Winter RV travel offers unique experiences, but it also requires special preparation, particularly when it comes to your plumbing system. Many full-time RVers mistakenly believe they can’t use their RVs in freezing temperatures. The truth is, with the right steps, your RV can handle winter conditions, allowing you to enjoy...

You’re out driving on the road when you feel your vehicle go over a harsh bump – which, you later come to realize, is a manhole cover. The metal cap makes a clunking sound as it settles back into the road, and you continue driving as usual. However, you start...

Manhole covers are found everywhere—on city streets, in residential neighborhoods, and even on your own front lawn. Despite their frequent presence, manhole covers are rarely given much attention by the public. Regardless, these round or square caps play an essential role in society that is difficult to ignore. The development...

Before they become a unique staple of a packed city street, manhole covers need to go through a complex production process. From pattern designing to pouring molten iron, the manufacturing of manhole covers is an incredibly laborious yet fascinating task involving patience, preparation, and even a splash of creativity. Manhole...

Roughly one in five Americans claims to know someone who uses gender-neutral pronouns, highlighting a growing awareness of gender identity and inclusivity in the country. In light of this, gender-neutral terms have been making a more frequent appearance in the media and beyond. The increasingly common use of gender-neutral language...

Wells have been known to mankind for thousands of years, providing their owners with a steady stream of fresh water that can be used for drinking, cooking, and washing. Wherever an aquifer is present, a well can be constructed by drilling into it using a variety of methods. Although well...

As a homeowner, you want nothing more than for all areas of your property to remain in pristine condition. However, certain areas require more care and caution than others to maintain—especially your sewer system.  On a residential lot, your sewer system is intended to safely collect and dispose of used...

On your daily commute, you may notice graffiti art plastered onto brick walls or large murals painted on the sides of buildings. But have you ever noticed any intricate art that sits beneath your shoes?  A manhole is an opening to a deep shaft or vault that provides workers with...

It’s easy to overlook the plumbing system in your RV. Good RV plumbing makes you feel at home on the road, with hot showers in the morning, a fully-functioning toilet, and potable water flowing in the sink. But have you ever stopped to think about how it all works? RV...

Most people are familiar with the world’s first artificial satellite, Sputnik—highly publicized in October 1957 as being the first man-made object launched into space. In spite of this, a long-standing urban myth argues that Earth’s introduction to sending objects into space occurred earlier that same year—by a manhole cover.  The...

Well-sealed pipes are among the fundamental building blocks of any plumbing system. Tight pipe connections ensure water, natural gas, or compressed air – all generally referred to as “fluid” – can travel safely from one place to another.  The ability to reliably seal a threaded pipe is one of the...

Your RV is a self-contained home on wheels. If the vehicle is equipped with water utilities of any kind, it will also have a 12-volt pump that distributes water through the system.  That pump ensures that water runs smoothly whenever you wash your hands, take a shower, or use the...

A manhole provides convenient access to sewer and plumbing systems for maintenance and repair. One of the most important maintenance chores is the winterization of these systems to prevent potentially irreparable damage and flooding that can result from damaged or burst pipes. If you manage or own a commercial, industrial,...

Nothing guarantees comfort quite like an RV. A fully loaded camper van can keep an entire family clean, happy, and healthy through even the worst weather conditions, giving its owners unlimited freedom to choose when and where to camp.  But simply choosing a dependable, high-quality RV isn’t always enough. Many...

According to a CHMGS report, cleanliness and hygiene are the most important factors travelers keep in mind when choosing a campground, especially in restrooms.  Clean, well-maintained sanitary areas are critical to the long-term success of any campsite or RV park. Nothing is more likely to turn away a potential customer...

More than 43 million Americans use private wells as their primary source of drinking water.  Although there are about 15 million domestic wells in the United States, many people are unfamiliar with the various types of well systems and how they work. Private wells are a common feature of rural...

Sewer line clogs—every homeowner's worst nightmare. From backed-up sinks to stopped-up toilets, it’s a critical issue that can cause further damage if not attended to immediately. Most of us are familiar with the snake, a narrow auger designed to manually clear blockages, but there is another option on the market;...

Water. Covering 71% of the Earth, this fundamental natural resource often seems limitless. Shaping our planet for millennia, water is the thread that has connected all life on earth since its inception. Agriculture, industry, civilization—everything depends on clean, readily available sources of water to grow and thrive.  Because 96.5% of...

Not all used water has to end up in the same place.  Water treatment professionals distinguish between multiple types of used water. The lower the organic load of the water is, the better a candidate for reuse it becomes. What Is Grey Water Grey water is the used water that...

You pass them every day on the street but have only just asked yourself what they do. What’s beneath those manhole covers? Why are there so many? What purpose do they serve? In this article, we’ll walk you through:  The definition and purpose of manholes The anatomy of a manhole...

Water seepage can pose a serious threat to any building’s foundation. It can cause slab leaks, encourage mold growth, and erode the surrounding earth, damaging the entire structure.  Foundation drains – also called footing drains – are tools that construction contractors use to mitigate this risk. These are exterior drainage...

Low water pressure problems, while not life threatening or immediately dangerous, can become annoying over time. Waiting to fill your water filter, wash dishes, or take a shower not only puts a significant burden on you and your co-habitants but can also indicate a problem with your plumbing system. What...

The time has finally come to install a septic system on your property. You had originally planned on constructing a conventional septic tank and leach field, but wait--what about that forest preserve you live by? Will a regular septic tank pollute that watershed? And during your research, you recall that...

No one likes to think about wastewater and sewer systems. Unfortunately, there comes a time when these drainage pipes crack and break, forcing the homeowner to address the issue immediately. Residential homes have a plumbing system designed to remove wastewater from the home, either through a septic tank system or...