Home Maintenance Tips

Prevent water damage to your home

• Ensure that you know where your main and individual fixture shut off valves are in your home to prevent flooding.
• Disconnect all hoses from outdoor frost free hose bibs before winter to prevent freezing.

Kitchen and bathroom

• Install a pressure balancing valve to prevent scalding in the shower due to simultaneous usage of water appliances.
• Garburator usage – run water 30 seconds after using your garburator
• To fix a foul smell coming from your garburator: Place ice cubes and lemon peels in your disposer and run for 30 seconds. Then add some dishwashing liquid and run for another 30 seconds. Finish with a 30 second rinse of cold water to rinse away any remaining debris.

Water usage and conservation

• Toilets consume more than 30% of you total water usage. Installation of a new toilet flapper and fill valve will keep your toilet running efficiently.
• For new home construction or renovations consider the low flow dual flush toilet which uses 20% less water per flush.
• A dripping faucet can waste as much as 100 gallons of water each day. Repair the faucet to save water and reduce your water bill.

Septic tank and field

• Have your tank inspected and pumped out a minimum of once every 3 or 4 years.
• Do not dispose of harmful material into your septic tank, such as, cooking fat, coffee grounds or paper towels. These items do not easily decompose in the septic tank.
• Do not add excessive amounts of bleach to your system.
• Do not build or park vehicles on top of your septic field.
• Use water saving fixtures.
• Do not use a garburator.

Please note: We hope we have provided some useful information. These tips and hints are only suggestions, and we recommend you contact a licensed plumber.