Category Archives: DIY Plumbing

How To Prevent Clogging And Corrosion In Your Water Heater

Water heaters are critical but quite delicate plumbing devices. The hot water heater caters for all our hot water needs. It ensures that we have enough hot water to drink, cook, clean, and bathe. In return, this device requires special care and maintenance. This is not to say that the water heater requires constant care and maintenance. It means that you have to set aside some time every year to take care of this important plumbing device. Otherwise your water heater will develop all kinds of problems and you will incur very high expenses in plumbing repairs. Most water heater problems require the services of a professional DC water heater plumber. If your water heater is leaking, you can try to inspect it to find the source of the leak. But you will still have to hire a qualified plumber to fix the problem. There are many other very serious water heater problems that require the services of a professional plumber. The good news is that you can prevent some of these serious water heater problems. Today you are going to learn how to prevent two serious water heater issues: clogging and corrosion.

Regular And Proper Flushing

Let us start by looking at the problem of clogging in your water heater. The water that flows into your water heater might contain some sediments and impurities. These sediments are usually in very minute quantities and hence you might not notice them when consuming the water. But these sediments collect inside your water heater over time. The problem of sediment buildup usually affects storage tank water heaters. The sediments in the water usually settle at the bottom of the hot water tank. If the hot water tank is not flushed or cleaned for a very long time, these sediments build up and clog the water heater, and possibly require emergency plumbing service. They will clog the drainage valve and affect the performance of your hot water heater. They can also cause the hot water to start tasting rusty. To prevent clogging in your water heater, flush the tank thoroughly every year. Flushing a water heater is quite easy and you do not need to call a plumber for this. Just switch the device off and attach a hose to the drainage valve. Run the hose to a sink or floor drain and then turn the drainage valve on to allow all the hot water to drain. Then let the cold water to continue running to remove all the sediments.

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Use A Water Softener

The other serious problem in water heaters is corrosion. The hot water tank is made of steel, which means that it’s susceptible to corrosion. The tank is corroded by mineral deposits like calcium, which are found in hard water. You can solve this problem by adding a water softener to your water supply system. This will get rid of all those minerals in the water and keep your water heater safe.

Replace The Anode Rod Regularly

A water softener will try to eliminate all the minerals in the hard water but some might still slip through. That is why storage tank water heaters come with an anode rod. The anode rod is placed inside the hot water tank to attract all corrosive elements that can corrode the tank. Inspect the anode rod regularly and replace it every 2-3 years to prevent water heater corrosion.

How To Remove Your Lost Valuables From Your Sink Drain

The drainage and sewer system is home to so many foreign objects. People are always throwing objects — voluntarily or involuntarily — down the sink, shower, and even toilet drains. Sometimes we use our drainage system to dispose of some of our items. The toilet is a main victim of all manner of bad disposals from pills to unappreciated jewelry. This is where you dump a ring or some medicines in your toilet voluntarily and flush them down your drains. But sometimes you can lose a valuable item in your kitchen sink or shower drain. You could be doing your dishes or even showering and find that your ring has gone down your kitchen sink or shower drain. At such times, you need to know how to retrieve these valuables from your drainage and sewer system. Luckily for your, the plumbing system is designed to retain solid items for some time in some sections of the drain pipes. This means that if you act fast, you will be able to retrieve your valuable item before it’s lost forever in the municipal sewer system. Here are a few tips for retrieving valuables from your kitchen drains. DC Plumber kitchen drain

Use A Bent Coat Hanger

The first and easiest solution to this problem lies in a coat hanger. You will need a metallic coat hanger for this kind of problem. Remove the drain catch and insert the hanger with the bent end first. Try to feel around for your lost item. A bent coat hanger will come in handy when you have lost something bigger like a toothbrush or a toy. But for the smaller items like rings, you have to use one of the solutions discussed below.

Disassemble The Sink

This might appear like a very technical and hectic solution but it’s quite easy. Disassembling a kitchen sink is not very difficult. Make sure that you turn the water off and then put something below the sink plug to keep it open, Place a bucket below the sink area to catch the water. You can now unscrew the J-pipe from the section closest to the wall and near the sink. The water in the pipe will come and out and fall into the bucket. Check whether your lost valuable is inside the bucket with the water.

Use A Magnetic Or A Pronged Retrieval Tool

If your valuable item is not in the bucket, then it could be trapped in the P-trap, which is the J-shaped pipe under the sink. Now you have to access the drain from the top of the sink. You will need a retrieval tool for this job. Retrieval tools are specially designed tools that look like radio antennae; they can also retract or extend in size. There are several types of retrieval tools; some are magnetic, others are pronged, and some are both magnetic and pronged. These tools cost a few bucks in your local hardware store. Anyway, insert the retrieval tool in the drain and then use a light source to locate the lost item and grip it with the tongs or the magnet. You can now extract the lost valuable and clean it.

Call A Professional Plumber

If all these DIY solutions fail, request drain services in DC to have a professional plumber retrieve your lost valuable. They usually will be able to fish out your valuable even after it has gone down the drain pipe. A professional plumber will not only restore your valuable to you, by removing the article, they will help you avoid a clog in the future.

Most Weird Things Ever Found In Drainage And Sewer Pipes

The drainage and sewer system is designed to carry liquid waste from the house to the private septic tank or the municipal sewer system. But there have been very main instances when the drainage and sewer system is used to transport more than sewage.  Sometimes it’s used to dispose solid foreign objects. Some of these foreign objects are dumped in the drainage and sewer system knowingly. Others fall into the drains by accident. One thing that you should always remember about foreign objects in the drainage and sewer system is that they can cause clogging and even serious sewer backups in your house. This means that you should always be very careful what you dump down your drains. The toilet brings some of the weirdest things to the drainage and sewer system. Depending on the size of your drainage pipes, you can find all kinds of weird stuff in your sewer lines. Most of these weird items are found when a plumbing client requests drain cleaning services mainly because of a serious clog in the sewer lines. Let us look at some of the weirdest things that have ever been found by plumbers in drainage and sewer lines.  DC sewer service

Dead And Live Fish

Drain cleaning services are offered to both residential and commercial clients in Washington DC. This means that a homeowner can request drain cleaning services in the city. And a business owner or any other commercial or corporate client can hire a qualified commercial plumber in DC to unclog or clear his clogged commercial drainage and sewer system. That being said, residential and commercial drain cleaners have seen their fair share of weird stuff when working on the DC drainage and sewer systems. Dead gold fish are very common in drainage and sewer lines. But one of the most amazing drain cleaning finds was a 2.5-pound live trout. This was not in DC but it made plumbing news none the less.

Cigarettes And Canned Beer

Cigarettes are a common find in drainage and sewer lines. People dump cigarettes and lighters in their toilets all the time. Sometimes it’s by accident and other times they are just trying to convince themselves that they have quit smoking. Plumbers have found cigarette sticks and even whole packets of cigarettes in the drainage and sewer system. But one plumber was surprised to find a six-pack of beer lodged inside a drain pipe. What a refreshing reward.

Snakes And Rodents

Many clogs can be dislodged using a plumber’s snake. Imagine the irony of finding a live snake in a clogged drain pipe. When conducting an underground sewer camera inspection, one plumber discovered a 7-foot boa constrictor staring at the camera. Another plumber found a 2.4-foot rattlesnake relaxing in the drainage and sewer system. Scottish plumbers found a live badger trapped in a drainage pipe. Talk about weird animals in weird places.

Dentures And False Teeth

Many plumbers have found dentures and false teeth in drain pipes. Seniors lose their teeth frequently in their sinks. Mobile phones and all kinds of jewelry are also very common in the drainage and sewer system. You never know, there are all kinds of weird things found in our sewage systems.

Care And Maintenance Of Gas-Powered Plumbing Appliances

The DC gas plumbing industry handles many types of projects. Professional gas plumbers provide many different types of services. It’s important to note that only the biggest plumbing companies in DC provide both general plumbing services and gas plumbing services. And the even bigger plumbing companies are able to provide both types of services to residential plumbing clients and also to commercial plumbing clients. With that knowledge in mind, you can now appreciate the many gas plumbing services available in DC, including new gas line installations in new buildings, retrofitting old buildings with new gas lines, gas line repair and replacement, gas leak detection and repair, gas appliance installation, connection, repair, and maintenance, and many more. Gas is one of the most popular fuels in Washington DC. Many people like using gas-powered appliances because gas is significantly cheaper than electricity. Some of the most popular gas-powered appliances include water heaters, cookers, washing machines, refrigerators, stoves, and HVAC systems. It’s very important that you take good care of these gas-powered appliances to ensure their functionality and enhance their longevity. Here are a few care and maintenance tips for gas-powered appliances.

Regular Checks For Gas Leaks

Gas leaks are some of the most common gas plumbing problems in DC. If you ever suspect or detect a gas leak in your house, do not hesitate to call a professional gas plumber in DC. Gas leaks can occur in the gas supply or connecting pipes. They can also occur in the gas appliances. Such leaks usually occur at the connecting valve where the gas supply pipe attaches to the gas appliance. One of the most important care and maintenance tip for gas-powered appliances is to conduct regular checks for gas leaks. Check those connecting valves and ensure that they are tightly sealed to avoid gas leaks. Remember that gas leaks are very dangerous. Appliance gas leaks can cause fires and even deadly explosions in the house. If you ever detect the rotten eggs smell of gas in your house, try to turn off the gas at the main shutoff valve. Then leave the house immediately and call a professional gas plumber from a safe distance.DC gas plumber

Implement Timely Repairs

Like all other plumbing appliances, gas-powered appliances are bound to break down from time to time. This can be due to old age or physical damage. It can also be due to negligence or quality issues. It doesn’t really matter the cause of the malfunction, just make sure that the faulty appliance is fixed as soon as possible. This will ensure gas safety in your house. It will also enhance the functionality and durability of the gas-powered appliance.

Proper Handling And Connection

Gas-powered appliances should be handled with a lot of care. They should also be connected properly to the gas supply lines. If you do not know how to connect or operate a gas-powered appliance, call a qualified gas plumber to help you with the connections and also to teach you how to operate the appliance. Gas-powered appliances should not be moved around carelessly. They should be installed on cool dry surfaces away from children’s reach.

Remodeling Your Bathroom To Make It Seniors Friendly

Home remodels are conducted for many different reasons. Some people remodel their houses just to spruce up the interior décor and to make the whole house more appealing. Other people remodel their homes with a more functional objective in mind. You could be adding more space to the existing rooms, adding new rooms to accommodate a growing family, or upgrading the appliances and fixtures to make your home more efficient and eco-friendly. All these reasons are fine. It’s your house, you are paying for the remodel, and hence you have the right to choose the outcome. There are some more personal reasons for conducting a home remodel. You can decide to remodel your home to accommodate an invalid who is using a wheelchair. You can also remodel your home to make it more habitable for your elderly folk. This is called creating a seniors friendly environment. One of the most important rooms in the house is the bathroom. And when you are remodeling for seniors, you should pay particular attention to this room. The bathroom is very functional but quite dangerous. It’s even more dangerous for the elderly. Your bathroom remodel for seniors’ should focus on the following safety and functional features.

 

Enhanced Safety

One of the main reasons for remodeling a bathroom for seniors is to improve the safety. You should consult a professional plumber or remodeler who specializes in DC bathroom remodeling for seniors to discuss various safety features for the bathroom. Here are a few suggestions that will help enhance the safety of your bathroom and make it better for the elderly in your house.

Slip Resistant Floors

A seniors’ bathroom should have slip resistant floors. You should pay more attention to this safety feature because slippery bathrooms are very risky for someone using a cane or walker. Choose rough-textured slip resistant tiles or apply rough-textured floor mats to enhance the traction in your bathroom.

Walk-In Bathtubs

The bathtub is one of the most relaxing plumbing appliances at home. It’s also one of the most dangerous installations in the bathroom. Modern bathtub manufacturers have acknowledged the danger and designed some super safe bathtubs. The most recommendable model for seniors is the walk-in bathtub with a seat. Check with your local plumber for what would work best with your situation.

Extra Safe Showers

The shower area is the most sensitive section in the bathroom in terms of safety. The floor should be slip resistant. For seniors, you should also add other safety features like a shower seat and grab-on bars.bathroom reno in DC

Upgrade The Toilets

In addition to the safety concerns mentioned above, you should also address the comfort of the elderly in your bathroom. That is why you should upgrade to raised or comfort height toilets. Grab-on bars should also be added to the toilet for safety. A bidet is also a good idea.

Ensure Ease Of Accessibility

When remodeling your bathroom for seniors, remember to make it easier to access. If you have stairs in your house, make sure that there is a bathroom on every floor. Also increase the space in the bathroom to make it easier to use the various amenities.

Improve Lighting

And last but not least, improve the lighting in the bathroom. The remodeler should add lights in various spaces in the bathroom. Automatic lights can be very useful especially for those middle of the night bathroom visits.

Simple DIY Repairs For A Faulty Dishwasher

We require many different plumbing appliances and fixtures in the house for various household chores and activities. We have faucets and showers for supplying clean water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing. We also have sinks and toilets for waste disposal. Other plumbing appliances are more sophisticated, such as washing machines, garbage disposals, water heaters, and dishwashers. These sophisticated appliances require proper care and maintenance to enhance their functionality and ensure their longevity. But even with proper care and maintenance, these plumbing appliances can still breakdown due to a number of factors. One of the most important plumbing appliances at home is the dishwasher. As the name implies, the dishwasher is used for cleaning dirty dishes. You simply put the dirty dishes inside the dishwasher and then run it for some time and the dishes will be all clean and shiny. But as mentioned above, this amazing appliance can fail from time to time. Sometimes the problem could be serious and you have to request DC plumbing services to have your dishwasher repaired. But you can also try to fix some minor faults on your own. Here are a few simple DIY repairs that you can implement on your faulty dishwasher.

Check The Water Temperature

If your dishwasher is not performing its duty properly, then you need to diagnose the problem. Sometimes the problem is caused by hot water problems. If your dishwasher is not cleaning your dirty dishes properly, then it could be a problem of low water temperature. You need your dishwasher to clean and sanitize those dirty dishes thoroughly. For this to happen, the water used in the dishwasher should be sufficiently hot. If your dishwasher does not heat the water for cleaning dishes on its own, then you have to rely on the hot water produced by your water heater. This device is usually set at 120 degrees. But to clean your dirty dishes properly, you need to adjust this temperature to 140 degrees when using your dishwasher. As you can see, you can easily solve the unclean dishes problem by adjusting the thermostat in your hot water heater when using your dishwasher.

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Inspect The Spray Arm

If the spray arm in your dishwasher is not spinning properly, then you will suffer the unclean dishes problem. Most of the time the spray arm malfunctions because of trapped food remnants and other debris. You can easily fix this problem by removing the cap from the spray arm and inspecting it. Use a wire to remove any trapped debris and then close the cap and insert the spray arm back in the dishwasher and the problem is gone.

Clear The Nozzles

Another common but minor dishwasher problem that you can fix on your own is clogged nozzles. The nozzles that produce water for cleaning the dishes can also get clogged by food particles, debris, or even mineral buildup. When inspecting the spray arm and other parts of your faulty dishwasher, make sure that the nozzles are cleared and cleaned to ensure that the water comes through as intended.

Inspect The Door

The door of your dishwasher plays a very important role. It prevents water from leaking from the appliance onto the floor. If your dishwasher is leaking, then it means that the door latches are not closed properly. Check for any blocking debris that might be preventing the door from closing properly. Remove this debris, close the door, and the leaking problem is gone.

Why You Should Call A Professional Gas Plumber To Fix A Gas Leak

Gas plumbing services are mostly provided by professional gas technicians who are trained and employed in the gas industry. But many established plumbing companies in Washington DC now provide gas plumbing services in the city. Some of the smaller gas plumbing companies only serve homeowners and other private residents of the city. But the big plumbing companies also extend their gas plumbing services to commercial and corporate clients in DC. This is in addition to their comprehensive general plumbing services. One of the most commonly requested gas plumbing services is gas leak detection and repair. Residential gas plumbers provide this service to all their clients in DC. Gas leak detection and repair services are also included among DC commercial gas line services. There are several reasons why many plumbing clients call a professional gas plumber the moment they suspect a gas leak at home or in their commercial buildings. Today we are going to look at all the compelling reasons for calling a professional gas plumber to detect and fix a gas leak.best plumber in DC

To Avoid Property Damage

Gas leaks are not minor plumbing issues and problems. Gas leaks are ranked among the most serious plumbing issues and problems. This is mainly because gas leaks pose great danger to people and their possessions. A gas leak can easily start a fire or a huge explosion in your house. That is why you should not hesitate to call your local gas plumber the moment you suspect or detect a gas leak in your house. If the gas leak is ignored, your house can end up burning down. This means that you can end up losing your house and all your valuables in a gas fire or explosion. As such, gas leaks should not be treated like other plumbing issues and problems. They should be reported as soon as possible and all the necessary safety measures taken.

To Avoid Physical Injury Or Fatalities

A gas leak does not only pose a threat or risk to your house and possessions, it also poses a threat to your life. You should flee your house and move to a safe distance the moment you suspect or detect a gas leak in your house. You should not attempt to save any possessions or even to find the source of the leak. The only thing that you can try to do is turn off the gas at the main shutoff valve if you know where it’s located. You should then call your local plumber and wait for him at a safe distance away from the house. If a gas fire or explosion starts while you are inside the house, you can suffer serious injuries or even death. That is why you should leave gas leak detection and repairs to professionally trained gas line plumbers.

To Implement A Timely And Professional Fix

A professional gas line plumber will use his vast skills and experience and all the necessary plumbing tools and equipment to implement a timely and professional fix to the gas leak problem. You do not have the know-how or the equipment to find the source(s) of the gas leak. And you do not know how to fix the problem. For a timely, convenient, and permanent fix, call a professional gas line plumber for assistance.

Common Piping Problems And Their Solutions

The home plumbing system is prone to all kinds of faults and problems. There are many plumbing areas and components that can suffer damage due to improper care and maintenance and also because of other physical hazards. That is why you are advised to conduct regular and thorough inspections of your home plumbing system to ensure that everything is in good condition. And if there are any existing or potential faults, then you should not hesitate to call in a professional plumber for timely repairs. One of the most susceptible plumbing areas to damage and fault at home is the piping network. This is mainly because the piping network forms the largest section of the whole plumbing system. Remember that the piping network includes all the clean water supply pipes, all the connecting pipes, and all the drainage and sewer lines. Any of these pipes can get damaged by all kinds of physical hazards. Some of these pipes are installed outdoors and are hence exposed to all kinds of environmental and man-made hazards. Others like the drainage and sewer lines are installed below the ground and can hence be damaged by many physical hazards. Today we are going to look at some of the most common piping problems and how they can be fixed.

Leaking Pipes

Leaks are some of the most common piping problems in any plumbing system. Pipes can start leaking because of many different factors or reasons. A metallic pipe can start leaking due to severe corrosion, which can undermine its structural integrity. A pipe can also start leaking if it’s damaged by a physical hazard. You can be nailing something to your walls and you accidentally puncture a pipe installed inside the walls. Outdoor pipes can be damaged by all kinds of agents including animals, tree roots, bad weather, vandalism, and so on. Old pipes can start leaking simply because they are worn out by old age. All these hazards can cause any of your pipes to start leaking. The leaks can be minor or heavy. For minor leaks, you can try to stem the water loss using plumber’s tape or any other readily available material. For heavy leaks, you should call a professional plumber as soon as possible to avoid a flooding problem in your house.local plumber

Frozen Pipes

Frozen pipes usually occur during the cold season. This is when the water flowing in your pipes freezes due to extremely low temperatures experienced during the cold winter season. The frozen water or ice blocks the flow of water in the pipes. But because there is more water coming through, there is massive pressure buildup in the frozen pipes. This can cause the pipes to crack and burst causing a very serious problem in your house. You can prevent frozen pipes by insulating all outdoor pipes and also by leaving the thermostat on during the cold season. And if you suffer frozen pipes, you should call a professional plumber who handles pipe thawing in DC to fix the problem before the frozen pipes burst and flood your house.

Clogged Pipes

Pipes can clog because of many different reasons. The problem can be caused by the aforementioned frozen pipes. Drainage and sewer lines clog due to obstruction by solid waste inside the pipes. Underground sewer lines are sometimes clogged by tree root infiltration. You can try to unclog your pipes with a plunger or any other DIY solution. But do not hesitate to call a professional plumber if the clog persists.

Simple DIY Solutions For A Clogged Kitchen Sink

Clogging can occur in all types of bathroom and kitchen plumbing fixtures and appliances. The most common clogs occur in the toilet drains, sink drains, and shower drains. Most clogs are caused by negligence and bad waste disposal habits. This is whereby you use a certain plumbing fixture to dispose of the wrong kind of waste. For instance, while you have been told time and again that the toilet should only be used to dispose of human waste and tissue paper, many people still flush all kinds of trash in the toilet. Same case with the kitchen and bathroom sinks. You have probably been warned against dumping fats, oils, and greases down your kitchen sinks. But many people continue to do so and this causes frequent clogs in their drainage and sewer systems. You can easily prevent shower drain clogs by installing a strainer to trap hairs and soap remnants before they entre and clog your shower drains. When it comes to the kitchen sinks, clogs can be prevented by responsible waste disposal habits. But despite all your efforts, you can still suffer a clog in your kitchen sinks from time to time. If this happens, try to fix the problem on your own using the following DIY solutions.

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Use A Plunger

Many people do not know this, but there are specially designed plungers for unclogging kitchen sink drains. In other words, we have toilet plungers, kitchen sink plungers, and shower drain plungers. You should always have all these three types of plungers in your home. All these plungers are readily available in your local hardware store and they cost just a few dollars. A kitchen sink plungers will come in handy when you have a clog. To unclog your kitchen sink with a plunger, apply the up-and-down motions on the clogged drain; just like you usually do when unclogging your toilet with a plunger. You should consider plugging the unclogged end of the sink drain with a wet rag or something to force all the pressure on the clog. With repeated plunging, the clog will eventually come loose and the sink will be okay. But if the plunger fails, consider the other DIY solutions suggested below.

Snake The Drain

You can also snake your drain using a plumber’s snake or using a modified metallic coat hanger. You can get a plumber’s snake from your local hardware store. Force the snake through the clogged drain until you dislodge the clog. You can also modify a metallic coat hanger and fashion one end to be a hook. You will drive this hook through the clog and try to pull it out or push it through.

Use Hot Water

Another recommended DIY solution for clogged kitchen sinks is hot water. You can try to dislodge the clog by pouring hot water into your clogged sink drain. If the clog is caused by coagulated fats, oils, and greases, they will melt and unblock your sink drains.

Use Baking Soda And Vinegar

A baking soda and vinegar solution is another recommended DIY solution for clogged kitchen sinks. Pour a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar into the clogged sink drain. This mixture should produce results after a short time. But if the clog persists, call a reliable DC emergency plumber for assistance. You could be suffering a serious clog in your main sewer line.

5 Useful Tips For Operating And Maintaining Your Garbage Disposal

The garbage disposal unit is an amazing plumbing appliance that gets rid of all those solid food remains in the house. The main function of the garbage disposal is to shred and grind huge solid food particles into small particles that can pass through the drainage and sewer system without clogging it. The first rule when using a garbage disposal is to never shove excess food remains in the device for shredding. You should feed the device gradually until all the food remains are gone. If you misuse your garbage disposal unit, the appliance will start suffering all kinds of problems including clogging and even total malfunction. This will force you to call a professional DC plumber for repairs, which can be quite costly and inconveniencing. But you can avoid all these problems by using the following operating, care, and maintenance tips for your garbage disposal unit.drain service DC

Always Use Cool Water

Contrary to popular belief or expectation, you should never use hot water to shred and grind food remains in your garbage disposal. Hot water will melt the oils, greases, and fats in the food remnants and these can end clogging your drains. Cold or cool water on the other hand will leave all the fats, oils, and greases in solid form but ground to tiny bits; and these can easily pass through the drainage and sewer system. As such, always use cool water to grind food remains in your garbage disposal.

Ensure Proper Operating Sequence

It’s very important that you follow the proper sequence when operating your garbage disposal. You should always start by running cool water in the garbage disposal. You should then turn on the appliance and then start putting the solid food remains inside for shredding and grinding. And as mentioned above, do it gradually. Do not shove all the food remains in the garbage disposal at once. Load the appliance with small loads and then give it time to finish shredding. Continue running the garbage disposal unit until all the food remains are gone and then turn it off. Leave the cool water running for 10-15 more seconds to help clear and clean the drains of all food particles and debris.

Ensure Proper And Thorough Cleaning

You should clean your garbage disposal regularly and properly. Use baking soda to give the appliance a thorough cleanup. You can also toss in lemon or lime slices in the garbage disposal to give it a fresh scent. Also grind up some ice cubes and run them in the appliance to remove any trapped food particles and debris from the appliance and the drains. Never use bleach or some of those harsh drain cleaners to clean your garbage disposal because they can damage its interior components.

No Grease Or Fat In The Disposal

Avoid dumping fats and greases in your garbage disposal unit. Do not dispose of liquid fats and greases in this appliance. The greases and fats can end up solidifying and clogging inside your drainage and sewer lines.

Grind Food Waste Only

The garbage disposal unit should only be used to shred and grind food waste. Do not use the appliance to dispose of any other solid waste like matches, cigarettes, or glass objects.