The kitchen sink is just one component of your home’s plumbing system. In the kitchen alone, there are multiple appliances and drains that connect to your home’s overall plumbing system – the sink, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and ice maker. Doing a little kitchen maintenance can ultimately help keep your plumbing system healthy, which helps keep your family and home healthy.
Not sure where to start in maintaining your kitchen? Don’t worry! Put together by Dallas plumbers, we offer some helpful kitchen maintenance tips that can save you time and money down the road.
4 Kitchen Maintenance Tips for Healthy Plumbing
Keep your kitchen running smoothly by doing the following:
Maintain Faucets
Your kitchen faucet likely gets the most use. Over time, they age and can break down. This can lead to clogs, low water pressure, and sediment. Fortunately, some basic maintenance can keep your plumbing running smoothly. Our advice? Clean the aerator regularly. The aerator is the small piece at the end of the faucet that has a mesh covering. The aerator can get clogged by lime, mildew, or minerals.
To clean your aerator:
- Unscrew the aerator from the faucet (only use pliers if necessary)
- Take the aerator apart
- Dip a small brush in vinegar to remove any sediment
- Reassemble the aerator and return to the faucet
Remove Kitchen Clogs
Clogged drains can be a hassle and can make your kitchen smell bad. Often, one of the first signs of a clogged drain or pipe is a horrible smell. If you have followed advice for removing clogs and you are still having problems with small or water pressure, it could be time to call in a professional plumber.
In the meantime, there are some maintenance-related things you can do to prevent a clog. Try the following:
- Use a product like Roto-Rooter Pipe Shield each month. This prevents food and debris from building up in the pipes and causing clogs.
- Do not put stringy, thick, or fibrous waste into the garbage disposal. Poultry skins, celery, banana peels, paper, etc. should never be put down the drain.
- When using the garbage disposal, run cold water down the drain for 15 seconds before and after use. This flushes the line clean.
- Never pour grease down the drain. Wipe grease from pans with paper towels and dispose of them in the trash.
Cleaning the Garbage Disposal
If there is food buildup in your garbage disposal, you could wind up with an awful smell in your home. You can eliminate odors by cleaning the disposal. To clean your garbage disposal, do the following:
- Grind orange or lemon rinds, or ice cubes, in the disposal to eliminate odors.
- While you have the garbage disposal running, pour a small amount of dish detergent into it.
- Rinse debris away by flushing the drain with cold water for around 30 seconds.
Repairing the Garbage Disposal
Is your garbage disposal randomly switching off during use? It could be overloaded. Most garbage disposals have a sensor that detects the motor is getting too hot. To prevent overheating, it shuts off. If that happens, you can do the following to get your disposal back up and running:
- Turn the disposal off
- Never put your hand down the drain
- Make sure the disposal is properly plugged into an outlet
- While the power is shut off, press the reset button located on the front or bottom of the disposal
- Restart the disposal
If this process doesn’t fix the problem, call a professional plumber.
Getting Professional Plumbing Help
If you keep up with routine maintenance but your kitchen plumbing isn’t working as efficiently as it should, contact a professional plumber. A plumber will have the skills and resources needed to diagnose and repair a plumbing problem. Having even a minor plumbing problem fixed quickly can save you time and money later.