These Famous People Were Once Plumbers and the List Will Surprise You!

January 30, 2015/0 Comments/in Knoxville Plumber Blog /by Knoxville Plumber

These Famous People Were Once Plumbers and the List Will Surprise You!

Plumbing can be dirty work and we usually prefer to leave the job for someone else, but who that someone else used to be just might shock you. The following is a list of people that once rolled up their sleeves and worked hard to keep America’s pipes flowing smoothly! The history of plumbing is a fascinating one and equally fascinating is the number of unlikely figures that populate it.

Michael Flatley

Michael Flatley is famous for the riverdance that combines traditional Irish music with theatrical dancing and was very popular in the 1990’s. His father owned a plumbing business called Dynasty Plumbing where he worked before rising to fame as a dancing phenomenon.

Bob Hoskins

We can remember Bob Hoskins from movies such as, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and “Hook” and Bob Hoskin’s last film in 2012 “Snow White and the Huntsman.” Before Hoskin’s was a famous actor, winning the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama in 1987, he was cleaning toilets and fixing pipes.

John Gotti

The infamous mobster John Gotti used a front to help him launder money and cover up large-scale crime. That front just happened to be a plumbing supply salesman. He probably got his hands dirty in more ways than one while trying to keep up his front as just a regular guy in the plumbing business and not a big time gangster.

Ozzy Osbourne

Before Ozzy Osbourne formed his band Rare Breed, which became Earth, which finally became what we all know today as Black Sabbath; and before he let a documentary crew film his family for the famous MTV reality show, Ozzy Osbourne was busy working as a plumber’s apprentice to try and help alleviate the poverty he suffered while growing up. He turned to crime when he decided plumbing wasn’t his cup of tea, and when he learned that jail was not for him either he went legit and became one of the most well known rock stars of all time.

Mario and Luigi

What could be more famous than Mario Brothers Plumbing, with Mario and Luigi stealing the show as famous plumbers using a pipe that connects to the magic mushroom kingdom and responding to cries for help like business calls from Princess Toadstool in desperate need of a plumber to help her unclog a toilet “plantastrophe” and keep everyone safe while getting the job done fast and without casualty.

Save Money on your Washing Machine with These Simple Tips

Appliances can be cost efficient if you know what to choose, and prefer environmentally friendly domestic machines. Homeowners can keep their water bills at a minimum by choosing efficient shower heads and tankless water heaters among other things, but washing machines can get you in trouble every time if the plumbing doesn’t receive the proper maintenance it requires.

In and of themselves, technological advancements have made washing machines more energy efficient, but all of that gets tossed aside when the machine fails to drain properly or gets clogged repeatedly. When this occurs you need the sophisticated technology of plumbing. The following information will help you save money on your washing machine by offering a few simple tips to keep your machine running the way it was designed to.

Consider adding an extra sink

To save money on washing machines and conserve space and water, some families choose to go with a smaller appliance. However, smaller laundry machines just can’t withstand the demands of a family of four and often a larger machine is the better option. The improved size will get the job done effectively but will inevitably put a much greater strain on the plumbing required for the job. This is especially true with older homes or homes with copper pipes. The increased water flow could lead to a small flood under these conditions, but that doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune replacing your homes plumbing. Save money by adding a utility sink to the laundry room to catch excess water run off. This will give your pipes a break without the need for replacing them.

Prevent lint build up before it’s too late

Adding a utility sink will require the best plumber Knoxville has to offer and that means giving Knoxville Plumbing a call, but you can save money on your washing machine with some other useful DIY tricks as well. Lint eventually builds up in washing machines but you can prevent this by attaching a lint catcher around the drain with a plastic strip found at any major home improvement retailer.

Remember to always use the correct tools

If the cause of your washing machine clog is more involved than lint build up you might consider using a snake to help solve the problem. When you use a snake on a washing machine remember to first remove any lint possible, insert the snake and pull out debris. Soon you will be back on your way to saving precious money on your washing machine and not throwing it away.

5 Incredible Ways Plumbing Changed The World — And Your Life

January 23, 2015/0 Comments/in Knoxville Plumber Blog /by Knoxville Plumber

5 Reasons Not to Take Plumbing For Granted

We don’t typically consider plumbing unless it breaks on us or we can’t find it when we need it. Take a minute to imagine what life would be like without running water, or hot water, or toilets that flush! We are lucky enough to live in a century with state of the art plumbing technology and we also get to enjoy the plumbing services of companies like Knoxville Plumbing that we can call to help us fix any plumbing problems that might arise. A little history lesson and you will truly realize why it’s important we don’t take plumbing for granted. You may even want to stop reading and go give your toilet and kitchen sink great big hugs.

A Toilet that Flushes!

Thomas Crapper did the whole world a service by dedicating his life to sanitary engineering and popularizing a toilet that flushes its contents after use. He is one of plumbing history’s most important characters and also the reason why we sometimes call toilets “crappers” unfortunately for poor Thomas. He deserved better considering his contribution, don’t you agree? But history is history.

The Water Closet

It wasn’t until the 1900’s that most households had a room in doors where people could have privacy when they conducted necessary business. Before the water closet, if you had to go then you literally had to go outside just like all the other animals on the planet.

Sewage Lines

New York City has the right to boast the very first underground sewer line installed in 1728. Before 1728 sewers remained above ground in a steaming, mountainous stench of horror that made residents physically ill if not perpetually disgusted at all times. Finally, after the most complaining that any number of people can possibly do the sewer line was installed.

Indoor Plumbing

Indoor plumbing is truly a complex network of pipes that perform incredible and miraculous feats of engineering everyday. It wasn’t until 1829 after a hotel adopted the amenity that people began to take notice. Even more surprising than that, the White House didn’t adopt indoor plumbing until thirty years after the hotel.

Hot Water

Before 1870 if you wanted hot water you had to either a) boil it or b) wait a very long time for the sun to make the water warm. Domestic life was revolutionized by the advent of the water heater and we haven’t looked back since (probably because it’s a frightening thought) Talk about a novel experience..Being able to turn on a faucet with running water that becomes hot on command is no longer a luxury it’s considered by most a necessity in today’s day and age.

Save Money on your Washing Machine with These Simple Tips

January 13, 2015/0 Comments/in Knoxville Plumber Blog, Washing Machine /by Knoxville Plumber

Save Money on your Washing Machine with These Simple Tips

Appliances can be cost efficient if you know what to choose, and prefer environmentally friendly domestic machines. Homeowners can keep their water bills at a minimum by choosing efficient showerheads and tankless water heaters among other things, but washing machines can get you in trouble every time if the plumbing doesn’t receive the proper maintenance it requires. In and of themselves, technological advancements have made washing machines more energy efficient, but all of that gets tossed aside when the machine fails to drain properly or gets clogged repeatedly. When this occurs you need the sophisticated technology of plumbing. The following information will help you save money on your washing machine by offering a few simple tips to keep your machine running the way it was designed to.

Consider adding an extra sink

To save money on washing machines and conserve space and water, some families choose to go with a smaller appliance. However, smaller laundry machines just can’t withstand the demands of a family of four and often a larger machine is the better option. The improved size will get the job done effectively but will inevitably put a much greater strain on the plumbing required for the job. This is especially true with older homes or homes with copper pipes. The increased water flow could lead to a small flood under these conditions, but that doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune replacing your homes plumbing. Save money by adding a utility sink to the laundry room to catch excess water run off. This will give your pipes a break without the need for replacing them.

Prevent lint build up before it’s too late

Adding a utility sink will require the best plumber Knoxville has to offer and that means giving Knoxville Plumbing a call, but you can save money on your washing machine with some other useful DIY tricks as well. Lint eventually builds up in washing machines but you can prevent this by attaching a lint catcher around the drain with a plastic strip found at any major home improvement retailer.

Remember to always use the correct tools

If the cause of your washing machine clog is more involved than lint build up you might consider using a snake to help solve the problem. When you use a snake on a washing machine remember to first remove any lint possible, insert the snake and pull out debris. Soon you will be back on your way to saving precious money on your washing machine and not throwing it away.

Knoxville Plumbing Tagline Competition Winner

Congrats to the Winner of the Knoxville Plumbing Tagline Competition!

January 13, 2015/1 Comment/in Knoxville Plumber Blog, Uncategorized /by Knoxville Plumber

On October 16, 2014 we launched the Knoxville Plumbing Tagline Competition, asking you to create a catchy slogan for Knoxville Plumbing. Sorry for the delay, because we said we would announce the winner on January 1st.

This Tagline Competition has been tough to pick the winner, because we received so many good taglines! We received over 100 entries from Knoxville Plumbing fans within as little as couple months. Competition was fierce!

Some entries were hilarious; some couldn’t be printed on paper; others were straight from the heart. It took great efforts but little by little we managed to narrow down the contestents to a grand prize winner! Finally we agreed on one, being the very best and the winner…

We’d like to thank you all for participating in the contest and for contributing such amazing entries.

It is with great pleasure that we announce the winner of the Knoxville Plumbing Tagline Competition: