Introduction The First Rule of plumbing is that water flows downhill, but how can you get downhill from a basement? You must solve that problem if you want to put a bathroom there. All the fixtures you install have to drain somewhere, and according to the Rule, that somewhere has to be at a lower elevation than the fixtures.
One way to solve this problem is to do what I plan to do with my cabin — which is at a lower elevation than the septic system for the property — and use a macerating (up flush) toilet system. Read More...
Two weeks ago, I read The Lorax to my 10-month-old daughter for the first time. We were sitting in my apartment, four short blocks from the Gowanus Canal, a waterway turned superfund site famous for its gonorrheaic flow. I live in the land the Lorax promised, where “the wind smells slow-and-sour when it blows.” But I don’t live at “the far end of town.” The ripe scent of befouled fluid wafts right into the canal-front Whole Foods selling organic vegetables. Read More...
Dates nights are pretty important. In fact, dating your mate can be a predictor of a marriage’s long term success. And while babies are amazing, mom and dad need to take some time for themselves. And if the baby can drink from a bottle, and mom can pump and store some milk beforehand, parents could be out together much sooner than they might expect. But if parents want a successful outing – and the ability to leave without parent or child being too anxious – they need to find a sitter everybody likes. Read More...