Adopt-a-Dog Month

The month of October is Adopt-A-Dog Month, a month dedicated to encouraging people into adopting and rescuing a dog at their local animal shelter. There are many great reasons why you should adopt, rather than buy, a dog at your local shelter. You can also visit your local animal shelter and learn more information about adopting, what kind of shelter they are, and much more. If you still want to support your local shelter but can't maintain a pet in your home, then there are other actions you can take.

Why You Should Adopt and Not Shop!

Sure people believe that you should purchase a dog at a pet shop rather than adopting one because dogs from a pet store are cleaner, less-problematic purebreds. That's a myth. There are plenty of good reasons why adopting a dog is better for both the dog and the adopter. These reasons include:

• adoption of a dog means saving that dog's life
• purchasing a dog or a puppy from a pet store is more expensive than adopting
• you can choose whether you want a puppy or an adult dog that's more likely to have been trained already

Dogs from a Shelter are Cleaner than Pet Shop Dogs

Not only are they cleaner, but they are also healthier. Shelters usually vaccinate their dogs as well as spay and neuter them. On top of all of that, shelter dogs don't have as many problems on a genetic level than dogs from a pet shop. Pet stores rely on obtaining "purebred" dogs from puppy mills. Dogs that are purebred are forced to mate with their relatives, and as a result, end up receiving more genetic defects and diseases than mutts do.

Those who run puppy mills don't care about the fact that their animals may end up or currently have physical problems. They don't even take great care of their dogs. To them, dogs are nothing more than a means to earn more money. Adopting a dog can discourage the demand for dogs bred from these cruel puppy mills.

Visit Your Local Animal Shelter to Learn More

You can learn whether or not your local shelter is a no-kill shelter by checking them out in person. The shelter can provide you with useful information on how their dogs are treated, and how to care for a dog, yourself. Maybe your next visit will end with you adopting a new dog.

Volunteering and Donating are Great Alternatives to Helping Your Local Shelter

You may not be able to own a pet of your own or just simply don't want to. That's alright because you can instead go to your local shelter to help out. Just doing basic tasks like washing dishes and feeding the pets can be a huge benefit to the shelter. Even if you don't have the time to volunteer, you can still donate money. A little bit of money can go a long way to these shelters.

Please donate to American Humane in Washington, DC, and don't hesitate to call at (800) 227-4645. They founded Adopt-a-Dog Month and are dedicated to rescuing shelter dogs.

If you are also in need of plumbing tips, call  Falcon Plumbing  in Miami, FL at (305)-251-7333.

Top 3 Events in October to go to in Miami/Ft Lauderdale

Southern Florida may create images of fun, summer activities, but we have a lot to offer in the fall too. October is a special month for Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. Many events and festivals are happening that have a little something for everyone. Here are our top three events going on in the area that we can’t wait for!

Wizard World Comic Con 2016

Do you love sci-fi and fantasy? Wizard World Comic Con is a fan convention that celebrates sci-fi, fantasy, comics, pop culture and more. Visitors enjoy demos, vendors, celebrity guests, panel discussions and more. Even if you have a passing interest in the genre, it’s worth going to see all the intricate costumes and special movie screenings directly. Visitors are also invited to a masquerade ball and get access to meet and greets, autograph signings and more. Wizard World Comic Con comes to Ft. Lauderdale in October at the Broward Convention Center.

III Points Music, Art and Technology Festival

This festival is known for pushing the envelope with how we experience art and music. Taking place in Miami from October 7-9, this festival combines live performances, vendors, artists, gallery shows, speakers and technology demonstrations making it one of the most progressive and fascinating festivals in the city. It began in 2013 as a way to showcase local Miami artists and idea people, and it continues to grow into this much-anticipated festival. This year, headlining artists include LCD Soundsystem and Thievery Corporation.

Whether your interests lie in food and drink, fantasy and comics or music and technology, there is a festival or event in South Florida for you. Just because summer is over, doesn’t mean the fun has to stop.

Grovetoberfest

If Oktoberfest isn’t your favorite type of event but you still enjoy beer, try Grovetoberfest. This annual Miami festival brings beer lovers from all over the world together to sample and purchases some of the best craft beers in the world. True beer aficionados will enjoy workshops and demos on cooking with beer. Attendees will even learn how to make their beer at home. This year’s event takes place mid-month on October 15th at Peacock Park. See you there!

And when you need professional plumbing services in Miami, FL this month, know you can always rely on Falcon Plumbing. Call (305)-251-7333 today to speak with one of our experts.

4 Tips  for National Resume Month

Looking for a job can be stressful. Trying to put together a resume that stands out might seem impossible. September is National Resume Month, and we include four tips that you can keep in mind when organizing your resume.

The Benefits of an Online Resume

An online resume offers a lot of advantages, the most common places being:

• LinkedIn
• Your site
• Job boards like Monster or Indeed

Recruiters and employers do a lot of searching online these days, so if your resume is online, they can find you more easily. An online resume also functions well as a "master resume." For each job you apply for, you typically edit your resume down and tailor it for that particular job. Having an online resume allows potential employers to see a complete picture of you, and there might be something on there you didn't choose to include that sticks out to them that gets you a callback.

How to Organize Your Resume

There are a lot of different ways to organize your resume, and all can be successful.

•  The most shared and popular is a chronologically organized resume that has your most recent accomplishments at the top and goes back in time from there.
• Career changers or recent grads without a lot of experience can use the functional resume format, which emphasizes your abilities over your past employment.
• No matter how you ultimately decide to organize your resume, the bottom line is: use the same organizational style throughout.

What Not To Write on Your Resume

•  It is accepted that including references on your resume is a waste of time and space - if a potential employer wants references, they'll ask, and you can provide them separately.
•  Objective statements have also fallen out of fashion because they are focused on what you, the applicant, wants, not what the employer needs, which is their focus when looking to hire someone.
•  If you must have a header statement, try using what's called a personal statement instead. It sums up who you are and your professional qualifications in a sentence or two - basically like your Professional Headline on LinkedIn.
•  Do not list hobbies on your resume, unless they are extremely relevant to the position to which you're applying.
• Do not list old jobs on your resume that have no relevance to the one for which you're applying.

Keep Your Resume Up To Date

Even if you are not currently seeking employment, you have a lot to gain by periodically updating your resume. Opportunities can arise very quickly, and even if you are content in your current job, your dream job might make itself known to you at a moment's notice. It's good to be able to respond immediately when opportunity calls instead of having to take up precious time to massively update your resume or build another one from scratch. You also might forget particular accomplishments when you go to update your resume at a later date.

So give your resume some love this September by picking it up, dusting it off and looking at it critically. Update it even if you're currently happy with your employment situation. You never know when your dream job will come knocking, or your situation will change.

If you are also in need of plumbing tips, call  Falcon Plumbing  in Miami, FL at (305)-251-7333.

Why Summer is the Best Season to Update Your Home’s Security System

A security system is an excellent way to keep your home safe, but once it’s installed, it does require maintenance and updating now and then. For one thing, technologies are always changing and improving, so the security measures you put in place ten years ago may be due for an upgrade, and there's likely some new equipment available now that just didn’t exist when your system was installed. If it’s time to start thinking about updating your home security, here are three areas where you can begin this summer.

Home Security System

Emergency Service Plan

House Security Sensor

Home Security System Services

Smoke Detector

1. Create a Home Safety and Emergency Plan

For any family to be safe in a home, every member needs to know how to act and where to go in case of an emergency, such as a fire, flood, or severe storm. Put together a plan of urgency that outlines escape routes from each room, details what to do in the event of various emergencies, and describes at least two outdoor meeting points where everyone should gather. Everyone should also know where the fire extinguishers are and how to use them, where all the phones are, and who to call in an emergency.
The thing about contingency plans is that they work best when they're practiced because this will prevent panic. And it’s much more pleasant to have a practice fire drill in the middle of summer than it is in the dead of winter!

2. Install Outdoor and Indoor Sensors

Thanks to technological advances, there are sensors out there for everything these days. Outdoor sensors are reserved for motion detection and door/window sensors that alert you to an intruder. When it comes to indoor sensors, there are your basic motion detectors, smoke alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors, but in recent years there have been some others come out on the market, including broken glass detectors, flood and water sensors, and smart thermostats that can detect temperature changes.

You don’t necessarily have to install all these sensors, but you should consider ones that make sense for your home or area. For instance, if there's virtually no crime in your neighborhood, a broken glass alarm may not be what you need, but a carbon monoxide detector is a must if you have any gas appliances.

Summer is a much easier time for installing certain things, such as outdoor motion sensors because you don’t have to contend with snow and the elements. It’s also a good idea to have smoke alarms, and other safety devices installed well before the winter when more cooking will be done indoors, people will be spending more time inside, and there may even be a fire roaring in your heart.

3. Keep up With Regular Maintenance

You may not think of regular wear and tear as a safety hazard, but it can certainly become one. Think about what would happen if a child or animal ate some of the paint that’s chipping on the wall, or if that broken piece of siding revealed a rusty nail that someone could get snagged on. And when it comes to the roof, the safety and integrity of your entire home depend on it, so it’s important to keep up with regular maintenance and repairs.

There is seasonal maintenance that must be done throughout the year, but summer is the best time for a lot of it because there's no snow on the roof, it’s not cold outside, and outdoor repairs are much more pleasant when the sun’s shining rather than during an ice storm.

You want to keep your home and your family safe, and Falcon Plumbing can help in Miami, FL. Call us at 305-251-7333 for help with your repairs, emergency plumbing issues, device installation, or for more tips about updating your home security system.

Ready or Not- It's time for Back -to-School

Preparing to take the kids back to school in the fall is one of the most tiring and troublesome experiences a parent can go through. There are so many little things to accomplish, such as buying new outfits, textbooks, backpacks, general school supplies, and reorganizing schedules around work and everyday life. Most kids will not be ready and will simply not want to offer a helping hand with all of the tasks that need to be completed by the first day of school.

Savings/Budget

You should begin saving a bit of extra money ahead of time for the purchase of various school supplies. Most schools don't send home a list of what is needed, such as the books, notebooks, and pencils, until it is nearly time to return. This can be troublesome and downright headache-inducing for most parents. The best option is to put aside a bit of money each month during the summer so when the time comes you already have the funds required to take the kids shopping.

Buying Supplies

Most local big-name stores will offer the school supplies required for most children in the area. Large shopping chains set aside entire sections of their floor, including multiple aisles, for parents shopping for their children. You can find brand new notebooks, three-ring binders, packs of markers, pencils, pens, and loose-leaf paper so kids can draw or write notes on. The items can be costly, so saving some money beforehand, as mentioned above, will be vital to heading back to school.

Organizing Your Schedules

This is especially important for those parents who have more than one child in their home heading back to school. Some schools, especially middle and high schools, tend to have different starting times. You must balance your time between dropping off your child before the bell rings and making it to work on-time each day. This can be a bit of a hassle at first, but once you really get into the swing of things, it should be much easier. When possible, speak with your kids and find out who would be willing to ride the bus in the morning. If you have a school bus stop near your home, you can drop your child off on the way to work. Alternatively, you can have a family friend, or perhaps a neighbor, who also has a child heading to school, drop your kids off when they are passing by the area.

Heading back to school does not need to give you the headache that most people associate it with. Take a step back, take a quick breath, and write down exactly what needs to be done. If you are also in need of plumbing tips, call (305)-251-7333 inMiami, FL at Falcon Plumbing.

5 Tips to Get Your House Ready for Vacation

Whether you’re planning a getaway for a few days or a few weeks, it’s important to make sure that you take adequate steps so that you can go away and enjoy yourself without worrying about the state of your home while you’re away.

Below are five things to keep in mind while preparing to leave for your vacation:

1. Shut Off Your Water Valve

Many homeowners worry about the state of their plumbing, and with good reason: a leak or burst pipe can cause extensive damage in little time at all. Leaking water can quickly cause damage to your floors, ceilings, walls, and even your furniture and kitchen cabinets and can lead to the growth of mold and mildew.

While it may seem like a second thought, it’s important to take this step because gallons of water may leak into your home during your absence, which can lead to health issues, structural problems, and cost thousands of dollars.

2. Clean Your Garbage Disposal

It’s important to clean your garbage disposal regularly to keep it free of clog-causing debris, but it’s especially critical to take the time to clean it before you leave for an extended period. The reason is that foodstuffs such as fruit peels, eggshells, and other items may still be lodged within your garbage disposal, and can attract flies, ants, and can cause your kitchen to stink.

Instead of worrying about an unpleasant surprise when you return, take a moment to flush the unit with white vinegar and water for a minute or two before you leave to clean it of any leftovers.

3. Disconnect Your Appliances

Why would you want to keep paying for electricity when you aren’t using it? Unplugging appliances and items such as your television, computers, and home entertainment systems can not only save you money, but it can also help prevent issues with your electronics due to an unexpected surge during your absence.

4. Put Your Water Heater in “Vacation Mode”

Most modern water heaters have a “vacation mode” which can be turned on when you go out of town. These settings turn down the temperature in your water tank until you re-adjust it, and can help you save money on your energy bill while you’re away. If you have an older water heater which isn’t equipped with this setting, only turn down the temperature by a few degrees and enjoy the same results.

5. Arm Your Alarms

Before you leave, make sure to test the batteries on your smoke alarms and change the batteries if need be. Also, be sure to contact your security alarm company to notify them of your absence, and leave the alarm code, security company’s contact information, your contact numbers, and your vacation itinerary with a friend or family member in case there is an issue.

By taking precautionary steps to maintain your home while you are away, you can enjoy peace of mind and the comfort of knowing your home is looked after.

For information about how Falcon Plumbing, Miami, FL can help you prepare to go out of town, give us a call at (305)-251-7333.

3 Ways to Prepare for UV Safety Awareness Month

July is UV Safety Awareness Month, which is a recognition many are unaware of. While we tend to think of fresh air and sunshine as healthy and therapeutic, the sun's UV rays are quite harmful. They can cause eye damage, skin cancer, and premature aging. UV rays can also suppress the immune system, leaving your body open to infections and disease. UV Safety Awareness Month is meant to educate those who are unaware of the sun's damaging effects and to serve as a reminder to everyone that the sun must be enjoyed safely. Here are three ways you can prepare this year.

Go Shopping

It's important to wear sunscreen! Make sure it’s not expired. Clean out the medicine chest, and replace any expired sunscreen with a new bottle. Get a wide-brimmed hat to protect your face during outdoor activities as well a pair of sunglasses.  Be sure to choose sunglasses that block all UV rays as your pupils will dilate when behind dark glasses. Sunglasses should be rated to block 100% of UV-A and UV-B rays and provide the most protection.This can increase the amount of UV light your eyes are exposed to if the glasses don't shield your peripheral vision.

Know When to Go

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the sun is at it's strongest between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. If you do go out during this part of the day use the sunscreen, sunglasses, and try to wear a hat. Stick to the shade as much as you can, as well.

Check in With Your Doctor

Take a moment to call your physician or pharmacist and review any prescription medications you're taking. Some drugs make you more sensitive to UV light. If you're taking any of these medicines, you'll need to know so you can be even more diligent about your UV protection.

Falcom Plumbing of Miami, FL is happy to bring you these safety tips and reminders during this UV Safety Awareness Month. Remember to stay safe, take an active role in educating others about UV dangers and give us a call at (305)-251-7333 the next time you find yourself in need of a plumber.

Why You Should Get a Plumbing Inspection

You’re excited that you’ve been approved for financing for a new home, and all you can think about is how you’re going to decorate each room, how lovely the backyard is, how beautiful the home is, and how you can’t wait to move in.

You’ve already ordered an inspector to check the home before you purchasing it, but have you hired a plumber to check the plumbing in the home as well?

It’s likely that you may not have thought of getting a plumber to do an inspection because it’s one of those things that people tend to forget when they are purchasing a new home.

The house itself may be sound and ready for move-in, but the plumbing is important to check as well, especially since you’ll need regular use of the plumbing, and plumbing repairs can be costly.

Make sure to hire a plumber that has knowledge about plumbing inspections, and have the plumber inspect the plumbing throughout the entire home as well as the plumbing around the house before you ever choose to purchase the home.

What To Look For In The Water Heater

The water heater in a home is one of the most important things to check, especially since water heaters are very costly to replace and are supposed to last for about a decade.

If you are going to move into a home that has a water heater with a lot of problems, then you’re going to need to know if the heater needs replacement or if repair is possible. Here are the things to check when examining the water heater:

• Leaks
• Cracks
• Any Damage
• Functionality

Leaks- Any leaks coming from a water heater is a bad sign, and there may be different things that have caused the leak, including physical damage to the unit or aging of the unit. Usually, if a water heater has a leak or several leaks, a plumber would request that you change out the water heater because it’s likely to continue leaking, even if it’s patched temporarily.

Leaking can occur in any part of the water heater, but seeing a puddle of water around the base of the heater is a clear sign that the heater is leaking from someplace.

Cracks- It’s possible for a water heater to have a crack but still not leak, but assume that the crack can eventually lead to a leak. Cracks can be caused by damage to the unit that was inflicted by a person or natural events, such as if there was an earthquake, and the unit was not secured.

It’s also possible that rust has accumulated inside the water heater, causing a crack in some locations, especially if the damage was inflicted to a weak spot on the unit.

Any Damage- If any of the pipes or valves on the unit are damaged, then this can determine if the unit will function properly at all. The entire water heater should be inspected for any damage to make sure the water heater will last while it’s being used in the home.

Functionality- A water heater is supposed to warm up the water that’s in the tank and distribute it throughout the home. Tankless water heaters can warm up the water on demand to distribute it throughout the home.

If the water heater isn’t functioning properly, then it may be because of an outed pilot, a malfunctioning pipe, or the water heater itself may no longer be working correctly.

Check The Toilets

Although toilets are one of the most affordable fixtures that are put into a home, you’ll still want to make sure the toilet works properly and is securely in place before moving into a home, especially when there are several toilets in the home. Each toilet should be checked for:

• Leaking
• Mold Or Mildew
• The Flapper
• Worn Wax Ring

Leaking- A toilets can be leaking in a couple of places, so check for each kind of leaking. Dropping some food coloring into the tank of the toilet will allow the coloring to show up in the toilet bowl, which is the sign of one type of leak. Finding any mold or mildew or discolored water at the base of the toilet is a sign of another kind of leak.

Mold/Mildew- Water that leaks from the bottom of the toilet and sits there for a while will eventually mold, which means that the toilet base will need to be fixed and secured again. It’s possible that if the mold is significant enough, a replacement of the flooring that’s directly underneath the toilet may be necessary.

The Flapper- The flapper in the toilet tank is what keeps the water in the tank until you’re ready to flush it, so make sure the flapper is not leaking, which can waste a lot of water.

Worn Wax Ring- The wax ring that helps the hold the toilet in place can be worn after the toilet has been used for years, which means the toilet may shake and shift, and there may be leaking at the bottom of the toilet.

Ensure that the wax ring isn’t worn as well as making sure the bolts holding the toilet in place don’t need replacement.

Is The Water Discolored?

Your plumber is going to have to check for discolored water, and if discolored water is discovered, then there may be several reasons why the water may not be coming out clear.

The plumber will have to narrow down the exact cause of the discolored water, and it may be necessary for the plumber to unearth pipes if they are not able to find the exact reason for the discolored water. Older plumbing can become rusty, which can also be a cause of discolored water, so replacement of the pipes may be necessary.

Your plumbing needs can easily be cared for by Falcon Plumbing when you call (305)-251-7333 in Miami, FL for plumbing inspections and more.

3 Things You Should Know About Summer Solstice

The summer solstice is going to be happening in just a few weeks, but many people do not realize the meaning or origins of this event. The summer solstice has been celebrated for thousands of years. It is commonly referred to as "the longest day of the year," but this is not all that happens during the summer solstice.

What Is the Summer Solstice?

According to astronomy, a solstice happens when the tilt of a planet is most inclined towards the star it rotates around. This means that the summer solstice occurs when the Northern Hemisphere is pointed as far towards the sun as possible during its yearly rotation. In the summer solstice, the Northern hemisphere experiences the most hours of daylight during the year, and summer officially starts.

Why Do We Have Longer Days in Summer?

During the time around the summer solstice, the days are very long. This happens because the northern half of the Earth has tilted towards the sun, so it spends more time in the sunshine each day. Meanwhile, the farther half of the Earth has tilted away from the sun. Meaning that in certain places, like Australia, they will experience darker days and cooler weather during the summer solstice. However, if you travel far enough north during the summer solstice, the sun will appear to travel around the horizon instead of setting each night because the days are so long.

Where Does the Phrase "Solstice" Come From?

The name, "solstice," comes from the Latin language. It is a combination of "sol," which means sun," and "sisto," which means "I stand still." Therefore, the basic phrase used to refer to the longest day of the year means "the sun stands still." A solstice was called this by the ancient Romans because the day was so long that it seemed like the sun was practically standing still in the sky for most of the day.

Enjoy the long summer days in Miami, FL without worrying about your plumbing. Call Falcon Plumbing today at (305)-251-7333 to learn more about how we can meet your summer needs.