What can go down the garbage disposal?
The garburator seems like a product that can handle anything, but it has limits. Learn what you can and can’t put down the garburator.
NEVER attempt to clear your garburator when it is turned on.
Fat or grease: This should not go down the garbage disposal or any drain. It will eventually cool and harden and stay that way. The best way to dispose of it grease is to pour it into a jar while it’s hot and once it cools, put it in the garbage or green bin.
Onion skins: Onion skins may seem harmless, but they are thin and can easily stick to the inside shredder ring of your disposal, eventually causing major problems. It’s best to put these in your green bin or composter.
Fibrous or stringy vegetables & fruit: The stringy part of fruits & vegetables like celery can easily be cut by the garburator blade, but similar to onion skins, the rest can wrap around another part and cause damage.
Coffee grounds: These little leftover caffeine beans don’t harm your disposal itself, and might make it smell nice – BUT they can cause a lot of damage and clog the drain pipes below the garburator and throughout your home. Put these in the green bin instead.
Egg shells: Similar to the vegetables, the membrane on the inside of the egg can wrap around parts of your device that they shouldn’t touch and cause your garburator to malfunction. (Yes, green bin it!)
Bones or fruit pits: While the garburator has powerful blades, they usually cannot stand up to the strength of the bones and pits which cause significant damage. Often this kind of damage requires a garburator replacement.
Pasta, rice & breads: These foods are like the cotton swabs in a toilet. Since the pasta, rice and bread can stick together, they can absorb a lot more water and block your drain.
Additional things to avoid: Shrimp shells, pennies, jewellery, banana peels, silverware, hands and fingertips.
Kitchen Plumbing Tips Part 3
The kitchen is a hub for cooking and conversation. Learn home kitchen energy tips with this blog series.
Stove
Using a small pot on a large burner wastes over 40% of the burner’s heat. Save energy and money (approximately $20-$40 annually) by using the right sized pot on stove burners, and cover pots and pans to contain heat when you’re cooking. If you have a gas range, keep the burners clean to ensure the efficiency of your stove.
Green tip: Blue flames indicate good combustion; yellow flames indicate that your range may require service. Servicing your range when you see a yellow flame can help to ensure that it is burning efficiently.
Greener tip: Replace your electric or gas range with an EnergyStar certified range to save the maximum amount of energy possible!
Range Hood
Save energy in your kitchen with a high efficiency range hood. Range hoods remove cooking odors and control air moisture when cooking on the stovetop. EnergyStar certified range hoods use 60% less energy than standard models, and they are also quieter!
Telephone
Chat in the kitchen on an EnergyStar certified cordless phone with switch-mode power supplies and smart chargers for maximum telephone energy saving as you cook and chat.
Kitchen Plumbing Tips Part 2
The kitchen can be a busy gathering place. Learn home kitchen energy tips with this blog series.
Plumbing and Drain Rescue, professional plumbers in Vancouver bring you part 2 of our 3 part blog post on energy efficient kitchens.
Refrigerator
Learn about the specifications of your current fridge, and consider upgrading to an EnergyStar efficient model if you don’t have one already. When your new refrigerator is installed, recycle your old one by putting it in another room or the garage, or pass it on to someone you know who has an older (and likely less efficient) fridge!
Did you know: If your current fridge was made prior to 1993, it uses twice the amount of energy required by new models!
Green tip: There are ways to recycle your old refrigerator if you do not have the space or a place to put it. By recycling your old fridge you can prevent 5,500 to 20,000 lbs of greenhouse gas emissions. Check out the EnergyStar website for places to recycle your old fridge.
Dishwasher
Save water by scraping your dishes into the garbage (or compost!) instead of pre-rinsing before they go in the dishwasher. Run your dishwasher only when it is full and use the air-dry option if your dishwasher has that feature.
Did you know: Appliances account for roughly 12% of energy bills. By replacing your dishwasher to a high efficiency model, you can lower that percentage, and save money and energy!
Microwave
Save energy with your microwave by only using it to reheat or cook small portions of food. Doing this can cut the cooking energy you use by as much as 80%, and will also help to save on air conditioning and fan costs in warm summer months, as microwaves generate less heat than an oven or stove.
Stay tuned for part 3 of our 3-part blog series on kitchens!
Kitchen Plumbing Tips Part 1
The kitchen is often the heart of the home. Learn home kitchen energy tips with this blog series.
Vancouver plumbers Plumbing and Drain Rescue bring you another segment in keeping your home energy efficient. Today we are talking about making your kitchen green!
Lights
As mentioned previously, by replacing the type of bulbs used in your kitchen light fixtures, you can save energy! Energy efficient Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL) light bulbs are great alternatives to incandescent bulbs. Upgrading your light bulbs is simple and easy to do, and it’s a good first step to take when living greener!
Green tip: Turn the lights out when you leave the kitchen. If you’re not in the room, then you don’t need a light on! You can also save energy during the day by allowing natural sunlight to illuminate your rooms.
Greener tip: Recycle your old light bulbs! Call the Recycle Council of BC to find your nearest location: 604-732-9253
Windows
Replacing your windows screens with storm windows during winter months will act as an extra barrier against the cold outdoor air by helping to prevent heat loss. Another suggestion is to weather-strip and caulk around your windows to prevent air leakage.
Green tip: By changing your current windows to EnergyStar windows, you can save from $150-$500 in annual energy costs! EnergyStar windows can cut drafts and even reduce the fading of your interior furnishings!
Sink
As in the bathroom, there are many ways you can reduce water usage with your sink faucet. Repair any leaks immediately to save gallons of water. (Follow our DIY, or call on our technicians to fix your faucet for you!) Another way you can save energy is by installing a low-flow aerator on your faucet.
Green tip: If you hand wash your dishes, fill up the sink and wash all dishes at once, and then rinse the soap off all of the dishes at once when you’re finished. You’ll save energy by filling your sink up just twice instead of letting the water continuously run.
Stay tuned for part 2 of our 3-part blog series on kitchens!
DIY: How to Clean a Sink Sprayer
Vancouver plumbers Plumbing and Drain Rescue bring you a step by step walkthrough of cleaning a sink sprayer. Sink sprayers are typical composed of the following parts: sprayer mount (mounts to sprayer hose in faucet), spring seat (base for spring) and spring, cartridge cylinder (fits in sprayer body) and sprayer body, spray lever, insert (for spray outlets) and spray outlets, and an outlet cover.
Note: Above parts describe typical parts of a sink sprayer that has only the spray function. Multi-function sink sprayer parts will vary.
Step 1: Pry the sprayer head cover off and remove the perforated disk.
Step 2: Soak the disk overnight in a vinegar or lime dissolving solution.
Step 3: Brush the disk clean using a small wire brush, and using a paperclip, clean any clogged holes in the perforated disk. Replace any damaged parts or parts that cannot come clean.
Step 4: Reassemble the sink sprayer.
Note: Use white vinegar for the water-vinegar solution.
DIY: How To Clean an Aerator
Vancouver Plumber Plumbing and Drain rescue knows the havoc that hard water can reek on your drains.Because hard water is rich in minerals, these minerals build up and may eventually cause a clog in your fixtures’ aerators, showerheads and sink sprayers. Cleaning an aerator is often as simple as removing the part and running water through it backwards. However, when the deposits harden it’s time to remove the parts, soak them and clean them. Soak the aerator in an equal parts hot water-to-vinegar or lime-dissolving solution. To clean it, use a small brush or a paperclip.
Cleaning a Faucet Aerator
Step 1: Using water pump pliers, unscrew the aerator from the faucet spout, being careful with the applied pressure so you don’t crush the aerator.
Tip: Wrapping the jaws of the pliers with masking tape will protect the surface of the aerator.
Step 2: Remove the parts of the aerator by pushing them out with your finger, then soak them in the vinegar or lime dissolving solution mentioned above. It is best to let the parts soak overnight, to ensure all mineral deposits have loosened.
Tip: If a part of the aerator is completely stuck, soak the aerator in a vinegar solution (see above for vinegar solution mixture,) then use tweezers or a pick to remove the pieces from the aerator.
Step 3: Remove the parts from the cleaning solution, wipe them dry, then using a small wire brush, remove the mineral deposits that loosened overnight. Parts may require additional soaking if not all mineral deposits have loosened. Replace any parts that are damaged or that cannot be cleaned.
Step 4: Reassemble the aerator and screw it back onto the spout, only as comfortably tight as your hand can make it. Turn on the tap and check for any leaks, and retighten as necessar
Note: Use white vinegar for the water-vinegar solution.
