Anyone that has owned a home knows all too well the constant maintenance that goes hand in hand with being a home-owner. Water heater problems, yard work, clogged sinks, you name it; but you need to face it. Let’s take a look at clogged sinks. It may be clogged, stopped or backed up, whatever you want to call it; the water isn’t going where it needs to be. You may be panicking and questioning yourself, “Should I have put that down there?” In most cases, no, you shouldn’t have. So, take some advice from your friendly knowledgeable plumbers here at Red Lilly to avoid that panic moment all together.
Go Easy On Your Garbage Disposal
Let’s talk about garbage disposals, why don’t we. In all honesty, that’s a bold description. Yes, you can crank that motor up and it can chop up a T-bone in no time, but that’s not its intended purpose. It was designed to make dish washing simpler. SMALL food particles are what the disposal is supposed to be dealing with. Just take that extra step and throw leftover food in the trash or treat that dog of yours. You want to always run large amounts of cold water down the drain while running the disposal. Go easy on that guy; be sure the least amount of food is being pushed through the pipes. Consider composting! We can go on about that, but that’s not why I’m here today.
Foods to Avoid Putting in Your Garbage Disposal:
Regardless of simply how amazing and useful owning a disposal may be, some food has no business being tossed in there. Celery is a perfect example. Those fibers look a lot like hair and I think we are all familiar with what hair does to your drain. You get the picture. Starchy foods are a no-no. They tend to settle over time, like sand, causing an unwanted back up. This is going to be your basic rice, potatoes, even pasta. The WORST to put in your drain is grease. After you cook, do not pour the left over oil/grease from the pan down the drain! Let it cool, contain it and either put it with the garbage or give it to your local recycling center. Maybe you have a friend that runs off of bio diesel. There are always people looking for used cooking oil. Pay it forward!
If you don’t want your favorite plumber over for dinner, keep those drains clear!
Following these few tips can avoid major issues. However, it’s always smart to do some light maintenance from time to time. Cooking with lemons? Take the rinds and send them through the garbage disposal. Their acidity level will help push through some light build up already there. Plus you get to enjoy the smell of lemons in your sink!
Obviously, over time, your drains are going to get clogged. Cast iron and galvanized pipes happen to clog more over time. Let Red Lilly help find your clog with our camera inspections. Last thing you need is a burst line.
Call Red Lily Plumbing today to schedule service from our expert Los Angeles plumbers!