Garbage Disposal Trouble Shooting

Garbage Disposal Trouble Shooting

Garbage disposals are perhaps one of the most frequently used and most frequently underappreciated of our kitchen appliances! If you’ve ever had a sink without a garbage disposal, you’ll quickly realize how handy the little appliance really is! Even if you take great care of your garbage disposal, leaks can and will develop over time. Garbage disposals, although small, have several parts and it can take some trouble shooting to identify where the leak is coming from. If you tend to be a DIY’er, you may want to investigate the leak before calling a professional plumber. 

garbage-disposal-troubleshooting

 

We mentioned that garbage disposals have several parts. With most garbage disposal leaks, there are four main areas where they may occur-

  • The sink flange- The sink flange connects the top of the disposal to the bottom of the sink drain.
  • The dishwasher connection- This is usually a rubber hose connected to the side of the garbage disposal.
  • The drain pipe- This is usually a plastic or metal pipe that drains water and food away to the sewer.
  • The actual garbage disposal

If you want to try and identify the source of the leak yourself, you can do an easy test. Make sure to dry the outside of the disposal and all of its parts that you can see so that the leak will be easily visible to you. Next, stop up your sink and fill it with a few inches of water. After a few minutes, if you notice water coming from the disposal under the sink, you’re leak is probably coming from the sink flange. If, after a few minutes, the disposal under the sink is still dry, pull the sink stopper and watch the other three parts we mentioned above. You should notice water coming from the dishwasher hose, the drain pipe, or some other area of the disposal. 

Once you’ve identified the leak, you can decide whether or not to try and fix it yourself. Of course, the repair necessary will depend on where you determined the leak was located. Sometimes, fixes are easy and sometimes fixes that seem easy and simple will turn into large, complicated solutions. If the leak is coming from the sink flange, it may just need tightening. If simply tightening it doesn’t work, you may need to loosen it, apply plumbers putty to reseal it, and then tighten it back up.  If the dishwasher hose is the culprit, you may need to either tighten it or replace it depending on whether its just loose or if its cracked. The drain pipe may also be able to be tightened. If tightening it doesn’t fix the leaky drain pipe, you may need to replace the seal. Sometimes, the entire disposal needs to be replaced. 

For help with garbage disposal trouble shooting, repairs, or replacement, call the professionals at Masterflo Plumbing today at (678) 822-7095!

 

 

Home Buying Tips: Plumbing

Home Buying Tips: Plumbing

Spring is here, and many people are buying and selling homes! The housing market in Cherokee County is booming, and you may be looking at purchasing a home here and settling down. Buying a home is an exciting process, but it can also be a stressful and daunting one! There are so many steps to take, documents to get in order, checklists to go through, and things to look at. Once you’ve purchased a home you can’t simply return it like a pair of shoes, so its important to do your due diligence before you sign on the dotted line. Before buying a home, its a good idea to check out some home buying tips to make sure you’re completely ready to say yes to your dream home.
Buying a home with pre existing plumbing problems could turn into a huge headache for you. Fortunately, even if you’re not a professional plumber there are a few home buying tips that can help you out a lot when it comes to your home’s plumbing system. Today we’re going to talk about a few of these tips.

Home Buying Tips:

  • Foundation problems. Cracks in the foundation or basement don’t always mean there’s a plumbing problem, but it could be a possibility! Cracks in the foundation can mean there’s a leak somewhere and can greatly compromise the integrity of your home, putting your family’s safety at risk.
  • Bug problems. Here in north Georgia, its nearly impossible to get away from the bugs! However, too many bugs can be a sign of a problem. Some bugs breed and thrive near standing water. If you notice bugs, particularly mosquitoes, that seem to be thriving at your new home, double check for any odd sources of standing water. Standing water can indicate a leak or poor drainage.
  • Random patches of fresh paint. Sometimes random patches of fresh paint can indicate that the homeowner has simply painted over a small nail hole. Other times, it can be the first sign of a larger problem. If there has been a water leak in the ceiling or walls, it may take more than fresh paint to completely repair all the damage.
  • Foul odors. Some bad smells can be a passing fluke, but others can indicate a larger problem. Pre existing plumbing problems like leaks, septic tank problems, or sewer problems can cause foul odors. These problems should not be overlooked as they can be quite costly to fix.
  • Poor drainage around the home. Its important to try and check out a home you’re thinking of buying after its rained. Poor drainage around your home can potentially cause problems for your landscaping and your home’s foundation. Its important to make sure that the grading of the lot allows rain water to drain away from the home. Its also important to check out the gutters and make sure they’re installed and working properly.
  • Mold. Mold doesn’t always come from a plumbing leak, but it certainly can! If you notice mold its crucial to find out the source to see if it will be a continuing problem that needs to be addressed.

If you’ve recently purchased a new home and need a professional plumber that you can count on day or night, make sure to call Masterflo Plumbing! We’re locally owned and operated and are here for your plumbing needs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Give us a call at (678) 822-7095!

Spring Home Maintenance: Interior Edition

Spring Home Maintenance: Interior Edition

Spring is in full effect here in metro Atlanta, and we’ve had all the crazy springtime weather to prove it! Spring is a great time of year to do some annual maintenance tasks around your home. Keeping up with regular spring home maintenance can greatly extend the life of many of your home’s components and can save you money in repairs down the road. 

spring home maintenanceWe’ve already talked about home maintenance tasks to be performed on the exterior of your home, but the interior of your home is just as important! Keeping up with these simple spring home maintenance tasks around the interior of your home can make a big difference in keeping you and your family safe, healthy, and comfortable all year long!

  • Replace your HVAC filter to ensure that your AC unit is running as efficiently as possible.
  • Clean the grills on your air system ducts.
  • Make sure all your vents are open and there is nothing blocking them.
  • Check for any gaps around your windows and reseal them with caulk if necessary.
  • Check the locks on your windows to make sure they’re working properly. If they aren’t, make sure to replace them with new locks.
  • Test the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
  • Make sure you know where your fire extinguisher is and check to make sure the pressure valve is working.
  • Check all your interior plumbing for any signs of leaks.
  • Look in your attic for any signs of leaking from your roof.

For help with any plumbing maintenance or repairs call the local professionals you can trust at Masterflo Plumbing! (678) 822-7095