Straight from the
July/August 2018
PIPES
BAM! The Secret to Overnight Success Is It a Secret?
and me into finding careers that suited us with a future that would not be outsourced and would not require a big student loan. He knew we liked the satisfaction of seeing a completed, well- done job. Unfortunately, Dad didn’t tell me that I was going to go to the “school of hard knocks” for those 20 years. I buckled down and worked my tail off in those years. It’s finally looking like, “Oh, this guy got lucky.” But it has everything to do with my secret to success.
return from a job all sweaty, sunburnt, and exhausted, and he’d sit there playing against a computer, half asleep, smelling like a fresh bar of Dove soap.
One of my first real paid gigs with home-building started with my dad, Jerry. We rebuilt a house for one of his first customers, originally built in 1970. Dad was an aerospace engineer, a master plumber, a builder, and a chess champion. He built this house for a fellow engineer, but it ended up burning down 37 years later due to a paint rag fire in the garage. The homeowner called my dad out of the blue and asked him to rebuild the house on a larger scale. Dad asked me to help. As we finished the rough framing on this large two-story house, the project reached a point where we needed to work on the plumbing. It needed to be done, so I jumped right into it and started toiling away, changing gears from carpenter to apprentice plumber. I started liking the flame from the plumbing torch more than swinging a framing hammer. plumbing business in 1997, and we called it Clearwater Plumbing. I remember my brother and I would come home to the office. We’d been doing the work, chasing down jobs, and getting diplomatically furious with nonpaying builders. Dad — he’d be sitting in front of the computer playing solitaire in the cool comfort of our sparsely furnished home. We’d With dad and my brother Greg, we started working together in the
My secrets to an overnight success?
20-plus years of persistence — never stop learning, take action, and have fun.
HOME SWEET HOME. Jeff and Greg Longspaugh, summer 1997
Many people think Clearwater Plumbers is an overnight success, but we had to work at it. I lived at the shop with my brother while we fixed it up. I even talked my wife into living in the office temporarily, years before it was an office. I’d probably still be there if it wasn’t for her influence. The building we worked from was probably only two miles from where I went to high school. A lot of my friends would come by, see the building, and I knew they’d think, “What happened to Jeff?” It took me 20 years, but I figured it out. Dad wasn’t trying to live off my work — he was steering my brother
Same home sweet home, but it’s now the office for field support and answering your phone calls.
-Jeff Longspaugh
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ClearWater Plumbers | 817-296-0670 | clearwaterplumber.com
Save Big on Airfare With This Simple Rule
say that Sunday is the way to go, based on data from billions of flights. Tuesday and Wednesday are usually the cheapest days to actually fly, though. The CheapAir.com study also pinpoints the absolute best windows for specific seasons: 54 days for winter trips, 75 days for spring, 76 days for summer, and 45 days for fall. Of course, these are averages, but if you stick to these rules and check fares regularly on sites like Kayak.com, SkyScanner.com, Momondo. com, and on the handy app Hopper, you can rest easy knowing you’re getting close to the best price possible.
2017 Annual Airfare Study determined that the fares for any given trip go up or down an average of 71 times, about $33 each shift. When you purchase your flight is nearly as important as where you’re going. But how do you choose a booking window that will maximize your savings? According to the CheapAir.com study, in which they evaluated 921 million airfares, the best time to book is 21–105 days in advance of your flight, on average. If you want to get even more specific, try to book 55–75 days out, and book on a Sunday. Many travelers swear by Tuesday and Wednesday bookings, but as Condé Nast Traveler reports, Expedia and the Airlines Reporting Corporation
In case you haven’t noticed, traveling is expensive . It can feel like you’re signing away your soul when you sit down to plan a vacation. But when it comes to flights, there’s good news: They’re getting cheaper! According to a 2017 report published by online travel company ODIGEO, long- distance trips across Europe fell 7 percent last year. Luckily, the same trend is reflected in North American airlines as they engage in a price war to woo a growing base of ultrafrugal travelers. Still, a $600 summer flight to Honolulu isn’t exactly pocket change. What’s worse, flight prices are slippery; CheapAir.com’s
HEY — Shut the Front Door!!!
Jeff Longspaugh’s Tips on Saving a Sack of Cash During a Texas Summer Jeff Longspaugh tells how $10 dollars can save you $1000 in one summer. runs the tollbooth for her other four-legged friends. It’s cute and nice — in the spring. While this is a great trick, she doesn’t think to close the door behind her. I’ll be at the pool or in the yard, hear the AC kick on, and look up to see that the door is wide open with the dogs running around the yard. That’s when I go from cool to hot.
Everyone knows that it gets swelteringly hot from June to September. During these summer months, the only place anyone can genuinely relax and cool down is inside their home, with the AC system working overtime. The last thing I want to be doing is losing my cool, howling at my fine family of four females living under our semi-cool roof. Not to mention our three female dogs and two female cats — yes, I’m completely outnumbered 9 to 1.
“But what is the big money saving trick?” You might be asking yourself.
Well, a $10 spring-loaded door closer, five screws, and 10 minutes, that’s what. No more howling at the nine female creatures in my casa, who have been tricked to think I’m some kind of a hero for the automatically closing door. I’ll take what I can get. Paka goes out, the door closes — the girls go in, and the door closes again. Every time it closes, I smile and think everything will be ok — the air conditioner may make it another summer, and the neighbors won’t have to hear me hollering toward the house — “GIRLS… GIRLS… GIRLS… Will someone please close the door? GIRLS?” Try this trick — a great money-saving stress-reducer to help keep your cool. Mine is Prime-Line KC10HD; got it on Amazon for $9.86. For more tricks like these, stay tuned. I have even more up my sleeve.
Nobody here has ever gotten the memo that keeping the door closed will keep the precious cold air from pouring out the door — including the dogs. The three dogs — a German Shepherd, Paka, and the two smaller dogs, Trixable and Luna — benefit from opening and not closing the doors.
Paka’s smart — she learned how to open the doors to let herself in and out by pushing and pulling on the levered door handle. She
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ClearWater Plumbers | 817-296-0670 | clearwaterplumber.com
Do You Need Plumbing Inspections? Above, Below, In, Around —Prevent Future Disasters! When you’re considering buying a home, it’s important to have the house undergo a home inspection. Everyone desires a properly functioning home. One area that is often overlooked is plumbing — the important and sometimes expensive part of plumbing. This is because underground plumbing is not visible; the water pipes are usually located in the foundation. A house could look in tip-top condition, but the pipes could be rotting through. Home inspectors can check the plumbing and usually perform a quality job documenting and knowing the buildings costs. However, there are plenty of things they can miss that can cost $50,000 or more, and the insurance company will most likely give you a big “DENIED” stamp on your claim. We at Clearwater Plumbers see this every day, and it makes us sick for the new homeowner. Additional inspections to test the plumbing can save you from these avoidable stresses. There are two popular tests used to check the pipes of any home — a hydrostatic and static test. These tests check for leaks in the foundation. Each test takes around 30 minutes and costs roughly $200–400 for the basic test, if your new home has good cleanouts. If you are serious about buying, these tests can give you leverage in the buy or at least educate you on what you may or may not be up against financially. The static test pressurizes the potable water system in the house, which is, in most cases, the waterline that runs from the city’s water main to the house fixtures. This test uses pressure to find any discharge of water. After closing all the valves in the house, the system is filled with water, creating pressure. The pipes are then inspected and searched for leakage. The hydrostatic test checks on the building’s drain piping. The static test uses small inflatable balls, which are inserted into the pipes to block off particular sections of piping. The parts of the plumbing under inspection are then filled and checked for damage. Then the inflatable ball is removed once the test is complete.
Kabobs
Ingredients
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2 cloves garlic, minced
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2 pounds fully cooked smoked kielbasa
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1/4 cup olive oil
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2 large onions
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Salt and pepper, to taste
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2 green bell peppers
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3 red bell peppers
Directions 1. Heat grill to medium.
2. In a small bowl, combine oil, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Cut pepper, onion, and kielbasa into 1-inch chunks.
4. Thread onto skewers, alternating ingredients.
5. Brush with oil mixture and grill, covered, 10–12 minutes.
[NOTE: If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes before threading to prevent burning.] SUDOKU Inspired by Good Housekeeping
Clearwater Plumbers highly recommends these above tests for anyone while the house is in the option period. Contact us for more information regarding the hydrostatic and static tests. Our Otter club members are also entitled to an annual pluming check to “cut-off” emergencies at the pass.
Do What You OTTER, Call Clearwater! 817-296-0670
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ClearWater Plumbers | 817-296-0670 | clearwaterplumber.com
7617 Skylake Dr. Forth Worth, TX 73179 817-296-0670
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ClearWater Plumbers
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Secret to Success
Cut Down on Flight Costs With This Simple Rule
Tips and Tricks
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Before You Buy a Home
Kielbasa Kabobs
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How to Prepare Your Kids for School
3 Ways to Mentally Prepare Your Kids for the School Year
Your kids may find that last year’s schedule doesn’t work for them this year. Emphasize that this is okay; part of growing up is learning how and when you work most effectively. Don’t be afraid to help them switch things up as the school year progresses. ASK YOUR KIDS HOW THEY FEEL Maybe your kids are excited about the school year. Maybe they are anxious, or perhaps they’re just disappointed to see summer vacation come to an end. Starting a dialogue about the aspects of school your kids are looking forward to and those they’re dreading can help you dispel myths and identify problem areas. More than anything else, this can help your kids feel at ease about the coming year.
wake cycle. So why not give your kids a head start and ensure they begin the school year bright-eyed and bushy-tailed? OUTLINE A HOMEWORK SCHEDULE Resuming a homework regimen can be a difficult transition for some kids. Late summer, when they don’t have assignments to worry about yet, can be a great opportunity to help them prepare a study schedule. Ask the following questions to help them get started: “Do you want to dive right into homework when you get home? Do you need to accommodate for a sport or extracurricular activity? Do you work best when doing your assignments in one large chunk, or would you prefer taking breaks in between assignments?”
It may not feel like it yet, but summer is coming to a close, and summer break is ending along with it. Soon, the kids will be back to early morning breakfasts before the school bus arrives and late-night study sessions. Thankfully, there are some steps your family can take during these closing weeks of summer to ensure your kids hit the ground running this school year. flexible. They may have become accustomed to sleeping in and staying up late without any obligations. Getting back into the rhythm of the school year can take some getting used to. In fact, according to psychologist Cherie Valeithian, it can take upward of two weeks to properly adjust to a new sleep- SET AN EARLY BEDTIME For many kids, summer schedules are
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