The Hammond Services Company Party was held at Magnolia Lanes Bowling Alley. 

The bowling alley was closed to the public from 5:30 -9:30 so employees could enjoy a night

with other employees and their families. It was a fun time for all.

 ”We’ve had a very busy summer so far”, said David Hammond. “It’s nice to be able to do this as a way of saying Thank You to all of our employees, and to their family members who support their hard work.”

The Women on Mission (WOM) at East Griffin Baptist Church are in the process of building, Faith House, a home for women in crisis.  The Faith House is being built strictly on donations.  Hammond Services employees are donating their time and materials to install the Plumbing and Heating & Air for this home.  The Faith House will have four bathrooms, three showers, one tub-shower combination, four vanities, fixtures and a 4-ton high efficiency heat pump system. 

East Griffin Baptist Church has a passion for helping the homeless in and around the East Griffin area. This area has been particularly hard hit by the economic downturn. Once a thriving textile mill village area, East Griffin now struggles in the shadows of abandoned cotton mills. The Faith House is much more than a safety net. It will provide shelter for women in crisis who have nowhere else to go, but even more importantly, it will go further by providing education, life skill training, and life coaching. The Faith House will truly give these women a second chance to turn their lives around. This project is being built on Faith that God will provide the means by which this place will be built. East Griffin Baptist is accepting donations to help fund this project. Please consider making a donation and also pray for this local mission.

Judy Snider, was our May, 2010 Sign Contest Winner! We went out to present her with her $100 check, and to take her picture. Ms. Snider proceeded to then give countless praises about our service. Below are some quotes of what she had to say: 

“Hammond’s has been coming to my home since 1998.  They usually come five or six times a year.  I’ve used all their services, heating & air, electrical, plumbing.  All the techs that have come out have always been good!  What has really impressed me is the support of Griffin Tech students. It’s nice seeing them graduate and then be employed.  One of the techs that came to my home was actually one of my students from Griffin Tech.  It’s nice to see a business in Griffin doing well!  I have Hammond Services on my speed dial!!  Last year I recieved a card and brownies, it was a nice personal touch.”

It ceratinly is a pleasure to do business with customers like Ms. Snider. It makes our job very enjoyable and rewarding. Thanks for the very nice comments. We appreciate it!

If you have some time this weekend, you can save yourself some cash with this toilet replacement project and DIY with a little bit of patience and know how.

If a toilet has become damaged or is overly inefficient, then it is time for a new model that is water responsible.  Toilet replacement can be broken down into three main tasks:  Removal of the old toilet, the removal and replacement of the wax ring and the installation of the new toilet.

There are several types and models available for your new toilet, so be sure to properly research the best kind for your needs.   There are models that are all one piece, but most likely you will need to purchase the base and tank separately.  You will also need to buy the wax ring kit to seal the base to the sewer line.  This kit should include the mounting bolts and the finishing caps that go over the bolts.  You may also want to purchase a cement mixing tub to aide in the removal of the old toilet.  If the water supply valve on the old toilet is damaged or has rust, you should consider replacing it along with the toilet tank hose.

Toilet replacement tools needed are: an adjustable open end wrench or socket wrench, large flat head screwdriver, mini hack saw, disposable plastic scraper, plastic trash bags, paper towels, latex gloves and a utility knife or box cutter. It is also helpful if you have a large sponge to aid in removing water from the toilet tank and bowl.
Remove toilet by turning off the water supply valve and remove lid to the toilet tank.  Flush the toilet to alleviate any water pressure and disconnect the water supply valve hose from the fill valve shank. 

Remove the plastic mounting bolt caps from the base and unscrew the lock nuts holding it to the floor.  You may need to use the mini hack saw to remove the bolt if the threads are stripped or if the bolt is corroded.  Score any caulking around the base of the unit with the utility knife, then position the cement mixing tub close to the base of the toilet and once the bolts are removed, lift with your legs to remove the toilet unit from the floor and place in the plastic tub.

To remove the wax ring, put on latex gloves and have trash bags and paper towels at the ready.  Use the plastic scraper to remove the wax from around the ring, wiping it onto the paper towels and throw the wax away.  Next, use the scraper to pry up the rubber lip of the wax ring and throw it away.  Remove the bolts from the sewer flange and throw those away as well.  Clean up any remaining wax with the scraper and paper towels.  This should render the opening free from just about all wax and any debris.

If there is going to be a delay in toilet replacement from old to new – you can create a plug for the sewer line hole by partly filling a plastic trash bag with some paper towels, wadding it up into a kind of stopper and then plugging the hole.  This will keep most of the gases from the sewer line from entering the house.  Remove the plastic bag stopper before installing the new toilet. 

Be sure to inspect the sewer flange for any damage before toilet replacement continues.  If there is any damage, it will need to be repaired first. The #1 cause of bathroom floor damage is improper installation of toilet flanges and/or defective flanges. If replacing the flange, make sure that it is installed so that it rests on top of the finished floor.

Follow the directions on how to install the wax ring.  Center and adjust the ring as needed into the sewer flange.  Now install the mounting bolts into the guides along the edge of the flange and make sure they are perpendicular.  Place the unit over the wax ring and pass the bolts through the mounting holes on each side of the base.  You should feel the wax ring compress around the toilets drain pipe as you push down to seal it.
Take the plastic finishing washers and install them as directed onto the anchor bolts, properly tightening the bolt to secure the base to the floor, making sure the toilet does not move at all.  You can then trim the bolt to a ¼ inch above the nut with the mini hack saw, covering them with the finishing caps.
 
Now you can install the tank according to the directions and hook up the water tank hose and water supply valve again.  When this is done, you can turn on the water supply valve and allow the tank to fill with water.  Watch for leaks and adjust the water level.  Install the seat and your toilet replacement is complete!

Going “green” saves you even more money! Read this article we found below.

Did you know that if every one who watched Super Sunday had switched to a WaterSense labeled toilet, it would have saved nearly 200 million gallons of water on that in sync half-time flush?
 
Toilets are by far the main source of water use in the home, accounting for nearly 30 percent of an average home’s indoor water consumption. Older, inefficient toilets also happen to be a major source of wasted water in many homes. Replacing these toilets with
WaterSense labeled toilets could save nearly 2 billion gallons per day across the country-that’s nearly 11 gallons per toilet in your home every day!
 
With this Water Savings Calculator you can see yourself, how much water you can save by replacing older, inefficient toilets in your home. Plus, if your home was built before 1994, you may also qualify for a toilet rebate. You will need to verify with your water supplier if any rebates are currently in effect, and criteria for eligibility.

Contact Hammond Services today if you want to save money and water from being flushed down the toilet!

Here’s some information that you may want to know!  It’s about a brand new rebate program being offered through the State to promote the purchase of Energy Star appliances. This is a limited program that started on Feb. 12th, and will end when the rebate money runs out. This can be combined with the current Federal Tax Credit program as well. Read Below for more details.

Since February 12, 2010, the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program provides Georgia residents with rebates ranging from $25 to $199 on ENERGY STAR rated appliances. ENERGY STAR appliances eligible for the program include clothes washers, dishwashers, air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, water heaters, refrigerators and freezers. The total amount available for rebates is $8.6 million. This is a first come, first serve program until the money is used up. Purchases made prior to February 12, 2010, will not be eligible.. Detailed information can be found here.

Congratulations to our plumber, Larry Watson, for winning the November Shining Moment Award. On the 1st Monday of each month we have a company meeting. One thing we do is recognize is select a monthly Shining Moment winner. The way this works is this: During the month anytime someone is recognized by a customer or fellow employee for a job well done, we make sure it is written down and put in a folder. Many

Larry Watson

 times this consists of a customer calling us back just to tell how pleased they were with the service along with any details they want to share. Other times it may be a fellow employee who writes something about another employee who they feel has done something special worthy of recognition.

For November, Larry had 3 different Shining Moments in the folder as follows:

1. Thomas Nail, a customer, from Thomaston called us to tell that Larry had done a great job and that he appreciates Hammond Services as his service company.

2. Ed Hammond, company founder, is currently retired and working full time as a missionary for local church and home improvement projects. Recently Larry had volunteered his time on a Friday and Saturday to work on a children’s home project in Macon. Ed said that everyone on the project raved about what a great job Larry did. Ed wanted to make sure that Larry was recognized for his generous and unselfish contribution of time and energy.

3. Jeanne Hinson, Administrator for Thomaston Hospice, Inc., sent us a letter recognizing Larry for his plumbing work for one of their clients, Ms. Hancock. Jeanne said that she appreciated the service given to Ms. Hancock. She went on to say that Ms. Hancok’s wish was to have running water and be able to wash dishes. She said that this made her very happy.

It is with great pride that we awarded Larry the November, 2009 Shining Moment Award. He certainly desrved the recognition.

David Wall, Installing a new cast iron tub

If your home is at least 15 years old, one of the best things you can do to add value to your home is to upgrade the bathroom(s). Studies show that the money you spend on a bath upgrade will yield an attractive return on investment when you ever decide to sell your home.  A bath upgrade usually achieves one, if not all three, of the following:

1) improved quality and appearance, 2) improved comfort, and/or 3) water savings.

Check out a plumbing supply showroom or a home improvement box store and see for yourself what’s available these days. Give us a call and ask us for a free in-home consultation. We’ll come out and offer suggestions on things you can do to upgrade your bathroom(s).

A bath upgrade might just be the perfect Christmas present for a husband and wife to give to themselves.  If you’d like to find out more, give us a call.

Ms. Revell

Long-time customer, Ms. Bertha Revell of Barnesville, is our monthly sign contest winner. She’s been a customer of ours for well over 15 years. Our technician, James Smith, has been doing her HVAC preventive maintenance tune-ups twice annually. Ms. Revell commented that she is very pleased with the service she gets from Hammond Services. She complimented James on his thoroughness and professionalism. She was presented with a check for $100 by owner, David Hammond, at her home on Friday, December 11, 2009.

We are very thankful for loyal customers like Ms. Revell.

Daughter, Ms. Andrea Respress, and her grandaughter, Ms. Anyah Respress

Our customers are the best! Many of our customers agree to have a sign placed in their yard after we do work for them. We really appreciate this, because this is a statement by these customers to their neighbors that they recommend Hammond Services.  To show our appreciation, we have a monthly contest where we put all the names of all the participating customers into a box, and draw the winning name. We then verify that the winning customer still has the sign up in their yard, and if so, they win $100.

The winner for October 2009, is Ms. Mattie Fuller of Griffin, GA. She has been a very lotal Hammond customer for well over 10 years.  She has used us for Heating and Air Conditioning, Plumbing, and Electrical service work over the years. She is a very sweet lady and it is a pleasure working for her. At the time of delivering the $100 winning check, she was sick and could not be in the photo. Shown in the picture are her daughter, Ms. Andrea Respress, and her grandaughter, Ms. Anyah Respress.

Thanks to all of the customers who particpated in the sign contest and Congratulations to Ms. Fuller!