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When planning on remodeling your kitchen or bathroom, there are several different choices for countertops. Each have their pros and cons . Here is a list of 6 different types of countertops used.
Cultured Marble – This is fabricated using marble dust and resin to resemble marble. This is ideal for bathroom countertops. It can be customized from the color, to the size, and to the number of sinks. This does not need to be sealed but can easily be scratched. This is a budget-friendly option for people. Marble – It is a natural stone that is quarried from the earth. It is usually very porous and can easily be scratched or chipped. It needs to be sealed when installed, then about every 6 months after that, depending on usage. I do not recommend this for a kitchen countertop. I made the mistake and used this as my countertop in my kitchen. I had to be extremely careful when putting things on it, because it was super easy to scratch, chip and crack. I would recommend this as a bathroom countertop or backsplash. Solid Surface – This is fabricated using different minerals and resin. You can get this in a variety of colors and designs. This is ideal for someone who wants a certain color that is harder to get in a natural stone. It can also be cheaper than granite, marble or quartz. I would recommend this for any countertops or backsplash. Heat can be an issue with this, and you should place a trivet down when placing a hot object or it can bubble and scorch. Granite – This is made from cutting natural stone into slabs. This is harder than marble and less likely to scratch. This is a natural stone that can withstand high heat, but it could still cause it to crack so be careful. Granite is porous and needs to be sealed when first installed, then resealed after that depending on usage. Quartz – This is engineered stone using loose quartz, resins, and pigments. This is harder than granite, but not as hard as natural quartzite. Quartz can withstand heat, but because it still has resin in it, it may warp or melt in heat higher than 300 degrees. You do not need to seal it because it is nonporous and does not soak up liquids, but it still can stain. Quartzite – This is a naturally occurring metamorphic rock. This stone is mined and cut into slabs. This is harder than granite and can withstand heat very well. It must be sealed during installation and resealed every 6 months, depending on usage. Quartzite will usually be higher in price than granite.
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Pumpkin spiced things have arrived which means Fall is here. This is a gentle reminder that if you are wanting to have a picture-perfect home for the holidays, now is the time to get started. Rip out that outdated carpet and install new luxury vinyl plank flooring, or remove all the old built-in cabinets with that laminate countertop and replace with fresh new cabinets with granite tops. We can make your dream home into a reality. Home projects can take 2-6 weeks depending on what you are wanting to have done. Doing it now gives us time to get it all done right before the festivities begin. Annette has a wonderful talent for finding the right fixture or slab to fit your vision in your price range. Make sure to call us today to get your vision started!
This month your kids went back to school. This means you have extra time to get things done. Take this opportunity to finally make changes to your home.
It can be a small change such as a new light fixture, or it could be a large remodel. I would start a list of ideas that you want done to your home and prioritize them. That way you can get organized and not get overwhelmed. Starting a home project can get overwhelming very quickly, which can end up not finishing the project at all. We don’t want that to happen. I know the holidays are around the corner so you might have perfect timing to get a project done right before. If you have an idea of what you want done, but you don’t know how to make it happen or need help to expand the idea, please contact us and ask for Annette. Annette has exquisite taste in design, and she has been in the business for decades. She always knows the latest trends in tile or finishes and can definitely turn your dream project into a reality. No project is too small for us, so let's get started! Planning is the key when it comes to remodeling your home. Sometimes we get carried away with excitement because we have an idea to make our home better that we jump all over the place.
When picking out new things, you should to take in consideration if it’s in town or has to be shipped, if it’s in stock or if it’s backordered. This can make the project take longer than expected. When you have a detailed plan, you will have a better idea of how long everything takes. If you keep changing your idea as you work through your project, you’re never going to get it completed. This may cause frustration for yourself or others who are helping you. I have seen plenty of people’s homes where they started a home remodel project, got part of it done, then stopped because they were frustrated. Another frustrating thing is unexpected prices. You should always do your research when working on a new project and how much it will cost you. It would be a shame to get started and demo everything, then realize that it costs too much so you have to stop. Shop around to get an idea of what things cost and compare different items. If you are going to hire others to do the project, you will want to set aside extra money for the labor as well. If you have an idea that you want to make happen, we can work with you and plan everything out. We can make sure the products that you want are in stock and we will give you a timeline and updates throughout the remodel. Planning will help you save money, time and frustration. We specialize in kitchen and bathroom remodeling in all of Greater Phoenix including Avondale, Cave Creek, Chandler, Glendale, Gilbert, Guadalupe, Litchfield Park, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sun City, Surprise, & Tempe. We all have seen outlets before and know how to use them, but did you know there are different ones geared for certain things?
The most common outlets in a house are either the 2 or 3-pronged outlets. These are for everyday things such as tvs, fans, lights, etc. The 2-prong outlet does not have a grounded connection, while the 3-pronged outlet does. This helps prevent electric shock from loose wiring. These are the standard 15A, 120 volt outlets. The next ones that you will find in your house are either 20A, 125/250 volt outlets. These are recommended for larger appliances such as dishwasher, washing machines to electric ovens and dryers. The larger 250-volt outlets do require special breakers, which we can come out and install to your main breaker. The most important outlets I believe are GFCI outlets. These are found in newer homes in kitchens and bathrooms, or where there is water close by. These specific outlets have 2 buttons in the middle that say “test” and “reset”. These will track the current flow and trip upon sending a spike or leap in the current. This will cut off the power immediately to that outlet which will lessen the damage. For example, if you drop a hair dryer in the sink with running water, it will kill the outlet. This will save you from severe electrical damage. Today’s regulations require GFCI switches in the kitchen, laundry room and bathroom. I would also advise to check your outlets throughout the house to make sure they are all in working condition. This can make sure you don’t have any outlets that have fried or damaged, which can result in an electrical fire later on. Over time, they may get loose, which causes the plugs to not fit securely. Please give us a call and we can have a technician come out and check your outlets and electrical panel to make sure it’s in working condition. We celebrated Craig's 30th year here at Qualtire Plumbing & Construction. He is the 3rd longest employee here and we are so blessed to have him all these years! When your toilet stops working or your faucet doesn’t want to turn off, we immediately think we need to replace the entire thing. This can get costly, but there may be a cheaper solution. Most people don’t realize that companies have a lifetime limited warranty on their products. We can come out, look at the broken fixture, pull it apart, and see what needs to be replaced. Most of the time, we can replace just a simple part for a fraction of the price of replacing the entire fixture.
We will always try and fix the plumbing fixture first rather than replacing the entire thing. Unfortunately, not everything can be fixed. For instance, some companies might have discontinued that product, or they might have gone out of business entirely. In those cases, you would need to replace the entire product. We can help you pick out a new one that is similar to the current one you have, or you can go out and find something completely different and we can install it for you. Whatever the issue is, we can definitely help you get that taken care of. Please let us know and we can schedule Craig to come out. When I remodeled my kitchen, I was drawn to the white cabinet look. Super sleek, classy and modern. I was so sick of the country, oak cabinets. I not only wanted white cabinets; they had to be white, shaker cabinets. I was so excited to have the latest style out there and couldn’t wait until they were here.
Once my kitchen was transformed into a beautiful, picture-perfect kitchen that you would only see in magazines, I started to notice things. I suddenly realized that white cabinets only look great when they are brand new and not in use. I heavily use my kitchen and understood that having white cabinets are hard to keep “white”. They show every smear, stain, blemish…you name it. Also, because I had to have the shaker-style cabinets, there is an indentation around the cabinet door. This indentation is hard to clean and collects dirt and debris. I was constantly scrubbing and cleaning the cabinets to keep them as white as I could. If I hardly used my kitchen, then yes, white cabinets are great because they would hardly ever get dirty. The next time I redo my kitchen I am going to choose a darker stain cabinet so I will not have to go through all of this again. For those you still want to do white cabinets; go for it! This is just my personal opinion on them. As the weather gets warmer, now is the time to get your air conditioner serviced before it goes out. We all know what it feels like when it’s 200 degrees out and the AC is blowing out hot air. Here are some tips to make sure your AC is working properly.
When was the last time you replaced your filter? You should replace it every 1-3 months depending on how much you run your air conditioner and based on your allergies. We often forget to replace it on a regular basis so by the time we do, it is so thick with dust that there is little airflow. Another way to check your AC is to set it at a lower temperature, then come back in a few hours. Check the thermostat to see if the temperature matches. If the house feels cold, but it shows a high temp, you may just need a new thermostat. If it still feels warm, you will want to check the vent and feel the air. Is the air cool or warm? If the air is warm, then you may need to add more freon to your unit or the condenser is going out. If the air is cool, there may be windows or doors that are open or have cracks/spaces where the cold air is escaping. Check all around the doors and windows to make sure there aren’t any gaps. If you find any holes, you will want to make sure to fill them. If you run your AC and notice weird noises or smells, this would also be an easy sign that something is wrong with the unit. There might be something loose or stuck, so I would advise to turn off the unit so you do not cause further damage to it. Whatever the issue is, we can come out and test your unit to see why it is not working properly. We can make sure the unit is also the correct size for your house. I once lived in a rental house where the AC unit was too small. This caused the unit to run constantly and not cool the house down. It also was a huge electric bill too. Having the correct size unit will save you money in the long run. We can also replace existing AC units or install brand new ones. Give us a call and we can come out, and take a look for you. Living in a house, you will eventually need to replace the water heater. The question is…when? Most of the time we replace it when there is a major issue which causes an urgency, and in some cases, an emergency. Here are some signs that your tank-type water heater is about to go out and needs to be replaced.
How old is it? Typically, tank-type water heaters last about 6-10 years in Arizona, depending on how well you take care of it. If your water heater is on the older side and you don’t regularly flush it out or do maintenance on it, it should be replaced soon. Is it leaking? This is a tell-tale sign that you need to replace you water heater. If it is leaking from a connector, it might just need to be tightened or resoldered. If the water heater, itself, is leaking, then yes, you need to replace it as quickly as possible, or it could cause water damage to its surroundings. When you turn the water on, is it cloudy, rusty, or smell weird? Cloudy water could be a sign that your water heater has a buildup of mineral deposits, which can clog the flow or damage the system. Rusty water could be a sign of rusty pipes or that the water heater is breaking down on the inside and rusting out. This will lead to the water heater leaking. If your water starts to smell weird, that could be bacteria growth inside the heater, which might be a sign that your anode rod is failing. Do you seem to run out of hot water more than normal? This could be a result of a few different issues. There could be an electrical problem, an anode rod is broken, or there is too much sediment in the heater. We can come out and test the water heater and see if an electrical component is faulty or an anode rod is bad. These can be replaced and is cheaper than replacing the entire heater. If there is too much sediment in the heater, you could try and flush it out, though if you’ve never done that before and your heater is more than 2 years old, flushing it out may cause more damage than good at that point. Is the water temperature varying in degrees? This is a sign that your water heater is about to go out sooner than later. Hopefully, it’s just the anode rod that needs to be replaced but it is a good idea to call us to schedule Craig to come out to take a look. You should make plans on replacing the water heater before it goes out completely. Do you hear strange noises coming from the water heater? Strange noises are never a good thing, especially from your water heater. If you hear loud cracks bangs, gurgles, or whining, it could be caused by burning sediments or scale or the anode rod is failing. If you hear loud boiling noises, it could be an intense heating or pressure buildup. Whatever the issue is, we can always come out and look at your water heater. Hopefully, its just an easy fix (ie: replace an electrical component or anode rod). If you need to replace the water heater, we can also see if the heater is still under warranty. That would save you money too. |
AuthorHi! I am the office assistant and dispatcher for Qualtire Plumbing & Construction. Working in the middle of all the hullaballoo, this blog strives to bring the information I learn on the job to you. Stay tuned for updates on what’s new in the world plumbing & construction! Archives
February 2026
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