Have you ever stood over your bathroom sink wondering if the water was ever going to drain? Then it does so slowly, it leaves a film of hair or toothpaste that dries on the surface. How gross is that? Many times, you don’t need harsh chemicals, you simply need a little elbow grease.

This will walk you through the simple steps of clearing a clogged trap in any sink.

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Step 1 – Get a bucket and place it under the J-Bend or elbow of the trap. There is usually standing water in the trap and that’s the reason for the bucket.

Step 2 – Loosen the slip nuts. Remember “Lefty loosey; Righty Tighty.” As they loosen each end will give way and fall into the bucket. (Note: Depending on the amount of hair and other debris, it can be pretty gross and smelly)

Step 3 – Take the J-Bend to the bath and run hot water through it to clear the standing build up. The cleaner the pipe when you put it back the longer it will stay clear.

Step 4 – Fit J-Bend back in place and tighten the slip nuts.

That’s it, you have successfully cleared the clogged or slow running bath room sink drain – way to go!

It never ceases to amaze me the number of homes we evaluate that have high water pressure. What many homeowners do not realize is that they may be voiding their fixture or appliance warranty as a result. Many manufacturers only warranty their products below 60psi. We have had homes throughout Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati test over 80 and even 90psi.

So What?

If the opening paragraph brought on a case of the “so what’s” read just a bit further. High water pressure is to your home plumbing system what high blood pressure is to your body – something eventually has to give. As your water pressure bangs against your faucets, fixtures and appliances seals and fittings are breaking down. That’s why in the middle of the night you might hear your toilet flow, or why you have to really crank the faucet down to stop the dripping. Just to be clear, you should not have to put new gaskets or washers in every 6 months. At 80psi, fixtures and appliances begin to fail.

Gauge connected to a exterior hose bibb.

Get a Gauge

As professional plumbers, we use the most accurate meters available, but you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get an idea if your water pressure is too high. Rain Bird makes pressure meter that you can pick up for $5-$10, all of us at Plumb Tite would suggest you get one and find out if your home is in danger.

If you’re not comfortable doing it yourself, or just want a professional to take care of it give us a call.

For the entire month of March 2011, we’ll come out and test your home’s water pressure for FREE, so give us a call 859.727.8483

If you have a garbage disposal in your kitchen, you know that it’s a great appliance that makes household duties less demanding. But if not operated or maintained properly, a garbage disposal can easily break down, block and clog the drains and cause a long list of expensive plumbing and drain nightmares. Proper maintenance and operation will extend the life of your garbage disposal and prevent plumbing and drain mishaps.

Clogged drains are a major inconvenience and garbage disposal repair can be a costly proposition. Fortunately, most garbage disposal troubles are completely unnecessary, and garbage disposal care and maintenance is extremely easy. Treat your garbage disposal well, and it will treat you well, in return. Below, we describe the mistakes you should avoid and the actions you should take in order to keep your garbage disposal working smoothly for many years and minimize the likelihood  that you’ll need to call for plumbing or drain cleaning services.

Disposal Do’s:

• Do keep your garbage disposal clean. Pour a little dish soap inside and let the garbage disposal run for a minute or so with some cold water after washing dishes.
• Do run your garbage disposal regularly. Frequent use prevents rust and corrosion, assures that all parts stay moving and prevents obstructions from accumulating.
• Do grind food waste w/ a strong flow of cold water. Why cold water? It will cause any grease or oils that may get into the unit to solidify, so that they can be chopped up before reaching the trap.
• Do grind certain hard materials such as small chicken and fish bones, egg shells, small fruit pits, etc. A scouring action is created by these particles inside the grind chamber that cleans the garbage disposal’s walls.
• Do grind peelings from citrus fruits such as lemons or oranges to freshen up drain smells.
• Do cut large items into smaller pieces. Put them into the garbage disposal one at a time instead of trying to shove a large amount in at once.

Garbage Disposal Don’ts:

The most important rule of thumb: Don’t Put Anything In The Garbage Disposal That Is Not Biodegradable Food. A garbage disposal is not a trash can; it’s for food scraps only. Non food items can damage both blades and the motor. When in doubt, throw it out!

• Don’t grind glass, plastic, metal or even paper.
• Don’t grind anything combustible.
• Don’t grind cigarette butts
• Don’t pour grease, oil or fat into your garbage disposal or drain. Grease will slowly accumulate and impede your garbage disposal’s grinding ability as well as clog drains.
• Don’t use hot water when grinding food waste. Hot water will cause grease to liquefy and accumulate, causing drains to clog.
• Don’t grind extremely fibrous material like corn husks, celery stalks, onion skins, and artichokes.  Fibers from these can tangle and jam the garbage disposal motor and block drains .
• Don’t turn off the motor or water until grinding is completed. When grinding is complete, turn off the the garbage disposal first. Let water continue to run for at least 15 seconds, flushing out any remaining particles. Then turn off water.
• Don’t put too many potato peels down the garbage disposal. The starches in the potatoes will turn into a thick paste and may cause blades to stick.
• Don’t put large amounts of food down the garbage disposal. Feed food into the garbage disposal a little at a time with the cold water running; this will help the food scraps flow down freely through the drain pipes and plumbing.
• Don’t put expandable foods into your garbage disposal. Foods like pasta and rice expand when you add water in a pot; they do the same thing once inside your pipes or garbage disposal and are the cause of many jams and clogs.
• Don’t grind large animal bones (beef, pork etc.).
• Avoid putting coffee grounds down the garbage disposal. They won’t harm the garbage disposal and they’ll actually help eliminate odors. However, they can accumulate in drains and pipes, causing clogs. Best to avoid.
• Don’t use harsh chemicals like bleach or drain cleaners. They can damage blades and pipes. Borax is a natural sink cleaner and sanitizer that effectively works on odor-causing mold and mildew that accumulates in garbage disposals.

What To Do if Your Garbage Disposal is Not Grinding:

90% of garbage disposals that appear not to be working just need to be reset. There is usually a red or black reset button on the garbage disposal motor underneath your sink. Just push to reset.

If the garbage disposal is plugged into a wall outlet, ensure the outlet has power.

Check for a blown fuse or tripped circuit breaker.

Give it a push-start. Most garbage disposals have a hole underneath that allows you to use either an Alan wrench or a garbage disposal tool, that you can pick up at most hardware stores, to hand-crank it free once it’s been jammed.  This should free up most non-serious jams.

Call a Plumbing and Drain Cleaning Professional When All Else Fails

These are general maintenance tips and simple remedies for minor problems. If you try these solutions and they don’t work or if your problem seems to be getting worse, contact Plumb Tite immediately (859.727.8483). We have the tools and know-how to address every garbage disposal emergency.