Drinking Water Filter and Hot Water Dispenser

When my hot water dispenser and the filtered water dispenser broke last week, I was trying to find a replacement desperately. I did my usual research regarding which brand I should use. The one I have been using was from Culligan and it worked fine but it did not have a hot water dispenser. I was determined to replace one with hot water dispenser as well. I came up with a brand that most luxury homes used that has both hot and cool water dispenser. The brand is called Franke. I went to their webpage and tried to locate a distributor near my house but none has those items in stock. The good features that this brand offers Self Sterilizing ceramic outer shelve with embedded silver particle embedded within the ceramic itself and therefore it can not escape. This means that it stays in the filter and will not escaped into your drinking water. it is bacterial static and self sterilizing. The best thing about this filter is that it is reusable as many as 20 times. all it take is to remove it with a green scotch wash pad and clean it from time to time and it will be as good as new. That certainly beats paying about $100 every time to have a service man to come and replace the filter. Franke also has a hot water dispenser and is made of very durable material. The whole system comes with a butler (hot and cold water dispenser) that fits on the sink hole. I continue to search the web and found many places that sells this system. But the one I finally decided to buy from is Amazon.com. They have the lowest prices and the fastest delivery.



Installation is pretty easy, follow the instructions given find a suitable place under the sink preferably close to where you have the butler installed and of course, the electrical outlet and the water supply outlet. One thing to be very careful is to make sure you do not turn on the power until you are sure that the connection is correct.
Especially the hot water dispenser. The warranty specifically says that if the tank is empty and the power is turned on, the warranty is off. This makes sense because you do not want to heat up the tank when it is dry.

A Solution for changing high ceiling light bulbs

We have very high ceilings in our house. We have a problem trying to change light bulbs. Those long poles with bulb clamps never seem to work. After buying several of them and none of them can clamp onto the bulbs tight enough to change the bulbs, I decided to design something that can give me support and balance while standing high up on an "A" frame  ladder with one hand removing the bulbs and the other hand hold onto a supporting hand rail for balance and support. My 14 foot  extension ladder can be dangerous on top of a marble floor with nothing to lean against when they are in the center of the ceiling.  I only have a 8 foot ladder. I looked into buying a higher 12' "A" frame ladder but these ladders are very expensive for what I want to do and very heavy and clumsy to move around. So I have been procrastinating to change my high ceiling bulbs or cleaning the gutters until all my high ceiling light bulbs are burned out. I have to find a solution. "Necessity is the mother on invention".

Since I am too cheap to buy another ladder ( I already have 3 but they are no higher than 8 feet), I have to design a solution that would satisfy my needs. It must be  sturdy and safe enough for my weight and height.  I need a hand rail support for balance when I am high up on the ladder. A support hand rail to my 8 foot "A" frame so that I can hold onto the rail when I stepped on to the top step of the ladder without fear of falling (mainly for balance and support). Following are the steps I used to construct this rail extension. 

Design considerations:

1. I need a pole to hold onto for balance and  support  when I step onto the top step of the "A" frame ladder. My height is about 5 feet 10 inches. With my arm extended, I could easily reach 14 feet.  I  need the rail to be high enough for me to grab it which is about 4 feet from where I am standing. 
2. To secure the railing, I  need at least two bolts on each side of the ladder,  a piece of wood at least 6 feet long and 3 inches wide with smooth edges to hold onto. This will give me at least two feet to secure this extension frame to be bolted onto the A frame ladder.
3. My "A" frame ladder frame measures 3 inches in width and is made of reinforced fiberglass.
4. I went to the hardware stores to shop for two pieces of wood studs that measure 3in X 1/2in X 6 feet with smooth surfaces and I found them at Lowes hardware for $1.50 each.
5. I used 4 bolts each (1.5" X 3/8" dia), 8 pieces of flat washers, 4 pieces of lock washers each is 3/8" dia. Each bolt will have two flat washers and a lock washers.
6. It has to be removable for easy storage. So instead of using regular nuts, I decided to use 4 pieces of "wing" nuts.

Assembling the extension frame:

1. I selected two pieces of scrap woods in my shed each measuring 1 foot by 1/2 inch to be used as my cross bar to make the extended rail more sturdy and rigid.
2. Drilled 4 3/8 inch holes on my A frame ladder and also on the two six feet wood studs with measurements to match the "A" Frame's holes.
3. I glued the two cross bars to the extended frame and secured them with 4 one inch wood screws.
4. Bolted the extended frame to the "A" frame ladder

Testing the "A" frame ladder with the extended rails to make sure it can do the job. I was able to climb up to the top step without fear and was able to clean my gutters and change my light bulbs and I am able to do this for less than $10 plus half hours of my labor.


Disclaimer: This rail extension is not to be used in place of a step ladder for higher height requirement. Use at your own risk.  

Finished rail extension frame

Ready to use (The cross-bar is not a step)
It is for securing the two side rails.

Another view of the finished assembly

Bolt locations

Finished Assembly

Bolt location

"A" frame ladder and extended railing side by side