Matt Erickson | C.J. Erickson Plumbing Co. Blog

The Flapperless Toilet from Niagara – A Try Before You Buy Experiment

Matt Erickson

Nov 28 |12:42

What is a Flapperless toilet you ask? Niagara Water Conservation makes a toilet that has a rather unconventional fill and flush system. Conventional toilets have some form of a flapper, or stopper, covering the hole in the tank. The trip lever, or handle, lifts the flapper to allow the water into the bowl and rim for the flush. Flappers, flapper chains and levers are all items that are frequently replaced during toilet service calls.

The Flapperless toilet features tip bucket technology. The fill valve fills the bucket and the handle tips the bucket to start the flush. The flush is good, plus you benefit from a no-sweat tank. The maintenance-free flush system should give you peace of mind if you are used to repairs due to aggressive water or inferior products. This product comes in a round or elongated 1.28 GPF (gallons per flush) or 1.6 GPF.

In our “real world testing” at the C.J. Erickson Working Showroom, we have found that the 1.6 GPF model does a better job than the 1.28 GPF version. The extra water seems to help clear the bowl of solid wastes more consistently than the 1.28 GPF model. This technology would benefit large hotel/motel buildings that have experienced flapper or fill valve problems in the past.

If you want to try the Niagara Flapperless toilet, come on in to the C.J. Erickson Plumbing “Showroom that Works” located at 121st and Cicero Avenue in Alsip. The plumbing showroom is a fully-functional and environmentally friendly, featuring a wide variety of plumbing fixtures to try before you buy. Shop the latest brands and styles and get the help you need from experienced C.J. Erickson plumbers who will stand behind their work.

The Stealth Uses Just 0.8 Gallons Per Flush!

Matt Erickson

Sep 19 |11:36

The Stealth UHET (Ultra-High Effiecient Toilet) from Niagara Water Conservation uses only .8 gallons of water per flush.

C.J. Erickson Plumbing is proud to be a local distributor of Niagara Water Conservation products. At .8 gallons per flush, most of us in the service department were skeptical about how The Stealth would perform. So, before endorsing the product and displaying it in our “Showroom That Works” we needed to perform our own ‘real world’ tests.

The Stealth has been in our plumbing showroom for 2 months now and we’ve had great results. The Stealth is flushed at least 20 times per day with both solid and liquid wastes. There have been no clogs or back-ups to report, and all of our expert plumbers are very happy with the Stealth’s performance.

It’s important for us to point out that while we’ve had good success with The Stealth, it may not be right for every household. If you’ve had sewer problems in the past and your underground piping is not in the best shape, you may want to stick with a conventional 1.6 gallon per flush toilet. The Stealth UHET does a great job of flushing with low water volume, but the reduced water volume might lead to problems in some plumbing systems.

If you are intrigued by the Stealth but aren’t sure if it’s right for your home, come in to our plumbing showroom where you can test the toilet, see how it works and learn the difference between a .8 gallon flush and the 1.6 gallon flush. If the Stealth is the right product for you, buy it in our showroom and a C.J. Erickson expert plumber can help you with installation.

Niagara Water Conservation also offers other toilets, along with a number of showerheads and faucet aerators. Stay tuned… I’ll blog about another cool technology from Niagara next time.

Stop by our “Showroom that Works” at 12100 S. Cicero Ave, Alsip, IL to see The Stealth and other water conserving products in action.

C.J. Erickson Plumbing Co. Opens New “Showroom that Works” in Alsip

Matt Erickson

Sep 16 |10:22

C.J. Erickson Plumbing Company opened a new plumbing showroom, located at 12100 S. Cicero Avenue in Alsip, IL. The “Showroom that Works” is a unique 3,500 sq. ft. fully functional, environmentally friendly retail showroom featuring a wide variety of working fixtures, including toilets, showerheads, lavatories, kitchen sinks, disposals, and sump pumps from leading manufacturers. The showroom is meant to not only inspire great ideas, but also allow homeowners, do-it-yourselfers and designers the ability to try a variety of fixtures before they buy.

CJE Community Service Corps Sets New Goals for 2011

Matt Erickson

Dec 23 |09:53

We have finished up 2010 with a grand total of 388 hours donated in pro-bono plumbing work and CJE Community Service Corp volunteer work. Today the committee met to review the year and start planning for 2011.

The CJE Community Service Corps has set a new goal of 450 volunteer hours in 2011. In the coming year, we will continue to volunteer at the Greater Chicago Food Depository and Together We Cope. We will also be providing pro-bono service work to Ronald McDonald House Charities. In our hometown of Alsip, we are excited to start work on a project for “Adopt a Road.”

Since we were not able to have a marquee event in 2010, we have started planning early to get one on the calendar for the upcoming year. A few ideas include:

A multi-site car wash
A family volunteer day at one of our favorite charities
Participating in the Habitat for Humanity or Rebuild Together Chicago house program

Thank you to all the Community Corps volunteers and the charities helping C.J. Erickson Plumbing Company achieve our goals for 2010! If you have any suggestions on organizations that need help or requests for volunteers, then please call 708-371-4900 and ask for Shawn. Have a safe Holiday and a Happy New Year!

C.J. Erickson Performs Hydro-Excavation at Midway Airport

Matt Erickson

Nov 11 |19:52

Below is a video of our hydro-excavation truck in action. Recently, C.J. Erickson Plumbing Co. was asked to perform hydro-excavation and air-excavation work at Midway Airport. The plan called for 400 feet of slot trench between two runways, and our crew was top-notch the whole way. C.J. Erickson Plumbing Co. can help with pot-holing, utility location, catch-basin cleaning, pre-construction surveys, fiber optic locating, etc. This machine really enhances our capabilities to get any job done. Take a look! And as always, when it comes to plumbing, whether it be commercial or residential, C.J. Erickson is the trusted name.