Summer Fun

Ahh, it’s that time of the year, the lazy hazy days of summer. BBQ, hot dogs, splashing under the garden hose, sun tanning. Yes, plumbers need sun tans; we have to keep up our good looks you know.

A Lake Worth resident called me the other day and asked me how important it was to have a garbage disposal. They did not know if they wanted to invest the money to replace the one they had. As I tell all of my customers, that is really a personal preference. If you know how to take care of and how to use one, they will give you many years of satisfaction.

-Always keep the cover/ cap in place when you are not using it. Nothing worse than a piece of flatware slipping down that hole when you weren’t looking and you turn your unit on.

-Always run lots of COLD water when using your disposal, and always run the water for 30 seconds after you have finished.

-Please run your garbage disposal regularly. Keeps the insides from rusting and corroding.

-Garbage disposals can smell. Pour your old box of baking soda into your disposal every few months; let it stand a few minutes, then flush out. Or orange, lemon, grapefruit peels will also sweeten your unit.

-Garbage disposals can handle a nice variety of items, but remember, glass, metal, plastic and paper should never be sent down the drain. Highly fibrous items like corn husks can cause problems.

-Slow is the key to using the disposal. Don’t need to cram everything down that opening at once.

Keep these tips in mind when using your disposal and you should get many years of happy use, and less of a chance you have to call a plumber. It’s summer time, my plumbers are out back running around under the sprinklers, they don’t want service calls.

As always, if you have any questions, please call me at 561-202-6110 or E mail me at rdhessing@charlieswainplumbing.com I love to talk plumbing.