The ABCs of Garbage Disposal Repair

Garbage disposals offer Oklahoma City homeowners and renters alike the convenience of ridding themselves of unwanted items quickly and easily. It’s a simple fix for various types of waste and a staple in most every Oklahoma City home. But what happens if this handy device breaks down? In this article we will outline some simple plumbing tips and techniques to help you potentially fix your garbage disposal before deciding whether to call in your professional Oklahoma City plumber.

1. Keep Your Hands Out of the Drain

Fixing a broken disposal is not worth losing a hand over. Keep in mind that there is a motor and a blade underneath the drain which can cause serious injury if you’re not careful. Be sure to unplug all parts prior to attempting any sort of repair.

2. Tighten All Connections

Check for leaks by running water through the removal and tighten any connections where leaks are apparent. You may also try taking the entire unit apart and replacing the seal. If the leak persists, you should replace the drain gasket. If all of these methods fail, it’s time to take the unit in for servicing.

3. Check Breakers

As the garbage disposal is an electrical device, it has been known to trip circuit breakers in some instances. Thus, it’s a good idea to check and see whether the panels have been turned off. In this case, all that is needed is to flip the switch and reset the disposal.

4. Freeing the Flywheel

The flywheel is the piece of the disposal that spins the impeller, which cuts up the waste. This piece may have become stuck, in which case you’ll need a hex wrench to free it. Find the hex hole under the unit, apply the wrench, and rotate it until the piece is loosened.

5. Maintaining the Impellers

If you suspect the issue is that the trash is not being properly shredded, you may need to sharpen the impellers. In this case, you’ll need to remove the entire unit. Once this is accomplished, remove the flywheel and take the impellers out the sharpen them. Based on the type of unit, you may even be able to leave the impellers in place while sharpening.

6. Clog Removal

Remove the bolts on the drain pipes and inspect for any readily apparent clogs. Remove anything that is stopping the passage of waste and replace the pipes.

If you’ve tried each of these possible solutions and still find you have a problem on your hands, if just may be time to call in a professional Oklahoma City plumber. The damage you could potentially do by experimenting may end up costing you more in the long run. Play it safe, and when in doubt, ask for help.

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If you are looking for a professional Oklahoma City garbage disposal contractor, then please call us today at 405-802-7769 or complete our online request form.

Choosing A Water Heater: The Basics

No one ever thinks about a water heater and all it does for their home until the one they have stops working; then they will have to decide how to go about choosing a water heater, and for many this is a scary proposition. When you need a water heater you need to understand the different types, their pluses and minuses, and how all of that information applies to your needs.

There are four basic types of water heaters, the storage tank model, the tankless model, the hybrid, and the solar water tank model. Each one of these different water tanks provide hot water to your home, but looking at how they work and cost will be the best way for choosing a water tank.

First look at the water tank most people are most familiar with, the storage tank model. This water tank has a large storage tank that fills with cold water. Inside the tank are heating elements that keeps the water at a constant temperature, day and night.

While this type of water heater is what most people have seen the most, there are some major drawbacks to buying another of this type of tank. First there is a fixed amount of water that can be heated at a time; therefore you may, depending on your usage, run out of hot water from time to time. Next, while these are pretty reasonable to buy, they are very expensive to run. Also, with storage type units, there is no shut off on the heating element, so it takes a lot of energy to keep your water hot. Having said that, these are still the best option for consumers on a budget.

The second type of water heater is the newest and most cutting edge of them all. With the tankless water heater, there is no tank to store water. The water is heated when you need it, and only the water that is needed at that moment is heated, which results in saving a large percentage of your utility costs associated with water usage every month, so why doesn’t everyone have one? Well the upfront costs are not too quickly offset with the savings on your energy bill.

The hybrid is another type of water heater, these combine a tank with a heat pump which works with the hot air around the pump to heat your water. These units are really large and most homes do not have a place for them. Plus, they are not very economical which means that they really are not a very practical option for most homeowners.

Finally there is the solar tank, these are brilliantly designed systems which combines a storage tank and solar collectors to heat your water supply using the power collected from the sun. These systems are extremely expensive, and are not a viable option for most homeowners.

As you can see from this article, there are many options for your next water heater and some are going to be better than others depending on your particular needs. Discuss these options with your plumber and find the perfect balance of cost versus benefit for you and your family.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6525215