Garbage Disposal Tips

 With proper use and some routine maintenance, a garbage disposal (or disposer) can last for many years. However, when the device is finally worn out or broken, it can lead to slow or clogged drains and a foul smell from kitchen waste.

How does a garbage disposal work? Garbage disposals allow you to grind up food into small pieces that can easily passes through sewage drain pipes. If you cook a lot or have pets that get into the trash, this handy gadget can make your cleanup faster and easier. Garbage disposals are attached to the bottom of the drain in a kitchen sink. As you feed scraps of food into the drain, a shredder grinds up the food. You have to run cold water while the disposal is operating so it can help push the food down.

Here are a few tips related to maintaining a garbage disposal: 

• The disposal will sometimes automatically shut off if an overload occurs. When this happens, it is important to clear the disposal by running some hot water down it and then pressing the reset button on the underside of the unit. If this does not work, there may be a problem with the wiring.

• The unit may jam. The majority of garbage disposals on the market today come with a jam wrench, which is really just an Allen wrench. On the bottom of the unit is a hole where the wrench will fit. Insert the wrench and turn it back and forth until the jam is freed.

• The garbage disposal’s blades will become dull after years of use. Although many people will recommend using materials such as glass and chicken bones to sharpen the blades, we do not recommend any either of these. The safest and easiest option would be to use ice.

• Always exercise extreme caution when cleaning your garbage disposal. Make sure to disconnect the power source before inserting any cleaning tool into the disposal and never, ever put your hand in the unit for any reason.

How can you tell if your garbage disposal is broken or worn out? You may have a stubborn object or fibrous gunk stuck in the system that inhabits the blades from spinning. If, after carefully cleaning your garbage disposal, the blades still do not spin, or make a low humming sound, your garbage disposal system is in need of repair or replacement.

If there has been a smell coming from your kitchen sink’s drain, it may be that there is food waste stuck in the disposal, or it could be a sewer smell problem. Your best bet is to call a plumbing professional to take a look.

And for assistance with all of your home repair needs, Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Give us a call at 770-575-2533.
Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com

Preventing Mildew Saves Removing It

Mildew that has developed in your home is easy to remove. All you have to do is mix 1 cup of powdered laundry detergent (less if concentrated) and 1 quart of liquid bleach with 3 quarts of warm water. And, in minutes – scrubbing with a bristle brush makes the mildew disappear. Although this is a reasonably mild solution that can be used for most painted surfaces, rubber gloves and eye protection should be used.

Problem is, the mildew isn’t the real problem. Mildew is the effect – not the cause. Mildew can’t grow without a food source, and the food source that mildew thrives on is moisture.

Mold and mildew (mold in its early stage) are fungi that happily and quickly grow anywhere there is moisture. They serve an important purpose in our environment by helping to destroy organic materials such as leaves, thereby enriching the soil. But that same attribute can cause a serious health issue for people living in a moldy home: respiratory problems; sinus congestion; eye, nose, or throat irritation; and headaches. Infants, children, pregnant women, elderly individuals, and people with existing respiratory conditions are at a higher risk for these problems. Check for areas in your home where there could be high humidity or water damage, such as a damp basement or crawl space. Mildew and mold can grow on wood products, ceiling tiles, cardboard, wallpaper, carpets, drywall, fabric, plants, foods, and insulation. These growths can begin to develop on a damp surface within 24 and 48 hours and produce spores that travel through the air. They will break down and destroy whatever they're growing on and can cause mild to severe health problems for you and your family.

Mildew spores are in the air – everywhere. They spend all of their time look­ing for moist places to settle, feed and grow.

How to Prevent Mildew

So how do you prevent mildew from growing in the first place?

1. Simple, reduce or eliminate the food source – cut down on the amount of moisture (usually found in the form of condensation) that is allowed to settle on the walls, floors and ceilings. This may not be as simple for someone who lives in Flori­da as it would be for a family that lives in West Texas. But, given varying degrees of attention eradication is possible even in relatively humid cli­mates.
2. Improving air circulation inside the home reduces the chance of condensation and makes it hard for mildew to find a place to grow.

But the problem can’t always be found inside the home. Sometimes the culprit is damp earth beneath the floor.

The area under a wood-floor home can generate a substantial amount of moisture that mildew can use to feed on. What happens is simple. Natural warmth from the floor of the home emanates downward into the sub area, the warmth vapor­izes the moisture in the damp soil, and the vapors rise into the floor and walls above – creating a new place for mildew to thrive.

It’s best to prevent moisture from getting into the subarea in the first place, but once it’s there it can be dealt with.

If the moisture in the subarea was created by a one-time occurrence then a fan can be used to circulate the air and dry out the earth.

Managing Long-term Moisture Problems

If the dampness is an ongoing problem, then a layer of polyethylene sheeting (use the 6 mil thickness) should be laid on the earth in the subarea. When the heat from the house attacks the moisture in the dirt below, condensation is forced to occur on the underside of the plastic instead of on the underside of the wood floor and walls above.

Installation of the plastic sheeting can provide a decade of protection as long as certain pests (rats, mice, moles, gophers, snakes, etc.) aren’t making a home there. But that’s another article.

Anyhow, it’s important that the layer of plastic be tape-sealed at all joints, at all points where it adjoins the foundation walls and where it surrounds foundation piers. Taping serves two functions: it helps to hold the plastic sheeting in place and prevents moisture vapors from seeping through. Two-inch duct tape is best.

And for assistance with all of your home repair needs, Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Give us a call at 770-575-2533.
Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com

How to choose a Toilet - The Basics

Whatever you call it, the toilet is one of the most important items in your house. While the color and cost matter, how much water it uses and how well it flushes matter more. A good one conserves water and generates enough power to clean the bowl in a single flush. (A bad one can be a 20-year pain in the butt.) This article will help you choose a high-performance dunny that will fit your bathroom, budget and backside.
A new generation of low-flow models
Since 1994, low-flow toilets that use 1.6 gallons per flush (gpf) or less have been the federal standard. The first generation of low-flow toilets sucked—or rather, they didn't. That's mostly because manufacturers tweaked a few things to reduce the amount of water used but didn't change the basic design. You had to flush the darn thing twice (so much for water savings!). But 15 years later, more of these toilets actually work. Manufacturers have made significant design improvements such as larger trap-ways to prevent clogging and larger flush valves that allow a more powerful rush of water to enter the bowl. The following tips will make choosing a new toilet a lot easier.
Don't pinch pennies
You can get a “contractor special” for less than $75. But everything from the working parts to the quality of the glazing will likely be low quality. And don't expect a powerful flush from a cheap toilet. You're going to use your toilet every day for years, so get a good one. Plan to spend $100 to $500 for a gravity toilet and $225 to $600 for a pressure-assist model.
Shop plumbing supply houses and bathroom showrooms
Home centers offer some but not all of the top-ranked toilets. For the widest selections in makes and models, visit bathroom showrooms and check online retailers.
Unique features can cost you later
Custom seats and unusual flush mechanisms add a cool factor, but they'll cost you time, money and frustration if they ever need replacing. A replacement custom seat, for example, costs more than $100 (if you can even find one years later).
Solve a sweating tank problem
If a sweating, dripping toilet tank has been a problem with your current can, choose a pressure-assist model. Since the water is held inside an inner tank, the outer tank won't sweat. Or if you prefer a gravity toilet, order one with factory-installed tank insulation for an additional $50 to $100 (depending on the model).

A good flusher

Figure A: Anatomy of a Good Flusher

A toilet's flushing performance is what matters most. To find a top performer, shop with these features in mind.

Tip 1: Compare flush ratings online

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A good flusher

Kohler Cimarron Comfort Height elongated 1.6 gpf, model K-3589; at home centers and online retailers.

us.kohler.com Photo courtesy of Kohler

Since you're probably going to live with your toilet for 10 years or more, it's worth doing 10 minutes of research before you buy. Compare independent test results of the “flushing performance” across manufacturers and specific toilet models by typing “toilet testing 2010” into a search engine.
For more toilet reviews, visit consumerreports.org and terrylove.com/crtoilet. Top-ranked toilets include specific models of Home Depot's Glacier Bay; Kohler's Wellworth and Cimarron; American Standard's Cadet 3 FloWise; and Gerber's UltraFlush.

Tip 2: Check for rebates on high-efficiency models

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American Standard Cadet toilet

American Standard Compact Cadet 1.28 gpf, model 2403; at home centers and online retailers.

americanstandard.com Photo courtesy of American Standard

A toilet accounts for a third of your household water use. High-efficiency toilets (HET) that use 1.28 gallons or less earn the EPA's WaterSense label. These can save 4,000 gallons of water per person annually, and some water utilities offer rebates if you install one (check with yours). However, check independent test results before you buy (see the Web sites in Tip 1 above). Our plumbers report more staining and clogging problems with some high-efficiency models.

Tip 3: Get a pressure-assist toilet if a clean bowl using less water is a top priority

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A pressure-assist toilet

Gerber Ultra Flush pressure-assist 1.6 gpf, model 21-302; at plumbing showrooms and online retailers.

gerberonline.com

According to the plumbers we spoke with, pressure-assist toilets are more water-efficient flushers than gravity toilets. They have a separate tank that holds water under pressure, which releases with great velocity and removes waste thoroughly when you flush. They're also pricier ($100 plus) and a lot noisier than gravity types. (See our field editor comments below.) Finding parts and making repairs can also be more of a headache with pressure-assist toilets.
For more info on gravity and pressure-assist toilets, type “toilet performance” in the search box above.

Tip 4: Make cleaning easier

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A wall-hung toilet

IMAGE DESCRIPTION (the cutline) Toto Aquia wall-hung high-efficiency dual-flush 1.6 and 0.8 gpf; at plumbing showrooms and online retailers.

totousa.com Photo courtesy of Toto

One-piece toilets are easier to clean (fewer nooks and crannies), but they're also more expensive and can be harder to install than a two-piece unit (they're a lot heavier than a separate bowl and tank). If you're feeling flush and want truly easy cleaning, consider a wall-mounted toilet.

Tips From Our Field Editors

Our field editors from across the country share their insights and experience with new toilets.
“Ho. Lee. Cow. We HATE our toilet. It claims the ability to flush 24 golf balls. Seriously. Maybe it could do 24 golf balls one at a time over a two-week period with a string pulling them down.”
-- Murph Krajewski
Beware of Pressure-Assist Noise
“Our builder installed the LOUDEST toilets in the world. When someone flushes, I have to pause the TV so I don't miss any dialogue. I installed a gravity toilet in my basement, and when our newborn is napping, I make everyone go there to potty!”
-- Jason Hirsbrunner
“My pressure-assist toilet flushes extremely well, but it's very loud. It sounds like it's flushing the whole bathroom down with it.”
-- Tom Rohlf
Beware of Nonstandard Parts
“We got an “uber-cool” toilet and I wish we hadn't. The seat is custom, so we'll have to spend $115 to replace it someday, and the innards aren't normal, so when things eventually wear out, we'll be rigging it with odds and ends to make it work.”
-- Kristin Green
Colored Toilets make a House Harder to Sell
“Most people can compromise when it comes to a low vs. high, round vs. elongated toilet, but color is almost always nontransferable from one owner to another! Avoid designer color toilets like the plague.”
-- Joseph Papay, Craftsman & Design Services
Cushioned Seats Don't Age Gracefully
“The first one didn't fit, the next one seemed OK until it cracked and pinched your leg when you sat on it, and the last one made a humorous sound when you sat down. No more cushioned seats!”
-- Bruce Dexter
Add A Tush of Class and Get a Slow-Close, Removable Seat
“We really like the slow-drop seats with the quick disconnect feature for easy cleaning. With two little ones, it saves slamming seats in the middle of the night and makes cleaning a snap.”
--Jack Bauer

Tip 5: Consider a taller throne for comfort

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A taller toilet

Gerber Avalanche high-efficiency 1.28 gpf, model 21-824, 17-in. ErgoHeight; at plumbing showrooms and online retailers.

gerberonline.com Photo courtesy of Gerber

Toilets that comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act have higher bowl heights of 17 in. or 19 in. vs. the standard 15 in. A higher bowl can be more comfortable for taller and older people and easier on backs and knees. But it can be harder for kids and shorter folks to use, and it costs $50 to $100 more. If you're not sure, sit on the toilet in the store. It feels silly, but you'll get what you want.

Tip 6: Measure the rough-in before you buy

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Measure the rough-in

The rough-in is the distance from the center of the toilet flange (the hold-down bolts) to the wall. Buy a toilet that fits the rough-in distance so you don't have the difficult job of moving the flange.

The distance from the wall to the middle of the flange bolts that hold down the toilet will narrow your toilet choices. Twelve inches is standard, but 10-in. and 14-in. models are available. Unless you're significantly remodeling, make installation easier by choosing a toilet with the same rough-in as your existing toilet. Make sure to account for the thickness of your baseboard.
For how-to tips on replacing a toilet, type “replace a toilet” in the search box above.

Tip 7: Beware of bigger bowls

Elongated bowls are 2 in. longer and more comfortable for many people. But before you upgrade from a standard round bowl, take some measurements. We've heard a lot of stories about doors and drawers that couldn't be opened after an elongated bowl was installed.

Tip 8: Save water with a dual-flush toilet

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A dual-flush toilet

American Standard H2Option Siphonic Dual Flush Elongated 1.6 or 1.0 gpf, model 2887- 216; at home centers and online retailers

americanstandard.com Photo courtesy of American Standard

These have a .8-gpf button for liquids and a 1.6-gpf button for solids and use about 25 percent less water than a regular 1.6-gpf toilet. Dual-flush toilets are available in both gravity and pressure-assist models. They're pricier than other types (an additional $150 to $300 depending on the model) and they come in fewer color and style options. Also, the flush button or handle can be awkward to push on some models.

A special thanks to "The Family Handyman" for this article.
And for assistance with all of your Home Repair needs, Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Give us a call at 770-575-2533.
Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com

How Does an Electrical Breaker Work?

You can call it a "Breaker Box", a "Service Panel", or "The Electrical Box", but whatever you call it, what it does and how it works is probably a bit of a mystery.

So here we go with a bit of information intended for the homeowner, as a homeowner, not an electrician

Before you read any further....DO NOT OPEN YOUR SERVICE PANEL or attempt to mess with your electrical system!!

 
1. What does the darn thing do?
Your Service Panel (that is what's is really called) is THE safety device for the electricity you use in your home. It is also the dividing up point for the electrical power coming into your house from your electric company. The amount of electricity coming into your home is really powerful, and actually comes with 2 large wires (also called conductors) that each have 120 volts of AC power. These are first attached to a Main breaker which separates them and passes the power thru the breakers on one side of the service panel and the other to the breakers on the other side of the panel.

2. Safety? How does it do that?

I'm so glad you asked. Electricity, for anyone who has touched it can tell you, will hurt. So that is why the Service Panel is so important. Inside the panel are several features you may not know about. First and foremost are what is called the ground and neutral buss bars. Without these your electricity wouldn't work. Like dancing, it takes two to Tango. Well in this case a hot conductor and a neutral conductor. The ground wire is the safety part of this. Just in case something goes wrong with an appliance or other electrical gadget in your house, the ground wire is where the electricity goes to safely discharge.

3. So just how does the breaker work?
A breaker in your service panel actually works by sensing heat build-up. Look at it this way, any incandescent light buld in your house is actually a heater. It operates by passing electricity thru the wire in the bulb, which in turn gets hot. It gets so hot that it also as a byproduct produces light. Well the breakers in your service panel are kind of like that, except they are set to shut down when the heat reaches a specific point.

4. So back to the dividing up point...
After the electricity passes thru the main breaker it then gets to pass thru the different breakers. Each breaker is matched up with either certain sections of your house or specific appliances, like your stove or refrigerator. It is important to have the correct size breaker along with the correct size wire (conductor) so that the safety feature of the breaker isn't compromised. If you just change out the existing breaker to a larger one then your wire may overheat before the breaker trips. Yep, this is one way to burn a house down.

5. Don't just keep resetting a breaker! 
When a breaker trips it is trying to tell you something. It's telling you SOMETHING IS WRONG! In houses built a few years ago the code electricians used to wire your house and do it safely wasn't as strict as it is today. In the 70's and 80's no one saw 1500 watt hair dryers coming, 15 amp vacuum cleaners, or entertainment centers that rival CNN. So putting 2 or 3 bathrooms on one circuit breaker wasn't unheard of. The problem is 2 bathrooms with a hair dryer going in both will tend to trip the breaker. Easy solution is reset the breaker and only one person gets to fix their hair at a time. If however you have a breaker that trips for no reason that you know of, it's telling you DANGER, DANGER. Have a properly trained person look into what is wrong as soon as you can.

An article by Steve Keel with a special thanks going out to Michael Turkington at Chattahoochee Technical College for passing along the knowledge that made this article possible.

And for assistance with all of your home repair needs, Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Give us a call at 770-575-2533.
Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com

5 Tricks to Unlock Your Kitchen's Hidden Potential

No two kitchens are created equal. Some are used every night, while others are only used on special occasions. Some are small. Some have islands. And some kitchens are the pride and joy of the homeowner. All kitchens have one thing in common, though: They have hidden potential!
Take a page out of the pros’ book and try these tricks. Not only will they make you a better cook (maybe… no promises), some of them will save you money, too!
Unlock your kitchen’s hidden potential with these five tips:

1. The Fridge Trick

If your refrigerator’s coils are along the back of the unit, scoot your fridge forward two inches. Most people ram their fridge as close to the wall as possible to eke out some extra floor space, but those extra inches aren’t worth it. By giving your refrigerator coils some breathing room, you’ll reduce your fridge’s energy usage by as much as 40 percent!

2. The Pots and Pans Trick

Place a dryer sheet in the bottom of the pot or pan, fill it with warm water and leave it overnight. Come morning, that apocalyptic magma stuff that was stuck to the bottom will come right off. Just rinse everything with dish soap to remove any remaining residue from the dryer sheet.

3. The Stovetop Trick

If you get distracted while you’re prepping water for your pasta, it can boil over pretty fast. To avoid that, try this: Place a long wooden spoon across the top of the pot. The spoon will pop the rising water bubbles and absorb some of the heat.

4. The Cutting Board Trick

Even the most accomplished chefs can have an accident if their cutting board goes
mobile while they’re chopping. Do your fingers a favor – use this trick to anchor your board: Wrap a rubber band around each end. That’s it! Your cutting board will stay in place.

5. The Freezer Trick

The average temperature of a freezer is 0-5 degrees F! So while it’s always nice to have ice water in the heat of summer, think about how hard your freezer works to make it. Use this trick to lighten the load: Freeze a few 1-gallon jugs of water and leave them in your freezer. This makes it easier for your freezer to keep a consistently low temperature, which saves energy and increases your fridge’s longevity!

A special thanks goes out to Jessica at Brightnest.com for this article.
And for assistance with all of your home repair needs, Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Give us a call at 770-575-2533.
Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com

Identify Home Energy Hogs

Why Do This?

You can save up to 10 percent on your energy bill by targeting your energy hogs and unplugging them when you aren't using them regularly! While refrigerators and air conditioners consume the most energy, there are many small appliances that consume large amounts of unnecessary energy, too. These ‘vampire’ products cannot be turned off without being unplugged, and draw power 24 hours a day.

How long should this take? About 15 minutes.

How To:

1. If you want to know what current energy hogs you’re using, buy a low-cost wattmeter to measure the devices in your home. Home Depot has one for about $20
2. Identify the vampire appliances in your house. If you don't use the following appliances regularly, unplug them!
3. Computers. Whether you have a desktop or a laptop (or both), your computer is a Dracula-level energy vampire. By turning your computer off instead of letting it idle or sleep, you can reduce its energy usage by as much as 250 percent.
4. Toaster. Once your crispy toast is on your plate, there’s no need to leave your toaster on. Unplug it until it’s time for your next snack.
5. Cell phones. Even when your phone is plugged-in and fully charged, it’s sapping energy from your outlet. Make a point to unplug your cell phone once the battery is full. Same goes for the charger.
6. DVR and Cable Box. Even when your cable setup isn’t recording and is turned off by remote control it uses a whopping 43.46 watts an hour. When you’re going to sleep or leaving the house for a while, unplug your setup completely.
7. Coffee machine. You may take your cup of java to go in the morning, but your coffee machine hangs out all day draining power. Unplug it once you have your brew, or go classy and switch to a French press!
8. Televisions and video game systems. These will chip away at your bank account every minute the are plugged in. Standby mode is expensive!
9. To make unplugging appliances and other electrical devices easier, consider using a switchable power strip to easily unplug a cluster of cords all at once. If there are energy hogs you aren't use regularly, plug them into the power strip and get in the habit of switching it off. You can pick one up at Home Depot for less than $4.00

A special thanks goes out to Brightnest.com for this article.
And for assistance with all of your home repair needs, Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help. 
Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com

A Crash Course in Hiring an Exterminator

It doesn’t matter if it’s insects or rodents: pest invasions are never fun. Unwanted critters can wreak havoc on your home, spread diseases and give you a serious case of the shivers. If you wind up with a big pest problem, it’s important to call an exterminator rather than ignoring the issue or trying to deal with it yourself. A professional will be able to safely and fully restore your home to its former pest-free glory.

But choosing an exterminator can be intimidating. What traits should you look for? Are you getting a fair price? Can they really and truly get those racoons out of your basement? It’s important to be informed, because pest control can be expensive. Here’s what you need to know when hiring an exterminator:
1. Ask for credentials. Don’t be shy – you have the right to see the exterminator’s license! Before you hire, ask how their technicians are trained and what certifications they had to receive before being hired.
2. Check their history. Do some research to find out how long the exterminator has been in business. If a company has been serving your community for years, chances are they’re a trustworthy organization. Another great way to find a reputable company is by asking neighbors and friends who they used in the past (and whether or not they were satisfied). You can also use sites like Yelp for recommendations.
3. Get an estimate. Depending on the pest, different strategies for removal (i.e. chemical spray vs. setting traps) can vary widely in price. Make sure you get an estimate for each strategy, and then weigh the costs and benefits. For larger projects (like termites), it’s a good idea to get estimates from multiple companies so that you can choose who is best to tackle your problem. Note: Most professional exterminators should offer you some sort of guarantee for the pest removal – be wary if they don’t!
4. Demand thoroughness. A professional exterminator should inspect your home, confirm the specific pest problem and then present you with several possible solutions. Ask them to explain the pros and cons of each extermination method. Note: An exterminator who doesn’t seem very knowledgeable is a red flag! They should be able to explain the pest’s habits, why the invasion may have happened in the first place and how each extermination method will affect you and your home.

A special thanks goes out to Brightnest.com for this article.
And for assistance with all of your home repair needs, Pro-Fix Home Repair stands ready to help.  Contact them by calling 770-575-2533.
Give us a call @ 770-575-2533 or www.ProFixHomeRepair.com