The Grass Hopper section is kind of like the grass hopper insect. It jumps all over, without any discernible purpose or path. Hopefully what you find here will be either useful, interesting, or entertaining.
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It was in 1994 that the National Energy Act (H.R. 776) went into effect requiring that toilets and a variety of other products meet established energy & water safety standards. That is when 1.6 gallon toilets became a federal standard for any new construction or a remodel. The good news is that the 1.6 gallon low-flow toilets have been shown to reduce toilet water use by 23 to 46 percent.
The bad news? Unfortunately the first round of low-flow toilets were not always well designed. Many manufacturers simply made the tank smaller or designed the flapper to close more quickly. Consumer complaints were common.
Luckily, many manufacturers have been working to improve their products, but like everything else, some work better than others.
Confirming the worst fears of the water industry, a study performed by the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center, found that many of the 1.6 gallon toilets lost their efficiency as they aged or had flappers replaced. Many were shown to eventually use 2 to 3.5 gallons, or even more.
The list of toilets recommended below is from a 2002 study by the National Association of Home Builders Research Center, who rated the performance, water savings, reliability and physical characteristics of 49 models. The following gravity fed toilets got the highest performance ratings and maintained a 1.6 flush volume over time:
Toto - Drake, Ultimate, Dartmouth, or UltraMax.
Briggs - Altima III, or Abingdon III
Kohler - Santa Rosa
American Standard - Champion
Caroma - Caravelle or Tasman
Niagra - Flapperless.
NOW YOU CAN CHOOSE HOW LOW YOUR FLOW
Caroma, an Australian based company specializing in design and manufacture of quality bathroom products, has pioneered the two-button, dual flush toilet. The company states that a cutting edge washdown technology assures unsurpassed flushing efficiency.
The most exciting part of this innovation is that it offers a 0.8 gallon half flush for liquid waste or a 1.6 gallon full flush for solid waste, saving up to 27 percent more water.
Local water conservationists who have tested this toilet in their homes have raved about it's performance. There is currently only one distributor in the area for Caroma dual flush toilets. It is Sunstate Sales, located in Phoenix. Contact them at 602-484-7148
***** IMPORTANT TOILET RELATED TRIVIA ****
It is estimated that the average person will spend 3 years of their life using the toilet. You might want to pick a comfortable seat.
Another fact - replacing a 3.5 gallon toilet with a 1.6 gallon toilet can save the average household 12,000 gallons of water per year.
(Information courtesy of City of Mesa website).
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, A TOILET JOKE
The Chandler Police Department reports that someone broke into their police station and stole their toilet. At this point they are investigating, but have nothing to go on....
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Six fluids that require periodic replenishment or replacement in most vehicles are the engine oil, transmission fluid, anti-freeze/coolant, windshield washer solvent and fuel. Number six, the one most often neglected, is brake fluid. You've known about topping off brake fluid, you may say, but changing it?
According to the Car Care Council, brake fluid in the typical vehicle can become contaminated in two years or less. This is because the fluid absorbs moisture, which works its way through the hydraulic system. Under heavy braking conditions, such as encountered in mountainous or hilly driving or when towing a trailer, moisture in the overheated fluid vaporizes (boiling point of water is lower than that of brake fluid) and braking efficiency is reduced.
Even under normal driving circumstances, this condition can develop if the brake fluid is seriously contaminated. Not only is the contaminated fluid vulnerable to vaporizing, it also can freeze.
Brake fluid must maintain a stable viscosity throughout its operating temperature range. If it's too thick or too thin, braking action is impaired. Beyond the vaporization hazard, moisture creates an additional problem for owners of vehicles equipped with anti-lock braking (ABS) systems. Rusted and corroded ABS components are very expensive to replace.
How does a car owner know when to have fluid changed? The Council recommends replacement every two years or 24,000 miles. It should be included with brake pad or shoe replacement, the Council emphasizes. In between, as a preventive measure, a professional brake technician should check the condition of the fluid with an accurate fluid test safety meter, which is inserted into the master cylinder reservoir to record the fluid's boiling point.
This article was provided courtesy of the Car Care Council.
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Halloween is the time of spiders, so here are some facts regarding spiders that you can use to show off during conversations at upcoming Halloween parties:
1.There are nearly 40,000 species of spiders.
2. Spiders rarely bite people and do so as a means of defense.
3. Spiders range in size from being able to rest on the tip of a pencil, to up to 14 inches diameter.
4. The average person will meet about 50 types of spiders in his/her lifetime. About a dozen will be capable of piercing skin with their fangs.
5. Spider silk is the strongest natural fiber known. and can stretch up to 1/3 of its original length without breaking.
6. It has been theorized that a spider web with strands the thickness of a pencil could stop a 747 in flight.
7. There is no correlation between the size of the spider and the degree of potency of it's venom.
Hopefully this information will better prepare you for the upcoming Halloween season. - Windshield Replacement GilbertWindshield Replacement Provides Auto Glass Replacement, Windscreen Repair, Auto Glass Repair, Auto Window Glass Replacement, Windscreen Replacement for Car, Truck, Van, Fleet for Arizona state USA.
