Garbage Disposal Features

August 14th, 2012 Posted in Garbage Disposals
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Garbage disposals are great to have in the kitchen to help make clean up fast and easy.  Whether you are upgrading your existing garbage disposal or planning a new installation, there are a few features to look for in your new garbage disposal.

The most common problem with garbage disposals is jamming.  Overloading the garbage disposal or trying to grind a hard object can jam the disposal. Many garbage disposals come with features to reduce jamming or to make it easier to free a jammed disposal.  At the most basic level, most disposals have a reset button that trips whenever the disposal jams to protect the motor.  These disposals usually include a tool that is used to turn a jammed grinder manually in order to free it.

More sophisticated garbage disposals have sensors that can sense a jam and reverse the direction of the motor to try to avoid the jam from occurring.  Some garbage disposals also reverse automatically every time they are operated to clear waste and avoid future jams.

If you have a dishwasher, you may be interested in a disposal that allows the dishwasher discharge to be routed to the garbage disposal.  Food waste from the disposal is then ground using the garbage disposal before flushing it down the drain.

Garbage disposals are historically noisy, but some newer models feature noise suppression features to keep noise to a minimum.  If your kitchen is located in an area where noise could be a concern, consider one of the quiet units.

With any garbage disposal, you will get the best results by having the disposal professionally installed by your local plumber.  This is especially true for new installations where drain plumbing may need to be re-routed and an electrical supply may need to be installed.

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Garbage Disposal Basics

August 14th, 2012 Posted in Uncategorized
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Garbage disposals are a useful appliance that can help make kitchen clean up a breeze.  Before you buy a new garbage disposal, there are a few things you need to know.  First, there are two types of garbage disposals: batch feed garbage disposals and continuous feed garbage disposals.

A batch feed disposal is designed to be loaded with kitchen waste before running.  After it has run, it gets flushed and loaded with the next batch of waste.  Batch feed disposals will only run when the sink stopper is in place.  This feature makes batch feed garbage disposals a little safer than continuous feed garbage disposals. However, it also takes a little longer to dispose of waste.  Also, batch feed garbage disposals are a little more expensive than continuous feed units.

A continuous feed garbage disposal is faster and more convenient to use than a batch feed model because it runs constantly as long as the switch is turned on.  There is no lid or stopper that has to be in place so you can feed fresh kitchen waste into a continuous feed garbage disposal as fast as it can grind it up.

Both types of garbage disposal come in different sizes.  The smallest size uses a 1/3 horsepower motor the most powerful garbage disposers commonly available for residential use have 1 horsepower motors.  The larger the motor, the more kitchen waste the disposal can grind and the less likely it is to jam.  In addition, higher horsepower models are generally quieter and offer more features than smaller garbage disposals.

Make sure your sink can hold the weight of the garbage disposal you are considering.  Thin gauge steel sinks may not be able to support the largest sized disposals.  Professional garbage disposal installation by a reputable plumber will help ensure the disposal works properly and lasts for years.

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Will Your Garbage Disposal Harm Your Septic System?

August 14th, 2012 Posted in Garbage Disposals
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If you are installing a new garbage disposal or replacing an existing garbage disposal, you have a few decisions to make regarding the type of disposal and the horsepower of the motor.  Before you even get that far, consider whether you should install a garbage disposal at all, especially if you are on a septic system.

There is some debate about whether using a garbage disposal harms a septic system.  One argument is that by regularly flushing food waste into the septic system, you are putting  a load on it that the septic system is not designed to handle.  On the other hand, as long as you only dispose of organic kitchen waste material, it should be broken down in the septic tank and not cause a problem.

The answer is probably somewhere in the middle.  If you have a septic system, a garbage disposal will almost certainly add to the load the system is asked to process.  It will also increase the amount of waste water that flows into the septic tank.  However, as long as your septic system in good shape, is not already nearing the peak load it can handle, and you use the disposal with moderation, you will probably not have any trouble using a garbage disposal with a septic system.

Keep in mind that you will need to have the septic tank pumped a little more frequently if you have a garbage disposal.  Before buying and installing a garbage disposal, have your septic system evaluated by your plumber or a sewer-septic professional.  They will be able to help you determine if your system is healthy and has the capacity needed to handle the extra load of the garbage disposal.

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Batch Feed vs. Continuous Feed Garbage Disposals

August 14th, 2012 Posted in Garbage Disposals
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Whether you are installing a new garbage disposal or replacing your existing garbage disposal, you will have the option of choosing either a batch feed disposal or a continuous feed unit.  Understanding the difference between these two types of garbage disposals will help you choose the right disposal for your kitchen.

A batch feed unit grinds food waste in batches.  First, the disposal is loaded with waste, then the stopper or lid is closed, and finally the unit is turned on.  It will not run unless the stopper is in place. The advantage here is that the stopper must be in place for the grinder to operate which makes this type of garbage disposal a little safer than continuous feed models.  The stopper prevents fingers from accidently getting into the disposal and also prevents inadvertently dropping something into the disposal while it is running.

This might be an important consideration if you have children who may not know the danger of putting their hands inside the disposal.  It can also save you from ruining a piece of jewelry, silverware, or some other item that accidently goes down the drain. The downside of a batch feed disposal is that it takes a little longer to use than a continuous feed disposal.

A continuous feed garbage disposal operates without a stopper in place and kitchen waste can be fed into as it is running.  A continuous feed garbage disposal runs continuously as long as the switch is on.  This makes disposing of kitchen waste with a continuous feed garbage disposal more convenient and faster, but there is the increased risk of injury or damage to foreign objects that fall down the drain while the disposal is running.

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Garbage Disposal Troubleshooting

August 14th, 2012 Posted in Garbage Disposals
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A garbage disposal is a handy kitchen appliance, but they get a lot of use and abuse and they eventually jam or break.  If you garbage disposal has stopped working, you may be able to get it going again without having to call the plumber.

First, before you do anything with your garbage disposal, remember to never put your hand into the disposal for any reason.  A garbage disposal can grind up your fingers just as quickly as it can grind up kitchen waste so keep your hands out of your garbage disposal.

If you push the switch and nothing happens – no humming sound from the disposal and no grinding, then you may have an electrical problem.  If the garbage disposal was overloaded, it may have tripped the reset button or your circuit breaker.  Look on the bottom of the disposal for the red reset button.  Press the reset button and see if the disposal works or at least hums.

If not, check your circuit breaker.  If resetting the circuit breaker or reset button does not help, then it’s time to call the plumber.  If you can now hear a humming sound coming from the disposal when you turn it on, then the most likely problem is that the disposal is jammed.

You can try to free a jammed disposal by either of two methods.  You can try to turn the disposal using a special wrench that fits into the hole on the bottom of the disposal.  If you cannot get it to turn using the wrench (or if you don’t have a wrench), use a broomstick through the drain to try to dislodge the jammed disposal.  If you can break the jammed disposal loose, try the switch again to see if the disposal is operating again.  Check to see if the circuit breaker or reset switch tripped.

If none of these techniques fixed the problem, call a plumber who handles kitchen repairs.  Your plumber may be able to repair the problem, or it may be time for a new garbage disposal.

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Backflow Testing Protects Our Drinking Water

August 8th, 2012 Posted in Backflow Testing
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Many Loudoun County residences and businesses are required by law to have an approved backflow prevention device installed in their water supply system.  If you are required to have a backflow prevention device installed at your home or business, you are also required to have it tested annually.

A backflow prevention device is a mechanism that is designed to protect our public drinking water supplies from contamination.  Installation of a backflow prevention device at your home or business can help prevent accidental contamination of the water in your home and in every other home or business connected to the municipal water system.

Contamination of the water supply can occur whenever the normal direction of water flow in the municipal water supply is disrupted.  Normally, your water utility pumps water through the water main and into your home or business.  It flows through your faucets, toilets, shower heads, and other appliances and fixtures and then into your sewer line or septic system.  Under normal circumstances, contamination of the water supply is not a concern because the water flows from the water company through the water mains into your home and then into the sewer or septic system.

However, if the water pressure at the utility drops due to a broken water main, unusually high demand, or some other reason, the water can flow backwards from your home or business into the public water main.  When this happens, it is possible that the water supply is contaminated by chemicals from a sprinkler system or from an industrial or other business application.  This may sound unlikely, but every year there are thousands of instances of public water contamination due to backflow problems.

A backflow prevention device prevents these problems from occurring.    Many Loudoun County plumbers are certified to test, repair and install backflow prevention devices.  Help protect the water supply and avoid potential fines by having your backflow prevention device tested as required.

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DIY Toilet Installation Concerns

August 7th, 2012 Posted in Toilets
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Whether installing a new water efficient toilet or replacing a leaky wax ring in an existing toilet, toilet removal and installation is bathroom repair commonly attempted by handy homeowner.  If all goes smoothly, a toilet removal and replacement or reinstallation is pretty straightforward.  However, there are several points in the removal and installation process where things can go terribly wrong and turn a small job into a big one.

If you have any doubt about your mechanical skills or encounter one of these common problems during a toilet replacement, it would be a wise idea to let a reputable local plumber handle the job.

Toilet replacement seems like an easy job:  Turn off the water supply, disconnect the supply hose, unbolt the closet bolts, and lift the toilet out of the opening.  Installation is the reverse.

However, problems can start right from the outset.  Many toilet shutoff valve have not been used in years if not decades.  Closing and re-opening an old, rarely used shutoff valve sometimes causes it to start leaking.  Worse, some shutoff valves are stuck open and it is easy to break or crack the water supply line trying to turn the valve.

A similar problem can arise when trying to disconnect the water supply line to the tank.  This pipe may have been there for so long that it is corroded to the shutoff valve and attempts to remove it can damage the water supply pipe or ruin the supply line.

Finally, it is not uncommon for the closet bolts to be so corroded that they have to be cut off with a hacksaw.  When installing the new toilet, many well meaning homeowners tighten the closet bolts too tight and crack the base of their new toilet.

If you are going to tackle a toilet replacement on your own, pay special attention to these possible pitfalls and call a plumber at the first sign of trouble.

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Test Your Sump Pump At Least Twice A Year

August 7th, 2012 Posted in Sump Pumps and Ejector Pumps
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For the millions of Americans suffering through drought conditions, your sump pump is one of the furthest things from your mind right now.  However, it is important to test the sump pump regularly to make sure it will work when you need it.  In some homes, the sump pump is frequently called into action and these homeowners can be reasonably confident that the sump pump is working properly.

On the other hand, most sump pumps installed in basements and crawlspaces are used very infrequently.  Some may sit for months or years before they are needed.  The important thing is that the sump pump works properly when you need it.  That’s why regular sump pump testing is important even in the driest conditions.  You are taking your chances if you wait until the basement is filling up with water.  You want to choose a dry day to make sure that the float switch is working freely, the pump operates smoothly, and there is nothing blocking the discharge line.

Fortunately, you can easily check all of these things with one simple test.  First, open up the lid to the sump and inspect the sump well with a flashlight to make sure it is free of dirt, debris, and other foreign materials.  Use a shop vac to clean the well if necessary.

Next, slowly pour a 5 gallon bucket of water into the sump and watch to make sure the pump actives and pumps the water out of the sump.  Repeat the process so that the pump activates and shuts off properly at least twice.  Check outside to make sure the water was discharged away from the house through the discharge outlet.

If all is well, close the lid – you are done until next time!  The test is so easy that there is no good reason not to do it twice a year.  Try adding it to the list of things you do every time you set the clocks ahead or back for daylight savings time. If there were any problems encountered, have the sump pump checked out by a good local plumber.

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Protect Your Home With a Backup Sump Pump

August 7th, 2012 Posted in Sump Pumps and Ejector Pumps
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If you are one of the millions of Americans with a sump pump installed in your basement or crawlspace to protect your home against flooding, you should consider maximizing your protection by installing a back up sump pump.  Most experts agree that a backup sump pump provides an extra level of protection against flood damage.  This extra protection is especially important if you frequently depend on the sump pump to keep water out of your home or if your sump pump is installed in a second home or vacation home that does not get used year round.

Sump pumps are generally pretty reliable, but when the flood waters rise, you need to be absolutely certain that the pump will work.  A sump pump can be clogged by hair, dirt, debris, pet hair, or a rodent’s nest.  In addition, the float switch can get stuck, the motor can seize up, or the discharge pipe can become clogged or frozen.  You may need your sump pump to work during a storm, but this is most likely time for a power outage that will render the sump pump useless.

Most people discover a problem with their sump pump at the worst possible time – when the water is rising quickly.  If you are at home, you may be able to clear a clogged sump pump or discharge line, free a sticky float, or connect the sump pump to a portable generator, but if you are not at home or simply fail to notice the problem you can quickly be facing expensive floodwater damage.

You can avoid these problems by having your plumber install a backup sump pump that will kick in if the primary sump pump stops working or cannot keep up.  Some backup sump pumps are battery operated and others work using household water pressure.  Your local plumber can help you decide what type of backup sump pump would be best for your home.

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Buying a Home? Check for Polybutylene Piping

August 7th, 2012 Posted in Polybutylene Pipe
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With interest rates at record lows, house prices near rock bottom, and sellers anxious to get rid of their homes in an overcrowded market, now is a terrific opportunity to get a great deal on a nice home.  New home construction is still slow, so most home buyers are looking at re-sales.

If you are looking at re-sales (previously owned homes), be sure to have the home thoroughly inspected before committing to the purchase.  If the home was built before the early 1990’s be sure the home inspector checks to see if the home was plumbed with polybutylene plumbing.  If in doubt, an inspection by a reputable local plumber could save you thousands of dollars in plumbing repairs for a polybutylene pipe replacement.

Polybutylene pipe was used for the hot and cold water supply pipes in millions of homes constructed after about 1970.  By the early 1990’s use of polybutylene pipe stopped because it was clear that most polybutylene pipes would fail after 5 to 15 years of service.

The exact cause of polybutylene pipe failure is not completely understood, but most experts believe that the pipe reacted to the chlorine in the municipal water supplies, causing it to become brittle and fail.  The only practical solution once the pipes start to fail is to have all of the plumbing in the home replaced.

Most homes built with polybutylene pipes have already had the pipes replaced, but you may find a few homes that still have the original polybutylene pipes.  If so, your options are to either steer clear or to make sure that the purchase price reflects the need to have all of the polybutylene pip replaced.

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