Back to School Plumbing Tips

Back to school time is usually hectic enough. Now that many are doing online & virtual learning, life seems to be a little more crazy than usual. We know that day-to-day life looks a little different now with more people at home during the day for longer periods of time. Your plumbing system is sure to need a little extra TLC. Here are a few plumbing tips to get you through the next school year!

Garbage Disposal: 

The kitchen tends to be the place where the family gathers together when at home. And with the majority of your meals now taking place at home, it wouldn’t hurt to give your garbage disposal a little extra attention! Now is a great time to perform routine maintenance tasks, and even teach your kids how to do it as well! Vinegar, citrus fruit peels, and baking soda are all good options for cleaning and deodorizing your disposal. Two easy recipes are:

1. Baking Soda & Vinegar
   1. Pour ½ cup of baking soda into the disposal.
   2. Chase it with 1 cup of vinegar.
   3. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes, then run the water to flush the mixture out.
2. Citrus Fruit
   1. Cut a piece of citrus fruit into two wedges.
   2. Turn on the water and the disposal unit, then toss the wedges one at a time into the drain. Citrus oils help to clean the unit and also make it smell fresher!

Bathroom: 

The bathroom is sure to see a lot more traffic with everyone working & learning from home! Here are some tips for keeping your bathrooms in tip-top shape!

1. Clean Your Drains: There are a variety of ways that you can clear your drains. We recommend staying away from chemical drain cleaner because it can be hard on old pipes. In fact, we have a blog that can walk you through some of the best DIY ways to clean your drain. Learn more here.
2. Always Run the Bathroom Fan: The fan in your bathroom is what helps prevent the moisture from building up on the walls, windows, and other surfaces when the shower and bath are in use. This helps to keep mildew from forming on the walls.
3. Flush Your Water Heater: Is your water heater not keeping up with your household’s demand for hot water? Well, you might need to flush it! Flushing your water heater is a form of routine maintenance that many people overlook. Over time sediment and minerals can build up in your water tank and affect the efficiency of your heater. Also — flushing your system could save you money in the long run! Read more about how to flush your water heater here.

Laundry: 

Back to school usually sees an increase in the amount of laundry done each week! Performing routine maintenance on your laundry machine is never a bad idea. These can include cleaning the lint trap in the dryer and checking the washer hose for cracks. If it’s been three or more years since you last replaced your laundry hoses, then it might be a good idea to go ahead and get this done! Just like drains get clogged with soap scum and other debris, the same can happen to laundry hoses.

We love giving our customers tips and tricks for each season of life! If you have any questions or concerns don’t hesitate to reach out to one of our affordable plumbers! You can reach us at 770.860.8110.