Comparing the most popular patio surfaces:

        * Composite Decking is made from Recycled Plastic and Re-Claimed Wood, is splinter-free, resists insects and does not rot. It needs no staining because the color is manufactured into the product. It is easy to maintain by cleaning with soap, water and a stiff bristle brush or broom.  The material can feel hot to bare feet and the sun can cause it to expand and the color to fade.  The cost is about $4 to $5.50 per square foot for the material. If you choose to hire it to be installed you are looking at $35 per square foot installed by a professional.

          *  Western Red Cedar and Redwood are choices that have been around for a long time.  This is due to the fact that these choices of wood are long-lasting and they naturally resist decay.  Under the sun the wood can turn gray unless it is re-sealed every few years with a water repellent preservative. The cost for Cedar is around $4.25 per square foot for the wood only and can run $14 to $20 per square foot installed by a professional. Redwood on the other hand can be up to $10 per square foot for the wood only and installed professionally can run $15 to $22 per square foot.

          *  You can bring the look and feel of "Old Mexico" to your patio by using Saltillo Tiles.  These are Clay Tiles that are highly porous and require re-sealing because of the scuffing and staining that will occur. This tile performs well in dry weather or a covered shady area. The cost for the Tiles for materials only is $1.20 to $2 per square foot (12" square tile).  The tiles can be inexpensive to purchase the materials, but can be expensive to install. To install professionally, you are looking at $6 to $7 per square foot (or per tile).

          *  Another popular do-it-yourself material is Concrete Pavers or Paving Stones. They aren't set in a mortar, so this makes them a popular choice for a project. These pre-formed concrete pavers get hot in full sun, but perform well in Arizona's Hot Dry Climate. You can expect weeds to grow between the stones if you don't maintain them with an herbicide. The cost of the Pavers is $2 to $8 per square foot, materials only. To have them installed professionally you can expect to pay $8 to $22 per square foot.

          *  For an inexpensive do-it-yourself project, you can use Poured Concrete. This can be Colored to mimic real stone or wood and can be stamped to look like individual stones. Concrete expands in the heat and cold, so it can crack. You can clean this very easily with soap and a garden hose or brush off with a broom. The Poured Concrete can cost about $1.25 per square foot for the materials and to install professionally you are looking at $4 per square foot.

           *  Flagstone is another Durable Product that can be used for Patio Surface. The size of the Flagstone can make it difficult to work with due to their weight. Flagstone can get hot under bare feet and can be slippery when they get wet. They are very easy to maintain by sweeping them clean. The cost for Flagstone is $3 to $10 per square foot for the materials.  To install professionally you are looking at $12 to $20 per square foot.

           *  Ancient Stone is an ivory-colored tile that is Cast Concrete that is set in sand or over a concrete base. These are made from a cement base but can have color added to make them look like natural stone. Pits in the tiles help it to stay cooler than other alternative choices of Patio Surfaces.  The cost for materials is $5 to $9 per square foot. Professionally installed this can run up to $14.50 per square foot.

When considering installing or replacing an outdoor patio, there are several things for you to think about: price, level of difficulty in installation, maintenance and style as well as surface temperature. Ancient Stone stays about the same temperature as the outdoor air; Slate and Wood are Cooler Choices but, the plastic/wood composite is nearly as hot as a street. The gray troweled concrete is about the coolest at 128 degrees on 112 degree day.  It's all a matter of choice for your area and needs. 

Do you wake up to a thumping sound when the water sprinklers come one? Or is the hammering noise greeting you at random times throughout the day when you turn off a faucet? Perhaps it’s just a low, annoying vibration in the walls. When the banging and clanging start happening in the plumbing pipes, what’s a homeowner to do?

This is a common problem that many homeowners believe they must endure. The noise is a “water hammer” produced when the toilet float valve or faucets in the house shut off suddenly. It creates a pressure surge due to a sudden change in flow rate. Think of it as a traffic jam in your pipes. This should be eliminated as soon as possible to avoid possible damages to the pipes.

There are two types of water hammers. One sounds like someone banging on your pipes while another is more like a humming, vibrating sound. They are caused by two different things. Vibrations are usually caused by loose pipes. Secure these pipes by strapping them to the wall. Some homeowners have found that wrapping insulations around loose pipes in addition to securing them helps eliminate the problem. A plumber can assist you with this project because it requires opening holes in drywall and crawling through the attic.

The banging “water hammer” can be caused by different things. First, determine when the banging occurs. One common time is whenever a toilet flushes. To remedy the situation, try installing a fluid-master-style float valve (the type without the float on an arm) in your toilet tank. These are available at hardware stores and come with good installation instructions, which make this a fairly easy do-it-yourself project.

Another cause is high water pressure. Leaving this high pressure untreated can cause pipes to break or explode. To find out whether high water pressure is your problem, a pressure gauge can help you check the pressure on your house. Ideally, the pressure should not be more than 75 pounds per square inch. If high water pressure is the problem, the solution is to have a plumber install a pressure-reducing valve. This will throttle down the pressure to no more than 60 pounds per square inch. The valve is installed at the inlet where the water service enters the house. This is not a do-it-yourself project.

A plumber can also retrofit some air hammer devices, such as an arrester, at the end of the water lines near the washer/dryer area or kitchen sink to dampen the hammer effect. This is not a normal do-it-yourself job. However, screw-on arresters are available at plumbing specialty supply stores and they attach to your washer faucets, and that would be a do-it-yourself project. You can find information on this product at www.siouxchief.com.

Just about everyone who lives in Arizona has "Hard Water" at home. That means your water contains dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium. How "Hard" your water is depends on how many grains of the minerals it contains per gallon. Water that contains more than 1 grain per gallon is considered hard; water with more than 10.5 gpg is very hard. A typical glass of Arizona water has at least 15 gpg. You probably can't taste it, but, you can definately see it.  Hard water can cause two noticeable things to happen: the chemicals can cause a chalky film called limescale to form on the inside edges of your faucets and drains. You might see the same thing inside your teakettle.  Its almost certainly inside your water heater. Those chemicals can react with soap to prevent it from lathering. It can give the soap a scummy feel and make it difficult to wash off. The solution: Install a water softener. That device, which can cost $400 to $5,000 - depending on how big your home is and whether you want it installed by a professional - will replace calcium and magnesium ions in your water with sodium ions, which do not react badly with soap or cause limescale to buildup on pipes.

Is it worth the money?  It will pay for itself with what you save on plumbing repairs, new appliances and laundry soap. Here's what you will save if you install a water softener, according to a spokesman for Water Treatment Technologies in Phoenix: your clothes will last longer - up to one-third longer - if you wash them in soft water than if your washing machine runs on hard water. You'll spend 80 percent less on soap and cleaning products if you clean with soft water, because hard water prevents soap from lathering, so you need to use more.  Energy bills are lower in homes that have soft water. Studies show that even an eighth of an inch buildup of limescale in your water heater can increase energy bills by 20 percent. (Tip!) Don't base your decision to buy a water softener on price alone. The company you buy from is just as important as the equipmnet you buy. Deal with a company that rents water softeners as well as sells them, so you have a choice. Look for a dealer who services all brands of equipment, not just one.  Choose a dealer that can deliver salt (for the softener) to your home if you're unable to pick the salt up.

Now, what about the taste of your water? That's a different problem with a different solution. The water supplied by Arizona's cities is clean, safe and useable.  In order for it to taste as good as it can, there is something more you can do. A  will give you bottled-water quality with the convenience of your kitchen tap. Installed under the sink, a reverse-osmosis system is perhaps the most effective form of water filtration. The system removes up to 98 percent of metals, pathogens, chlorine and dirt, so your water smells and tastes like nothing but water. A reverse-osmosis system is different from a water softener, which removes the minerals that make your water hard - all over the house. A reverse-osmosis system works just on your kitchen faucet because it's for drinking water only.

You'll pay between $160 and $1,800 for a reverse-osmosis system - depending on the size of your house and the quality of the system and whether you're going to hire a pro to install it.  Many Arizona households have a water softener and a reverse-osmosis system; both are worthwhile investments!

For most families installing tankless water heater yields a substantial savings on utility bills, and some gas/propane models qualify for a $300 energy tax credit. No standard tank-type models qualify for the credit.

Tankless water heaters are not new. They have not been popular in American homes, but are common almost everywhere else in the world. It is a proven technology, and you never will have a rusted-out tank to replace.

Tankless water heaters are small and are usually hung on the wall or recessed (gas models) in a wall outdoors. Much of the cost of heating water with a standard tank-type water heater results from heat being lost through the walls and top of the tank. During summer, this heat loss to your home makes your air-conditioner run longer, so it is a double cost. During the winter, it does heat the air, but the water heater usually is in a utility room or basement, where warmth isn’t needed.

A tankless water heater has high output burners (gas) or heating elements (electric) to heat the water only as it is needed. If you do not use hot water overnight, the unit does not come on. In contrast, a tank-type model may come on several times to replace heat lost from the tank.

In addition to the utility-bill savings, a tankless water heater can supply enough hot water for endless showers, whereas a tank type water heater can run out of water by the third long shower. If you have just washed the dishes or done the laundry, the hot water may run out by the second.

The drawback to a tankless water heater is the instantaneous hot-water output is limited by the heating capacity of the unit. Depending upon the heating capacity, you may not be able to take two showers while running the clothes washer. This is a minor inconvenience to stagger the high-hot-water-usage tasks.

Gas models have the greatest instantaneous hot-water output, up to six gallons per minute. Because you seldom use straight hot tap water, this is more than adequate.

If you’re replacing an electric water heater, you’ll need additional circuits and wiring to a tankless unit.

No matter which type you need, select one with modulating heat output for steadier hot-water temperatures.