Quick tips for maintaining your kitchen sink and garbage disposal

Here are some quick fixes to your garbage disposal & more.

Today we’ll explore all areas of the home’s kitchen sink, and we’ll give you some tips for quick fixes.

From time to time, we’ll receive calls from clients who state that their garbage disposal isn’t functioning properly. The common diagnosis is that the electrical cord at the back of the disposal and the pull-down weight to the faucet become interlocked and the disposal is unplugged. As a rule of thumb, the first thing you want to do if your disposal isn’t working is unplug it and be sure it has a good connection.

If waste becomes lodged in the disposal, avoid injury by first unplugging the unit before reaching in from the sink.

From there, find the disposal key contained within the base cabinet, and insert the key into the slot found at the bottom of the disposal. While rotating the key, guide a shop vac through the sink into the disposal to remove the waste; the suction power will usually do the trick.

Also under the sink, you’ll see some shut-off valves, the water supply to your dishwater, and the hot and cold water supply to the sink itself. If you experience any leaking here, simply turn the valves to the off position.

    “

 

When it comes to caring for the sink, be sure to use non-abrasive cleaners.

”

Another issue we receive calls about is leaky faucets. Largely, these are easy fixes, and the common culprit is hard water if the homeowner doesn’t have a water softener. If the faucet seems to be losing pressure or is dripping, it can often be attributed to sediment buildup in the screen. An easy remedy is to use CRL, a scrub brush, or a vegetable cleaner to periodically scrub the screen.

To remove the screen, locate the tool clipped to the water supply line underneath your sink. The tool will be circular-shaped and fits perfectly inside the screen. By applying a little pressure toward the faucet head and turning the tool counterclockwise, the screen will eventually detach.

Once it’s been cleaned thoroughly, you’ll line the screen up with the end of the faucet head and again use the tool to secure it back onto the faucet head.

When it comes to caring for the sink, be sure to use non-abrasive cleaners; Norwex rags, 409, and Windex are all examples of environmentally friendly cleaning products you could use.

If you have any questions for us, feel free to check out our website at CharlestonHomesOmaha.com and view some of our models. We’re happy to help!

Know anyone who's interested in building a home? 

If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are looking to own their first or second home - would you forward this message to them? We'll be happy to show them our eleven new construction home plans along with the benefits of owning a Charleston Home so they can make a decision that's right for them.