Don't let your #2 ruin your Thanksgiving!

 Make Your Thanksgiving Gatherings Stress-Free with 2 Pees In A Pot! 🦃🚽

Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and good food—but with all the festivities comes one not-so-fun challenge: bathroom traffic! Whether you’re hosting a large family reunion, a community event, or a Friendsgiving feast outdoors, 2 Pees In A Pot has the perfect solution to keep things comfortable and convenient for everyone.

Here’s why portable toilets are a Thanksgiving game-changer:

1. Keep Your Home Bathrooms Clean and Stress-Free

When you have a house full of guests, your bathroom can quickly become a revolving door. Renting a portable toilet gives guests an extra option—reducing lines, wear and tear, and the need for constant cleaning.

2. Perfect for Outdoor or Backyard Celebrations

Planning a backyard bonfire, turkey fry, or outdoor feast? Our clean and fully stocked portable toilets make sure your guests can relax and enjoy the celebration without trekking inside.

3. Hygienic and Hassle-Free

2 Pees In A Pot takes pride in providing sanitized, well-maintained units. Each portable toilet is thoroughly cleaned, stocked with essentials, and serviced with attention to detail—so your guests have a comfortable experience from start to finish.

4. Add Handwashing Stations for Extra Peace of Mind

With flu season in full swing, good hygiene is more important than ever. Pairing your portable toilet with one of our handwashing stations ensures everyone can stay clean and healthy before diving into that pumpkin pie!

5. We Deliver Convenience

Our friendly team handles everything—from drop-off to pickup—so you can focus on what matters most: food, family, and gratitude.

This Thanksgiving, let 2 Pees In A Pot take one more worry off your plate. Whether it’s a family get-together, a church dinner, or a community feast, our portable toilets and wash stations will help make your holiday celebrations more comfortable for everyone.

👉 Reserve your portable toilets today and keep your Thanksgiving festivities running smoothly (and your indoor bathrooms spotless!).

Visit www.2peesinapot.com to learn more or book your rental today!

Hand Washing with 2 Pees In A Pot

 

Stay Healthy This Flu Season: The Importance of Hand Washing with 2 Pees In A Pot

Flu season is here, and one of the simplest yet most powerful defenses against illness is something we all have at our fingertips—hand washing. Clean hands play a major role in preventing the spread of germs, keeping both you and the people around you healthy. At 2 Pees In A Pot, we understand the importance of hygiene, especially during events, work sites, or community gatherings where large groups of people are sharing facilities. That’s why we provide more than just portable toilets—we provide peace of mind.

Why Hand Washing Matters

According to health experts, frequent and proper hand washing can significantly reduce the spread of flu viruses and other illnesses. Whether it’s after using the restroom, before eating, or after touching shared surfaces, clean hands help break the cycle of germs. For outdoor events or job sites, having accessible, well-stocked hand washing stations is essential for keeping everyone protected.

Our Hand Washing Stations: Convenience Meets Cleanliness

When you rent with 2 Pees In A Pot, you’re not just getting sanitized portable restrooms—you can also add hand washing stations that make staying clean easy for your guests or crew. These stations are equipped with fresh water, soap, and paper towels, creating a simple, effective way to promote healthy habits wherever people gather. By providing this option, you’re showing that you care about the health and comfort of your community.

Luxury Trailers with Running Water

For those who want a little extra comfort and convenience, our portable toilet trailers come with running water sinks inside. These trailers offer a higher-end restroom experience, combining sanitation with comfort, and are perfect for weddings, festivals, or VIP events where guests expect a more refined setup. The built-in running water makes it effortless for everyone to wash their hands properly and keep germs at bay.

A Healthier Season Starts with Simple Choices

Choosing portable toilets and hand washing solutions from 2 Pees In A Pot isn’t just about convenience—it’s about caring for the well-being of your guests, employees, or community. This flu season, let’s work together to keep germs from spreading. With our clean, reliable, and fully stocked sanitation options, you can feel confident knowing you’ve taken an important step in protecting public health.

Stay safe. Stay clean. Stay healthy—with 2 Pees In A Pot.

Happy Memorial Day

                                      

    As a country, we know Memorial day as a day to honor and mourn those who died in battle while serving in the U.S Military. There is much history behind Memorial Day, celebrated on the last Monday in May, that some of us do not know about and was presented by History Channel. 

    Before it was Memorial Day, Americans celebrated Decoration Day in the years following the Civil War. In 1971, it was officially named a federal holiday observed by Americans by visiting cemeteries or memorials and holding family gatherings or participating in parades. Memorial Day also marks the beginning of the summer season.

    The Civil War claimed more lives than any other conflict in U.S history requiring and establishing the first national cemeteries, which then encouraged Americans from all over to hold tributes in Spring for fallen soldiers by decorating their graves with flowers and holding prayers for them. This tradition began in 1865 and was named by General John A. Logan in 1868 as Decoration Day to be held on May 30th every year. He chose that date as it was not the anniversary of any battle. 

    

    As the United States started seeing itself in more conflicts throughout history, Decoration Day shifted from only honoring those who died during the Civil War to honoring those who died in all wars and later known as Memorial Day. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act that established Memorial day to be the last Monday in May to purposely create a three day weekend for federal employees which went into effect in 1971.

    Unofficially marking the beginning of Summer, Memorial Day is celebrated by honoring our fallen heros with barbeques, parties, visiting cemeteries and memorials. 

Are You Ready to Rodeo?

 

       February is an exciting time for the city of San Antonio when the rodeo makes its way through. It brings great entertainment, with excellent shopping, real cowboys and fun foods! There's fun for all ages and even a carnival set up. You can find all of this in the Freeman Coliseum and AT&T parking lot.

    It's a fun experience if you have never been and if you have, it's always fun to return. With your attendance to different rodeo events, you are supporting different causes and scholarships that the rodeo helps to sponsor. The American agricultural industry depends on the continued success of education and the SA Stock Show and Rodeo supports Texas youth by providing a venue for their agricultural and livestock projects to encourage 4-H and FFA students to continue their interests in college. Since 1984, the SA-Rodeo has been able to provide over $243 million in scholarships, and those funds continue to grow every year with the event. Most of the vendors that have booths for shopping are those of the farming or hand making products community. With every purchase you're helping the agricultural economy and small businesses. At one point some of these vendors were also scholarship recipients. 

    The San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo is an amazing event for so many reasons and gives back to the community, so don't miss out on the two week long event from February 9-26. We almost forgot to mention that your most trusted potty slanging 2 Pees In A Pot will also be in attendance with our Elite Trailer to have your behind covered!

Ready to Flush 2022

      We can't believe it either. Another year is about to pass us by and no better thing to do than celebrate! San Antonio has a lot of events in and around the city that are adult only or family friendly. We took the time to list a few but for a bigger list of fun, check out sanantoniothingstodo.com.   

• New Year’s Eve at Howl at the Moon San Antonio! Their packages offer you and your friends everything you need to kiss 2022 goodbye and start the New Year having a blast. On New Year's Eve starting at 7 pm until 2 am Sunday, you can celebrate with different packages to suit your party style starting at only $40!
• Six Flags Fiesta Texas will be doing a New Year's Eve fireworks show at 9 pm to help celebrate. This will be a great night out for the whole family. If you are not a season pass holder, tickets start at just $44.99 a person.
• The Leon Valley Public Library will be hosting a couple of hours of daytime fun catered to the kids. There will be games, crafts and juice to toast at noon. The best part is the event is free and will be from 10 am until 12:30 pm on Saturday, December 31.

    There will be so many more events throughout the city, we hope you have a fun and safe celebration and we will be with you in the new year of 2023. Our resolution is to continue providing you with the same friendly dumpster rental service in town!

Franchise Opportunities

     2 Pees In A Pot is a family owned portable toilet business ready to expand across the nation. We are looking for individuals with a great work ethic, business oriented, and ready to make an impact for the ones and twos in your community. If you think you have what it takes to venture out and run your own business, apply here to get started today!

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.

Winter Ready?

 

    Christmas is around the corner and the kids are about to start Christmas break from school, so there's no better time than now to get some of those house projects done. Winter prepping your home is probably the last thing on your mind right now but it should definitely be considered before it gets too cold.

    The best place to start a winter preparation for you home is the attic. Take a look at the insulation, make sure everything is up to date and notice any parts that may need to be replaced. Proper insulation will help keep heat in and your electric bill down. Also, look around any attic windows, if you can get to them, make sure they are still properly sealed. If not, a little caulking around the trim can help with any drafts coming through.

    While the caulking is out, take a walk around the house and inspect the windows and doors for any drafts coming in from the outside. You can also caulk around those trims to help the rest of the house stay warm. You can also put more weather stripping around those drafty areas that aren't too wide and it looks a little nicer than caulking.

    Another easy fix is to check your smoke detectors. There's nothing more annoying than being woke up in the middle of the night by that daunting beep. It always happens at night too. You should safely check your smoke detector batteries at least every six months. With the heat being turned up and fireplaces going, there's no reason you shouldn't want to make sure you're fire ready.

    These were only a few steps for you to do to your home to prep it for the winter. There are so many others including having faucet covers ready for those hard freezes, plant coverings to help your greenery survive, and a little hot chocolate in the pantry wouldn't hurt. 

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.

    

Contractors and 2 Pees In A Pot

 

In San Antonio, you can bet that you’ve seen our portable toilets with the happy pees on all four sides nicely placed in a driveway or job site. You can also bet that most of these renters are contractors who rely on and choose our clean portable toilets over some of the larger companies.

Here are some of the qualities why they choose our service:

Quick Delivery Time: 2 Pees In A Pot goes above and beyond to accommodate all our renters in a timely manner. There are even occasions we can get a portable toilet to a job site the same day and if not the same day, then usually within 24 hours.

12 Step Clean and Sanitizing Process: Whether the rental is at an event, in a driveway or on a job site, our Delivery Experts have a 12 step process to make sure our toilets are clean, stocked with hand sanitizer, have more than enough blue fluids in the pot and smell amazing!

Live Consultants: 2 Pees In A Pot does not shy away from great and prompt customer service. Consultants are phone, email and text ready to answer requests during business hours. Don’t expect to have to leave a voicemail!

No Mess Potty Removal: The last step of our delivery service is the cleaning behind the portable toilet. We take everything we left behind with us and there's never a sign there was even a highly used potty on site!

Potty Placement Requests: Some projects may have a compact area or special request for placement and our delivery experts can maneuver our compact trucks with the potties to accommodate the requested placement.

Contractors rely on 2 Pees In A Pot’s qualities for their dependable and quick service to help them get their dooty done while on duty!

Halloween Safety

 

        Halloween should be a fun and safe night for all the ghouls and goblins, including the kids and parents. With all the costumes and tricks going around, there are dangers out there but ways to protect your family while grabbing fun treats.

    Preparing for the night is a great way to start a Happy Halloween. One way to start the prepping is to possibly find brightly colored costumes. The brighter the color, the easier it'll be for drivers to see during the night as it gets darker and the more familiar you'll be with the costume if one gets lost in a crowd to find. Mapping a trick or treating route will be beneficial to know where and how long the night will be. Make sure to grab a flashlight or glow sticks for the potentially dark neighborhoods for your own sight and the sight for any drivers to see anyone in the streets.

    Trick or treating in groups in one of the safest ways to go about the night. The bigger the group, the more eyes there are to keep an eye on kids and less of a chance there will be any strangers messing with any of the individuals in the group.

    The most important part of the night is inspecting the candy haul! Once home and ready to close the night out, always check for and trash any treats with open wrappers, broken packages and homemade goods, as they are a nice treat but not knowing what the ingredients, are make it best to trash those as well in case of any allergens or risks of potential hazards.

    Having a safety plan for Halloween definitely helps to make it less spooky of a night and keep the fun going for all the candy you can eat. We hope everyone has a great safe and Happy Halloween!

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! 

Pumpkin Patch Fun

 

 It's October and the most popular time to get in some family fun pictures at the pumpkin patch! Below are some fun spots in and around San Antonio to get those photos and have a cute family day. 

10 spots in SATX to get pumped about

Bracken United Methodist Church, 20377 FM 2252
Open daily | Pro tip: Trick or treat in the patch on Sat., Oct. 22 during its Fall Festival.

Good News Pumpkin Patch, 1020 Old Corpus Christi Hwy.
Open daily | Pro tip: Head over to the patch for a movie on Saturday nights and other weekend events.

Helotes Hills United Methodist Church, 13222 Bandera Rd., Helotes
Open daily | Pro tip: Pumpkin bread will be sold on a first come, first served basis.

Northwest Hills United Methodist, 7575 Tezel Rd.
Open daily | Pro tip: Visit the patch on Fri., Oct. 14 for a movie and Sat., Oct. 29 for its Fall Festival.

Oxford United Methodist Church, 9739 Huebner Rd.
Open daily | Pro tip: Pumpkins will be priced based on size ranging from $1-$50.

Owl Creek Farm, 12355 Military Dr.
Open weekends | Pro tip: Head on a haunted hike in the dark woods equipped with only a flashlight.

Traders Village San Antonio, 9333 SW Loop 410
Open weekends | Pro tip: Make sure to check out the 10-acre “corny” maze.

Traveling Loaves & Fishes Pumpkin Patch, 1602 Thousand Oaks
Open weekends | Pro tip: Opening Sat., Oct. 8, the patch will feature face painting, dress-up scarecrows, and zip lines for $5.

University United Methodist Church, 5084 De Zavala Rd.
Open daily | Pro tip: The patch will open on Sun., Oct. 9 at 2 p.m.

Windcrest United Methodist Church, 8101 Midcrown Dr.
Open daily | Pro tip: Check out weekend events, including a Trunk-or-Treat on Sat., Oct. 29.

Links courtesy of SATXtoday.

Are You Ready for Your Franchise?

Owning a franchise has its perks and it’s stress factors. Overcoming the stresses and startup woes, really does have great reward. A franchise is an already established business model that is part of a chain. Each franchise uses the same name, trademark, product and services built off the same model. A franchise owner is one who buys a franchise from the chain to start business growth in a new area to promote growth of the business. Sounds pretty simple to get an already established business running in a new area, but that’s not always the case.

Considering how much a franchise costs before how much the franchise will make is one of the first takeaways for a new business owner. Knowing the total investment needed just to open the franchise doors is vital and should include purchase costs, opening inventory, basic bills ( rent, utilities) and amount of working capitol needed before breaking even. Understanding how much you need to spend before you can make money is crucial so you don’t run out of money before you get started.

Knowing who you are and what you’re good at or passionate about is something to take into consideration before choosing a franchise to work with. You don’t want to buy a franchise that you don’t agree with or doesn’t agree with you in the sense that you and the business model are not compatible. Having a successful franchise depends on how well you work on the business, not just in the business. 

Time management is important to consider when starting as a new franchisee. Becoming your own business owner probably came about because you are tired of your 8a-5p in office job. That’s okay. Just understand that you will now be working 8a-9p in office for your business but because it’s yours and you’re passionate about it, doesn’t mean you will dislike it. Again, how well do you plan working on your business.

Do your research on the franchisor. Just because a franchisor is new, won’t mean it’s not a great opportunity, but the more you know about them, the easier your choice will be as to which franchise to choose.

Speak with other franchisees, the successful and the average making locations. Ask them questions on their business adventures and what they feel helped or hurt them so you too can hear what did and did not work in their favor. Apply those to your own model.

One of the best parts of starting a new franchise is that you should have a lot of support from the other franchisees and the franchisor before you. Check out that support. Use it. Make sure it’s the right support for you and how much support was offered to the other new franchisees when the going got tough.

Understanding the why, whom and what you’re getting into a franchise business with is important to determine your probability of success and the best potential for you.

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.

Water Holding Tank

 

    Holding tanks are life savers or wastesavers when it comes to your road trip in your RV or for an office trailer on a commercial job site. Companies like 2 Pees in a Pot have the equipment and experience to help hook up a rented holding tank to your recreational vehicle or equipment and can haul the waste for disposal. 

    Holding tanks are large containers made of plastic or fiberglass that are used to hold freshwater and collect water waste and solids to be pumped out and disposed of properly. They serve as the transfer point of your portable plumbing to the water recycling plants.

    If you're in need of a holding tank, give 2 Pees in a Pot a call today 210-951-5151!

World Ocean Day

Our Ocean is important to Keep up with as mentioned in previous posts. World ocean day was created to bring awareness by organizations with activities surrounded by encouragement to help educate ways to protect our planet. This global movement is to try to

Safeguard at least 30% of the world’s land, waters and oceans by 2030. (Weforum.org) 

Every year there is a theme this year’s theme is “ Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean” and is the first hybrid event hosted at the UN headquarters and broadcasted live. The event brings up laws, contributions and other important factors and ways to protect the ocean. They also suggest action on how to revitalize and protect the sea life that is responsible for our food and medicines. Without the actions of the UN today, we may continue to see a faster decline in our ocean life.

Continue to do your part to help as much as you can because a little work can go along way for this mission on our ocean. Recycling appropriately, don’t leave trash around the areas, make the switch to more biodegradable household items and reusable containers and straws. We can do this!

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.

Earth Saving

Protecting our seems like it can be too big a job, but all the little things that everybody could do and pitch in can add up to make a difference for our Earth. Some small steps to begin with are recycle more and use more reusable cups and straws, don’t throw harsh chemicals into the water system, use long lasting light bulbs, try to drive less, try to conserve water and volunteer at cleanup events.

Recycling can seem to be a tedious chore but when you’re really careful about it and know what items can be recycled to make into new items to be used again or in another form, it can be a second nature. The less trash we throw away into our landfills creating mountains of debris buried in our soil helps from causing hazardous waste where we grow a lot of our food. Ways to recycle include using reusable cups and reusable straws. You see it all the time with ads on saving the turtles by using reusable straws or no straws at all, as most of the straws we use end up in the ocean and affecting not just turtles but all sea creatures. This can be dangerous for people too since the sea contains a lot of our food for survival. And not only our survival but survival for land animals that also use our seas and waters for food.

Long lasting light bulbs are beneficial in the sense that we’re not throwing away constantly burned out bulbs in the trash but also helps to conserve the energy used. Conserving energy helps to efficiently run not only our homes but other important businesses such as hospitals, jails, schools, super markets and factories. The power grid can be a very sensitive operation and taking care of it the best we can with the use of solar panels or longer lasting light bulbs can help conserve the energy we need.

Driving less can prove to be a heartache responsibility but also proves to be an efficient way to save our air quality. A lot of state inspections do include emissions tests but a lot of states don’t and bad omissions going in the air and gas usage all causes stress and pollution to our earth's atmosphere. At some point it’s going to be very hard to breathe our air and sustain our plant life.

One of the easiest ways to help with our earth's pollution crisis is to join a volunteer cleanup group with your friends, family or local community users and do the little things like pick up trash, plant some trees, clean up the beaches and even teach others about the importance of recycling.

The earth is our responsibility and there are so many ways we can continue to protect it from the harm of everyday living. It’s a tough job but if we were able to all work together we could definitely keep our earth the cleanest place that we want to live.