So here I am in my newly-renovated kitchen and already, I've had the plumber out three times to unclog my kitchen sink-- the garbage disposal to be exact-- since its completion in February.
Like that old hip bone connected to the thigh bone connected to the leg bone song, plumbing nowadays connects sink, disposal and dishwasher, under my sink anyway. I had a three-artery, weekend clog.
It's said that the third time is the charm and this morning was call #3.
I was told to be sure and ask the plumber if it needed to be replumbed. Thank goodness, Mike says it doesn't. And I'd followed the tips I'd been given from the previous two visits to eliminate clogs.
$225 later, here's hoping what Mike told me will help you avoid a call to your plumber altogether.
1. Don't put stringy vegetables in the disposal. These include celery, asparagus and banana peels to name a few.
2. Use citrus peels to disinfect and keep disposal clog free.
According to Mike, the oils in the citrus help to break down grease and dissolve cloggy
stuff before it ever takes root. Don't, however dispose of the entire flesh of the citrus in the disposal. The membranes that separate citrus sections belong in the "stringy" category.
3. Periodically grind ice cubes in the disposal to keep machinery free of debris.
I'd read somewhere that ice sharpens the blades.Not true according to Mike who says the hardness of the ice actually helps dislodge any crud that's stuck in the system.
4. Never pour boiling hot water down the drain.
This was counter-intuitive to me as I am accustomed to running hot water. Mike says he was curious about the many calls he would get from homes with leaking disposals. True to his craft, he contacted the manufacturer who said that hot water was the culprit. Since most plumbing is made of PVC, the joints are glued and high temps melt the glue joints over time. Hot water also causes grease to liquefy and cause clogs.
5. Avoid putting coffee grounds down the disposal. Ditto for egg shells.
Mike says anywhere the pipes curve and turn horizontal is a potential place for solids--like coffee grounds and eggshells-- to lodge and eventually cause a clog.
6. Don't use Draino and other caustic plumbing aids.
Okay so I'm thinking if I use Draino, that cuts into a plumber's calls which is why each of the two times I called each of the plumbers, each one, including Mike, said "Don't use Draino." Maybe that is why, maybe it's not. I didn't this last time. Actually a web article I read says harsh chemicals corrode pipes and blades over time.
7. Keep plastic wraps and bags away from the disposal.
They are among the top cloggers that result in a call to the plumber. (This was my call #1.)
8. Chase anything you flush down the disposal with copious amounts of cold water.
Mike says that essentially drain lines are meant to carry liquids. Therefore anything solid
has to be flushed. And for the record, be sure that the water you're using is plenty cold.
When I asked Mike if I could take a picture of him for this blog post, he asked if I'd ruin his participation in the witness protection plan. To which I replied, I certainly hope not.
On another note regarding another plumber...remember Joe (the Plumber) who became the poster boy for the last John McCain presidential campaign? Well, he wasn't a plumber at all and is actually entertaining a bid for the U.S. House of Reps according to a 11/25/2011 news story.
Like that old hip bone connected to the thigh bone connected to the leg bone song, plumbing nowadays connects sink, disposal and dishwasher, under my sink anyway. I had a three-artery, weekend clog.
It's said that the third time is the charm and this morning was call #3.
 "Hot water is not good for plastic pipes." -Mike the Plumber |
$225 later, here's hoping what Mike told me will help you avoid a call to your plumber altogether.
1. Don't put stringy vegetables in the disposal. These include celery, asparagus and banana peels to name a few.
2. Use citrus peels to disinfect and keep disposal clog free.
According to Mike, the oils in the citrus help to break down grease and dissolve cloggy
stuff before it ever takes root. Don't, however dispose of the entire flesh of the citrus in the disposal. The membranes that separate citrus sections belong in the "stringy" category.
3. Periodically grind ice cubes in the disposal to keep machinery free of debris.
I'd read somewhere that ice sharpens the blades.Not true according to Mike who says the hardness of the ice actually helps dislodge any crud that's stuck in the system.
4. Never pour boiling hot water down the drain.
This was counter-intuitive to me as I am accustomed to running hot water. Mike says he was curious about the many calls he would get from homes with leaking disposals. True to his craft, he contacted the manufacturer who said that hot water was the culprit. Since most plumbing is made of PVC, the joints are glued and high temps melt the glue joints over time. Hot water also causes grease to liquefy and cause clogs.
5. Avoid putting coffee grounds down the disposal. Ditto for egg shells.
Mike says anywhere the pipes curve and turn horizontal is a potential place for solids--like coffee grounds and eggshells-- to lodge and eventually cause a clog.
6. Don't use Draino and other caustic plumbing aids.
Okay so I'm thinking if I use Draino, that cuts into a plumber's calls which is why each of the two times I called each of the plumbers, each one, including Mike, said "Don't use Draino." Maybe that is why, maybe it's not. I didn't this last time. Actually a web article I read says harsh chemicals corrode pipes and blades over time.
7. Keep plastic wraps and bags away from the disposal.
They are among the top cloggers that result in a call to the plumber. (This was my call #1.)
8. Chase anything you flush down the disposal with copious amounts of cold water.
Mike says that essentially drain lines are meant to carry liquids. Therefore anything solid
has to be flushed. And for the record, be sure that the water you're using is plenty cold.
When I asked Mike if I could take a picture of him for this blog post, he asked if I'd ruin his participation in the witness protection plan. To which I replied, I certainly hope not.
$$
On another note regarding another plumber...remember Joe (the Plumber) who became the poster boy for the last John McCain presidential campaign? Well, he wasn't a plumber at all and is actually entertaining a bid for the U.S. House of Reps according to a 11/25/2011 news story.
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