Garbage Disposal

Now that the air has gotten cooler and the leaves have turned brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red, it means that the holidays have officially arrived. What does the holiday season mean to you? Does it mean having a huge Thanksgiving dinner with a dozen or more guests enjoying the celebrations? Does it mean that your school-aged children are home for winter break, or that you’re having family from out of town visit? If you’re like a lot of homeowners, your plumbing fixtures are going to take a beating this holiday season, especially if you’re the type that loves to entertain for the holidays. How will your plumbing hold up? Plumbing-wise, here’s what you want to think about before the festivities begin: Is my garbage disposal in good shape, or is it working at all? Do I have a toilet that’s clogging too often? Are my shower, tub, and

When you’re a homeowner, drain clogs are inevitable, especially when you live in a house with toddlers or children, or you have a large family. Before you call the plumber to handle a clogged drain, there are some things that you can do to try and remove the blockage on your own. Toilets: If you have a clogged toilet, the trusty plunger is your first line of defense. Plungers do more than just unclog toilets, they can be used to unclog bathtubs and showers as well, but just be sure that you fill the base of the shower or tub with at least one inch of water, this way there is a seal before you begin plunging. If the plunger doesn’t do the trick, try a drain auger, also known as a “snake.” This is a flexible cable that is pushed into a drain to manually break apart the clog.

Garbage disposals are one of the greatest modern inventions. They allow us to avoid compost piles and dealing with foul smelling trash cans until the garbage man comes. They’re also great for getting rid of expired food and unwanted leftovers. But most of us take our garbage disposals for granted. We don’t realize how much we rely on these simple, but handy inventions until they become clogged or stop working. Follow these simple, yet effective tips for preventing clogs and jams to prolong the life of your garbage disposal. Tip #1. Run the disposal to prevent freezes. Even if you don’t use your disposal that often, it’s important to run it on a regular basis. If you don’t have anything to grind up, just turn on the water and run the disposal every few days. This gets the parts moving otherwise they can freeze up, rust, or corrode and any leftover

Are you noticing a white, unsightly film on your dishes after you run them through the dishwasher? Does it seem as if you just can’t get your dishes sparkling clean unless you wash them by hand? If so, the problem might not be your dishwasher, it could be a hard water problem. Hard water can leave soap deposits on the bathtub, it can lead to dull-looking laundry and it can leave annoying spots on your dishes. But, hard water does more than just have a cosmetic effect: scaly deposits can collect inside faucets, showerheads, and appliances, thereby restricting water flow. Hard water can also reduce the efficiency of heating elements and shorten their service lives. It May Be Time to Consider a Water Softener If the idea of dull laundry, spotty dishes, and restricted water flow bothers you, you may want to consider installing a water softener, otherwise known as a

Many of us don’t think twice about what we wash down the kitchen sink, but when we encounter a clog, everything changes. Your kitchen sink pipes have a tough job to do: they have to endure a lot of greasy, sticky substances every day. If you are fortunate enough to have newer, PVC or copper pipes, your sink may be more equipped to handle all that grease. But if you have older plumbing, there is a higher chance of your pipes clogging regularly. Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, you can help this situation significantly by being mindful of what you put down your kitchen sink, thereby preventing those messy, time-consuming clogs. Discard These Substances in the Trash Even with a great garbage disposal, every unit has its limitations and shelf life. There are certain substances that you just don’t want to pour down the garbage disposal, and

Keeping a garbage disposal clean can help prevent the disposal from growing mold and bacteria. As food is processed in the machine, small food particles can become trapped in the small nooks, even if water is run through the garbage disposal as it is being used. Weekly Cleanings Go a Long Way Cleaning a garbage disposal at least once a week can ensure that bacteria and mold do not grow in the machine and contribute to odors or dangerous spores. Some ways to clean a garbage disposal include: Baking soda and vinegar. Pour one-half cup of baking soda down the drain and carefully pour one cup of vinegar afterward. Use a stopper to plug the top of the drain. Leave to settle while a medium pot of water boils. Pour the boiling water down the drain. Water and bleach. Mix a gallon of water with a tablespoon of liquid bleach.

Kansas City Plumber Last weekend marked the official beginning of summer, and as time rushes on, it can be all too easy to let certain maintenance tasks fall by the wayside. Unfortunately for many people, this can result in a rude awakening, as small plumbing problems grow into massive emergencies. So here are some tips and reminders of what you could be inspected to ensure that you have a fun summer, free of plumbing misadventures. Here’s where you can start in the basement/garage, washroom, and the outdoors: Take a look at your water heater‘s label. You can find the month and year that the water heater was made in the serial number; the date will be the first four numbers. If that date was more than 15 years ago, you should probably replace your water heater. Check the washing machine hose for a leak as well. First look for any

The day right after Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times of the year for plumbers. Sometimes, this is because unnoticed plumbing problems are exacerbated by guests. Or more simply, with all the guests over at the house, showers and baths have to work extra hard, drains get backed up, garbage disposals are clogged, and plumbing disasters are created. So here are some things to avoid so you can enjoy your Thanksgiving leftovers in peace: Do not pour fats or oils down the drain. If cooking oil or grease gets into your pipes, this will harden after cooling down, making for a serious clog. These substances need to go in the garbage bin, not the garbage disposal. You cannot send fibrous or starchy leftovers into the garbage disposal either. This basically means that just about anyone’s Thanksgiving plate will have something that cannot go down the disposal: celery (in the

In spite of everyone’s best efforts, a garbage disposal is likely to end up with its grinders coated in slush, gunk and grime, and eventually is weighed down with debris and buildup. Substances such as glass and rubber can accidentally slip in, and prohibited items such as corn cobs, artichokes, and large bones can clog up the disposal. This can spawn an outbreak of smelly bacteria, which will further keep your disposal and drain from working properly, and is part of why you want to keep a clean garbage disposal. There are some DIY cleaning methods to maintain your garbage disposal, keep your sink drain free of foul odors and keep your garbage disposal unit in running shape for a long time to come.   Remove Debris In order to solve this matter, you may have to start by removing any items that are blocking your disposal. Before you begin,