The Handymen

Do you have a sprinkler timer? If so, then this may be for you.

I got one of these timers at the beginning of this season and find it amazing. It connects to WiFi and the weather. It then calculates when and how much to water.

On my walk this morning, I noticed many sprinklers running. With all of the rain we have had that isn’t necessary but because the timer doesn't know about the rain, it just keeps going. I had my old timer set for every three days. If it rained, I tried to remember to skip a cycle but that wasn’t always successful.

This timer is so cool because it runs a cycle based on soil type, amount of shade, what the temperature has been, how much moisture there has been and how much is expected. It is amazing and I can see that it will save a lot on my water bill.

Denver Water is also offering a $75.00 rebate so after that it costs almost nothing. If you are not handy, you can even get installation through Amazon.

Orbit 57946 B-hyve Smart Indoor/Outdoor 6-Station WiFi Sprinkler System Controller, Compatible with Alexa Adding to their legacy of top-of-line sprinkler timers, Orbit is pleased to announce the addition of their most intuitive, feature-rich timer to date. The Orbit B-hyve Smart WiFi Sprinkler Controller is made in the USA with global materials. The perfect timer for new installations or for replacem...

I must give a warning about Applewood Plumbing, Heating and Electric.

I had another customer today telling me about their experience with Applewood. Their toilet was leaking water from the tank to the bowl. They had Applewood out and were told that the toilet couldn't be fixed and they would need a new one and that would cost $1600.00.

I looked in the tank and could see that the gasket on the flush valve needed to be replaced. Picked up the part at the hardware for $4.00. That is all that was needed. Took about five minutes to install and the time to pick up the part.

I have had multiple customers through the years who have recounted their stories of Applewood. It's usually about the same story that ends with a very inflated cost. Many were about garbage disposals where the cost ranged from $500 to over $1000. That is for a disposal that costs around $100 and takes less than an hour to install.

The toilet I mentioned above would cost from $125 to $300 and take less than an hour to install.

So hopefully that gives you an idea of what I am warning about. And it's not just Applewood. There are many other companies like them. I always think that if a plumber shows up in a white shirt he is more of a salesman than a plumber.

Worked on this yesterday.