PHONE CONSULTATION?

Just need a phone consultation? We can schedule a time for one of our technicians to call you and briefly discuss whatever you need. If you call our office you will only be able to talk to the scheduling department- not an actual plumber. So, if you want to schedule a time to talk with a tech, make sure to let the scheduler know so she can book a time for you!

OUTSIDE PLUMBING?

Need outside plumbing work done? If so, we might not even need to come inside your house for anything! We might not even need you to be on site in order for us to complete our work! As long as we are able to meet with or communicate with someone about the work before we do it; and also reach someone once the work is completed for payment- we’re good to go! Simple & Easy!

Stay safe everyone!
Concerned about your home and plumbing? Give us a call!
Did you enjoy today’s Next Level blog?
If you did, go ahead and check out our most recent COVID-19 related blogs for plumbing advice!

Next Level Quarantining: Plumbing Ed.

“Stay at Home” Plumbing DIY’s

PSA: COVID-19 (Part 2)

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

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Thursday, April 16, 2020

Ask Your Plumber: Which Fixture Should I Buy?

Which Fixture Should I Buy & Where Should I Buy It?

(Blog by Next Level Plumbing’s Owner & Master Plumber: Byron Thomson)

A lot of people ask me if they can just buy their fixtures at Lowe’s or Home Depot.

The short answer is that yes, you can, we can install what you purchase provided it fits with the plumbing is there.

But the real answer is a little more complicated.

What is the difference?

You can go to a local plumbing supply store and find a faucet you like, then go to Home Depot and find the exact same faucet for cheaper. So why would you choose the supply house faucet?

HERE’S THE CATCH!

In many cases the manufacturers make models specifically for Lowe’s and Home Depot. They may be the same model name, but the serial number is different because they are not made exactly the same. The amount of difference can vary, but the general idea is that one model is made to be cheaper and has one or more plastic parts in stead of brass, or a lighter grade of brass. They look the same, have the same model name, but are not the same faucet unless the serial numbers line up exactly.

What does that mean for you?

It depends on what you want with your purchase. Do you want to buy the fixture to last longer? Is a cheaper up front option the better fit for you? There are no guarantees as to exactly how long each will last, but the idea is that the higher quality ones will last longer and be worth it in the long run.

So for the next project you come across, either way you chose, now you can make a more informed decision for your household upgrade!

Interested? Curious to know more? Let us know! You can continue to read more of Byron’s blogs by clicking the links below.

Hide & Seek: How Old is My Water Heater?

New to FL Facts: Licensing

Storytime with Byron: “Toilet Truths”

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com.

We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post Ask Your Plumber: Which Fixture Should I Buy? appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.



source https://nextlevelplumbingllc.com/ask-your-plumber-which-fixture-should-i-buy/

Friday, April 10, 2020

Next Level Quarantining: Plumbing Ed.

NEXT LEVEL QUARANTINING: PLUMBING ED.

What are some things you can do to check on your plumbing system while you’re stuck in your house?

Turn your main water shutoff off and back on again.

Do this a couple of times to make sure the inside parts move like they should and it breaks away any buildup trying to freeze it in place. These should be used every 6 months to a year just to make sure they still work and maintain fluid movement by the integral parts. While the water is off, turn on a faucet or hose bib to make sure the water shuts off all the way to make sure it is working correctly. Note: if you have a pump on your water heater, it is best not to run water with it off as it could burn the pump out. But for most people this test is a good idea.

Look at the pipes under the cabinets.

If any of them are turning green it is most likely that bleach is in one of the cleaners under the sink. Bleach gets into the air even through a closed bottle and corrodes copper pipes. If you see this remove the items containing bleach and put them in a place where they aren’t next to pipes.

Give an overall visual inspection.

Look under cabinets, check the floor under pipes for wet spots, look for stains going down pipes to indicate there is or was a leak. Run water for several minutes in the sinks and look for any drips underneath. This is what we will do to see if everything is in good working order. Sometimes you can catch leaks early by running more water or filling the bowl with water and letting it out. It is good to catch theses leaks early before water damage occurs.

Stay safe everyone!
Concerned about your home and plumbing? Give us a call!
Did you enjoy today’s Next Level DIY blog?
If you did, go ahead and check out our most recent COVID-19 related blogs for plumbing advice!

“Stay at Home” Plumbing DIY’s

Next Level COVID-19 Safety

Next Level COVID Safety: Part 2

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

The post Next Level Quarantining: Plumbing Ed. appeared first on Next Level Plumbing.



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Friday, April 3, 2020

“Stay at Home” Plumbing DIY’s

NEXT LEVEL

“Stay at Home” Plumbing DIY’s

2020 has definitely been throwing some curveballs at the world. Since the State of Florida issued a mandatory “stay at home” for everyone, more and more people are spending time indoors, and probably realizing just how much can be done with the time spent at home.

For all of you staying home these days, with more time on your hands than you’ve had in a while, we’ve pulled together a compilation of past Next Level posts to share with you! These DIY posts will hopefully provide helpful tips and inspirations for you during your time indoors- please enjoy and keep positive!

Toilet problems but not wanting to call a plumber into your home during all this COVID mess? Check out this DIY Toilet Fix blog from Byron!

Ask Your Plumber: DIY Toilet Fixes?

Spring cleaning is on many people’s to-do list! We’re here to help with a simple DIY plumbing checklist for you to use during your spring cleaning!

Simple Spring Plumbing DIY’s

Been noticing that certain areas of your home could use an upgrade? Check out this “easy DIY ‘Spa Upgrade’ for you bathroom” blog for more inspiration!

8 Easy DIY Spa Upgrades for Your Bathroom

You can be your own “Fix It Felix” if you check out our “Fix It Felix” blog series! We’ve got tons of great advice on plumbing fixes you can do- no plumber necessary!

Fix It Felix: Slow Moving Drain?

Stay safe everyone!
Concerned about your home and plumbing? Give us a call!
Did you enjoy today’s Next Level DIY blog?

If you did, go ahead and check out our most recent COVID-19 related blogs for plumbing advice!

Next Level COVID-19 Safety

Next Level COVID Safety: Part 2

PSA: COVID-19 (Part 2)

Hope you enjoy!
As always, if you are looking for a plumber to help you out with a maintenance call or plumbing emergency, feel free to give us a call or text at (941)504-3578, check out our website, or email us at nextlevelplumbinginc@gmail.com. We’d be happy to schedule a free estimate for you and provide you with all the professional help you need!

Next Level Plumbing Logo

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