Do You Remember 2 Years Ago?

    This time two years ago, San Antonio, Tx, along with other parts of Texas, was hit with an intense winter storm. The last time San Antonio saw snow like that was back on January 12, 1985 with a record breaking 13.5 inches of snow. After that fact, 'snovid' didn't seem that bad, except for the hours, days, and weeks with no electricity or plumbing for most!

    San Antonio received between three to four inches of snow the first night, with some areas receiving as much as six inches of snow. As snow melts, it forms ice, causing hazardous conditions that left a lot of people stranded or shut in their homes out of fear of being stranded.  Temperatures remained in the 20's days after the two days of snow and the freezing conditions continued. Texas was definitely not prepared for the fierce snowstorm that shook us. 

    We managed to weather the storm and come through strong, but across all of San Antonio, and other parts of Texas, were still dealing with power outages, water that had yet to be restored in homes and buildings, food shortages due to trucks with store stocks not able to drive on the highways, homes that suffered busted pipes and flooding inside the dwellings and businesses. It was a tough time for so many people post the storm.

    We have yet to experience those conditions this year and we are not complaining. However, it's always great to have a reminder how to better prepare for the next winter storm, here are some tips that you can follow:

• Seek shelter immediately.
• Make sure that you have an adequate amount of water at home, just in case pipes freeze or burst.
• Purchase non perishable items (peanut butter, jelly ,crackers, bread, chips, etc.)
• Make sure to charge all electrical items that can be of use to you in case the power goes out. 
• Gather towels and blankets to ensure that you and your family are warm. 
• Make sure that you have flashlights, First Aid kits, AM/FM radio.
• Stay in place (stick to one room, to ensure that everyone stays together and warm.)
• If your pipes do burst, 2PIAP is only a call away, 210-951-5151

Hard Freeze Protection

 

    As much as we love renting our portable toilets to homeowners, it is unfortunate to find out a potty is needed because of busted pipes. Pipes are prone to cracking during hard freezes and with Winter in full swing, it's only a matter of time before we get a freeze blowing in. Below are some tips to help prepare your home.

•     Opening your cabinets where there are faucets is very helpful to keep your pipes warm. Also, allow the faucets to drip water so there's a continuing flow through the pipes to avoid it freezing over.
• Disconnect any water hoses from their faucets on the outside of the home and cover the faucet with rags, towels, plastic foam, etc. to keep them protected from the freeze. You can also add pipe insulation to protect the pipe going to the faucet.
• If your home's foundation has any vents, cover those up to keep the cold air out.

    If you do experience frozen pipes, leave the water spout open and wait for them to thaw. If there is access to the pipes, you can apply low heat to help defrost them. If your pipe happens to break or crack, turn the main water valve off and call a plumber. Don't forget to call us too if it's an unfortunate long time fix. We're always here to help.

Benefits of Renting Locally

 

    

    There are over dozens of portable toilet rental services in San Antonio, but how many are actually locally owned and operated by a family and employees already living in the in city? It should be comforting to know that the business you're trusting with your potty needs for a construction project, at your home because of a plumbing issue, or even for a great party or event you're hosting. We'll give you 4 good reasons why it's better to rent local.

    Having employees that are familiar with the city you are renting in helps ensure that they can give you the best idea of delivery time and are familiar with the areas in which you need your rental. You can depend on the delivery drivers to also be familiar with any possible back roads in the case of traffic or real time updates as to when your rental will arrive or be serviced for your convenience.

    The possibility of same day service is always an option! Depending on the schedule for the day or man power, there's always the ability to "squeeze one more on" throughout the day. With a driver on the road and customer service readily available to dispatch, the driver might be passing your area anyways making it possible to service or deliver your potty.

    The chance to build a relationship with the 2 Pees In A Pot family. It's always fun to get to know the company you're trusting with your "personal business". Working with a locally owned small business gives you the comfort of familiar voices and faces of those who are going to answer your call or deliver and service your potty.

    There's a home office you can actually visit if there is ever the necessity to. Not that you'd ever want to go see where the potties are set up, but if you do ever need to see a person face to face, you can. 

    With just a few reasons why to rent locally and support a small business to benefit just you alone, there are other reasons including benefitting your local economy, helping provide jobs to your fellow citizens and helping a business grow.

    

The Horror of Roots and Pipes

 

    Have you ever had to deal with the torment of roots in your residential or commercial properties? As much as trees are aesthetically pleasing, they can often wreak havoc on lawns, sewage and water pipes, and even foundations. The bigger the tree and the more trees on a property, the more complex the root systems for the trees are. 

    Complex root systems need to find water to keep the trees above ground growing and healthy. The root systems can sense the humidity caused by pipe cracks and leaks underground and easily enter them. If left untreated, which most are until it's too late, the roots can seriously threaten your sewer system and property.

    A few signs to look for when it comes to pipes damaged by roots are slow emptying drains which can be noticeable when your toilet starts gurgling or drains very slowly when it's flushed. Toilet backups are another noticeable sign that there are roots in your pipes. If you ever smell rotten eggs or any other bad odors outside or even inside your property, then that can be damaged pipes.

    Seeking professional help can sometimes be the only help you can get if the roots have caused extensive damage to your property or pipes. If your toilet backs up, then you can always call on your favorite portable toilet rental company, 2 Pees in A Pot to help. If your plumber or contractor needs a dumpster, we can gladly recommend a company to help them out! 

Water Safety Post Disaster

 

    Not all water is the same, especially after a disaster such as flooding, freezing or any other kind of natural disaster. Water can become contaminated after a natural disaster and the CDC has laid out some specific guidelines on how to avoid drinking or using any bacteria filled or other contaminated water.

     If water in your area has been considered contaminated or unsafe in anyway, the quickest resolution would be to use any bottled water, if possible. Avoid using unsafe water for drinking, washing dishes or clothes, bathing, brushing teeth or preparing food, ice or even baby formula. Always check your local emergency channels for any updates on your water and how to boil your water to make it safe.

    Boiling water is the best way to ensure the water is safe from bacteria and germs. You can even filter the cloudy water post boiling by pouring it through a paper towel or coffee filter. There are times when boiling water will not disinfect it and that is usually if the water contains any toxins or fuels, this is usually the only time that bottled water is the only solution. 

    If you're ever in an area that has been declared a disaster, always remember to check your local emergency channels or with officials as to the status of your water.

Summer Cleaning Can Happen So Fast

  Summer is here and school is out, look no further than your own home to keep the kids busy and your home running in great condition. There are at least ten easy maintenances that can be done around your home and are perfect for the kids to earn money or have a reason to get up on schedule this summer without hearing their cries of boredom.

    Teaching the kids how to clean and replace the air conditioner filter should be one of the most important items they can keep up with. Whether using the every 3 month filters or a monthly filter, changing it out can help prolong the life of your AC unit by avoiding any dust or dirt clogging.

    Going back to dust, showing the kids how to clean the ceiling fans and to reverse the fan to counterclockwise will help keep those pesky allergies at rest and keep the house cool.

    The summer usually calls for some early bright sun and wonderful daily natural light. Why not add window washing to the list of chores? It will also give the kids something fun to do with water and keep cool while they do it!

    Bacteria grows faster in hotter climates, even in the refrigerator, so it's not a bad idea to get the fridge cleaned out. Using an antibacterial soap and water is great for the surfaces, as well as getting all the expired or moldy foods out of the fridge to avoid any salmonella like bacteria from infesting the good food.

    After the fridge, might as well get them to get in the freezer also and it will keep them cool in the process. If there is any ice buildup along the freezer walls, it's a good idea to chip it away with a little hot water and something to scrape it with. Look for any freezer burned items to throw out and clean any ice cube trays.

    In Summer months, food tends to spoil faster and the smells tend to be stronger longer, so moving onto the garbage disposal or drain wouldn't be bad idea. There are good cleaners at the store or use some vinegar and baking soda and let it sit for about 5 minutes and then rinse with boiling hot water. Doing so every two weeks can help keep the disposal and drain clean longer.

    Add sweeping and counter cleaning daily to the list as this will help keep any food searching bugs from posting camp in your house. Cleaning the counters every night and then sweeping the crumbs up right after will be a new found habit that will help keep your home clean and bug free! Mopping once a week can also help keep your floors clean, dust or mud from building up and any bacteria or germs from the outside out.

    If you use a water hose or outdoor faucet during the Summer months, it's the perfect time to have the kids check for leaks. Make it fun with an outdoor splash day and if leaks are discovered, they can be temporarily and easily fixed with water-proof gardening tape.

    Summer doesn't have to be boring for the kids and can give them a chance to earn a little extra money! Teaching them some basic house maintenance can be good for them and you in the long run to keep the house running smoothly and less time and money on costly home repairs.

Good Contract with a Good Contractor

 

Contractors in any field are easy to find via Google or word of mouth but how do you get a reliable one out of all those around? You research and check your sources  before the final hire is the simplest answer.

Review reviews! The great thing about the internet is that we can go to a contractor’s website, social media pages and Google page for reviews or comments about their services. A good suggestion by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is to search the name of a company with the words “scam” or “complaint” in the search to see what pops up. Asking neighbors, family, or friends about any projects they have done and if they are able to recommend who they’ve enjoyed using.

Understand the what your project is as an entirety. Knowing what it is that you want completed, how you want it completed, the idea cost of materials and what you’re hoping vs expecting to pay is helpful in trusting the estimates you get. Getting more than one estimate also gives you a range of how far your pocket book can expand and also helps in seeing which company will provide the best customer service on top of the services you’re expecting. The least expensive option isn’t always the best option but neither is the most expensive. Really get a feel of who you want to work with.

While researching your prospective contractors, look for red flags such as those without a license (if required), bonded or with no insurance, and finally those who don’t have or won’t give a reference. Will the company have a portfolio or allow you to see any of their work? Ask the company about their past experiences in projects like yours and how they felt about the ending result. All of these questions keep the contractor honest and show the pride they take in their own work.

When deciding on your contractor, check to see if they require deposits and never pay the contractor in full before the job is completed. Make sure to read over any estimate paperwork, the contract, ask about the logistics of the project, will there need to be any permits pulled and who is responsible for pulling the permits? Make sure you have great communication with the contractor that is hired. Being able to talk often is important to keep the project on time or to know if there are any mishaps that need to be taken care of.

Doing the research you need to do is important in finding the contractor you can trust with your project no matter how big or small the repairs or renovations are. Being diligent before the project starts will only save you time and money with a great experience at the end of your project.