Summer is a time for enjoying the outdoors, barbecues with friends, swimming in lakes, gardening, and of course, catching up on all the cleaning and maintenance you missed in spring. There are lots of appliances, equipment, and systems that require attention in the summer months, and keeping up with proper cleaning and maintenance now will mean preventing expensive and annoying problems in the future.
Here are some tips for preventing damage to and extending the life of your garbage disposal, washing machine, and sewer lines.
1. A Broken Garbage Disposal
Your garbage disposal does a lot for your family, and you can thank it by cleaning it regularly, using it properly, and not putting the wrong foods into it.
After you use the sink to wash dishes, always pour some dish soap into the garbage disposal and run some cold water to rinse it out. If it starts to stink, you can pour some baking soda in and let it sit for a couple hours.
You can also prevent damage by using the garbage disposal properly, and this includes only using it for organic waste, using it frequently, and always running cold water while you’re using it.
Avoid putting in grease, large quantities of food at once, large bones, and fibrous foods like corn husks and onion skins. And if anything ever gets stuck in the garbage disposal, use pliers or strong tweezers to retrieve it instead of your hands, after shutting it off.
2. A Damaged Washing Machine
These days, most people prefer washing machines to washboards when it comes to keeping clothes clean. But if you don’t take care of your machine properly, you might be back to washing all your garments and sheets by hand.
There are a number of things you can do to give your washing machine a longer life, and when it comes to regular use, you can prevent damage by:
- Not overloading it
- Using the right amount of detergent
- Cleaning out the detergent compartments regularly
- Wiping out the inside once a month to remove residue
For basic maintenance, inspect the hoses a few times a year to look for leaks, holes, cracks, blistering, or signs of wear and tear. If you find anything like this, replace the hoses to prevent floods and damage. Even if you don’t find any problems, it’s still advisable to change the hoses every five years or so.
3. Backed Up Sewer Lines
Nobody wants to deal with a backed up sewer line in the house, and the thought of that alone is enough to encourage most people to perform basic maintenance and adhere to proper sewer line use.
One of the most important things you can do is to have a backwater valve installed on the sewer line into your home because this will automatically close and prevent water from entering your home if the main sewer backs up. You can also prevent clogs and backups from your end by not using sinks and toilets for inappropriate things, such as garbage, food, grease, and other debris.
Your home can keep you and your family safe from the elements and other factors, but you must also take care of your house and the things in it so they can do their jobs properly. The warm summer months are a great time to make sure that various plumbing systems are in good shape, and this includes the washing machine, garbage disposal, and sewer lines.
To have a backflow valve installed or for help with other plumbing related issues, call Nixco Plumbing Inc., in Mason, Ohio today at 513-445-5142.