Burton company president, Mark Evans, has earned the prestigious GreenPlumbers USA designation.

Throughout the United States, there are approximately 85,132 plumbing companies, with hundreds of thousands more of individual plumbers.

In that vast community, only 3,000 have qualified for the GreenPlumbers USA designation, and Burton company president, Mark Evans, is one of them.  And the only plumber in Nebraska to be so designated.

The national GreenPlumbers association challenges companies like ours to look at our careers and companies in a diffe

rent way by extending our education to include new technology and advanced conservation techniques. The five courses include training on everything from solar hot water to how to conduct a 50-point water audit.

To earn his designation, Mark was required to take the following 5 intense training courses:

Course 1: Solar Hot Water
Course 2: Caring for Our Water
Course 3: Climate Care
Course 4: Water Efficient Technology
Course 5: Inspection Report Service

Mark passed each one with flying colors, which is the best news of all from Omaha area homeowners seeking to live greener and save money in the process.

Why is it important to reduce water use?

Water is a finite resource. The water we have is the water we’re going to have, and Americans use, on average, twice as much as people in other developed countries. We can do better. You’ve heard it said that water is the new oil. Someday soon we’ll be saying, “Do you remember when we used to flush our toilets with drinking water?”

How Green is Your Household?

If you think you can do more around your home to help conserve energy and natural resources, click here for some green living tips of our own.  These are common-sense steps you can start implementing today…and today is always the best time to make a difference

You can also contact us to schedule a 50-point water audit to see how you can reduce your water, sewer, and energy bills while reducing your environmental impact.

402-934-7003
Click here for answers to your questions or to schedule service now

If left to grow, tree and shrubbery roots will completely fill your underground pipes with multiple hair-like root masses at each point of entry.

Once roots have entered the pipe, they continue to grow and expand, exerting considerable pressure at the crack or joint. The increased pressure often breaks the pipe and may result in total collapse, which requires repair or replacement.

Some pipe materials are more susceptible to root intrusion than others. Clay tile pipe is easily penetrated and damaged by tree roots. Concrete pipe and PVC pipe may also allow root intrusion, but to a lesser extent than clay pipe. PVC pipe usually has fewer joints and the tightly fitted joints are less likely to leak as a result of settlement around the pipe.

How can I control roots in my pipes?
If roots have entered your pipes, a Burton technician can remove the roots using powerful cutting blades. Your technician will recommend the application of Root X to retard future root growth. Root X will kill only the roots growing in the pipes and will not affect the rest of your tree’s root system.

For future planting, be sure to avoid areas just above underground pipes. If you’re not sure where they are, we’ll be happy to visit your home and show you.

Just another customer friendly service….from your friends at Burton!

1. If you have a gas water heater, turn the gas shut-off valve to OFF. If it’s an electric heater, turn the power switch to OFF, or turn your circuit breaker to the OFF position. If you’re not sure which kind you have, electric water heaters have AC power cables vs. a wide vent pipe on top.

2. Turn the water supply clockwise, until it stops. Or, turn off the main water valve to your house.

3. To avoid water damage to your home, drain the heater by attaching a standard garden hose to the drain faucet at the bottom of the unit. Place the other end of the hose in a lower location that can’t be damaged by hot rusty water. Then, twist the drain faucet counter-clockwise.

4. Pull the pressure relief valve so air can enter the tank while it’s draining. You can achieve the same result by turning on any hot water faucet in your home.

5. For expert assistance, contact Burton today!  We’re on the job, and ready to go.

The former is what we were taught NOT to say as kids…or else! The latter is a reference to amusing stories about plumbing gone bad in your bathroom or anywhere else in your home.

That’s why we urge you to submit the funniest thing that ever went wrong with your plumbing. The humor can be about the problem itself, how it was or wasn’t handled, any resulting mishaps, and so on.

Every month, we’ll send a check for $50 to the author of the funniest story of them all, and post it on our web site. All we ask is that the language and details of your story be suitable for all ages, and that the story is true. It can be something that happened to you, a friend, or family member…again, we just want it to be true.

So go ahead and submit your favorite story now by posting a comment to this blog Click here to post your story!

In the meantime, we’ll help you get in the mood with this Steve Martin plumbing joke from his stand-up days of yore. Enjoy!

“Ok, I don’t like to gear my material to the audience but I’d like to make an exception because I was told that there is a convention of plumbers in San Francisco this week - I understand about 30 of them came down to the show tonight - so before I came out I worked-up a joke especially for the plumbers. Those of you who aren’t plumbers probably won’t get this and won’t think it’s funny, but I think those of you who are plumbers will really enjoy this…

“This lawn supervisor was out on a sprinkler maintenance job and he started working on a Findlay sprinkler head with a Langstrom 7″ gangly wrench. Just then, this little apprentice leaned over and said, “You can’t work on a Findlay sprinkler head with a Langstrom 7″ wrench.” Well this infuriated the supervisor, so he went and got Volume 14 of the Kinsley manual, and he reads to him and says, “The Langstrom 7″ wrench can be used with the Findlay sprocket.” Just then, the little apprentice leaned over and said, “It says sprocket not socket!”

2009 marks 20 years in business for our company, and we’re looking for a few good ideas on how best to honor our customers for helping us achieve this milestone. Something along these lines, perhaps:

· Run a raffle where the winner gets a free vacation, etc.

· Run a contest for the most original Green Living idea…maybe we award the 3 best?

· Sponsor a walk-a-thon for a local charity, the charity to be determined by your votes?

The point is, we want your suggestions on how we can say “thanks” in a special way….thanks, that is, to you and the greater Omaha and Council Bluffs communities we’ve been privileged to serve. So bring on your suggestions!

It’s the height of the summer season, and I want to be sure you know about tax credits that are now available through President Obama’s stimulus package. Included among them are hefty tax credits high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment, heat pumps, and tank-less water heaters. How much are the credits?

Thirty percent on the purchase of qualifying equipment up to a maximum of $1,500…though the max. is even higher for heat pumps. Plus, the credits are available through 2010. We’re here to help you save not just on your purchase, but on your monthly energy bill.

Our web site has loads of suggestions on green plumbing, heating and cooling tips. Go going green goes way beyond that.

So what I’d like you to do is a give us a few suggestions of your own that we can add to our web site. We’re especially looking for things you’ve thought of and put into practice on your own, heard from a friend, etc.

All the “good stuff” will be added to our web site, including your name (provided we have your permission to do so.)