Archive for December, 2011

Deodorizing Your Drain

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

With guests coming over to celebrate the holidays, the last thing that you want to worry about is a foul order coming from your kitchen sink.

Baking Soda Solution

A quick way to eliminate sink odor is to clean you drain with baking soda.  To do so, pour one cup of baking soda into your sink drain.  Let it soak for 15 – 20 minutes and then flush the baking soda through the drain with a large pan of boiling water.  Be sure to also clean your drain stopper, where odors can tend to linger.  Finally, eliminate any remaining smells in your sink pipes with a commercial drain cleaning solution.

Preventing A Smelly Sink

Once your drain has been cleaned, put a stop to future sink stench with these simple prevention tips.

  • Attempt to prevent food from going down the drain whenever possible by making sure that your sink stopper fits properly and that it is emptied into the trash after each use.

 

  • If food does go down the drain, be sure to rinse thoroughly with plenty of water to help propel food or particles past the sink’s trap.

 

  • Occasionally wipe your sink with a towel or sponge saturated in undiluted vinegar to help eliminate sink basin smells.  Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

 

  • Grind a lemon or orange peel in your kitchen’s garbage disposal to help release citric acid and eliminate smell, while simultaneously cleaning your garbage disposal blades.

Still have a stinky sink?  We can help – call us today for a sink-scent solution!

Keeping Water Out Of Your Home With WaterCop

Thursday, December 15th, 2011

A useful home tool, the WaterCop can help to keep water out of your home.  The WaterCop is an automatic water shut-off valve system designed to provide your home with round-the-clock indoor flood protection.  Working in conjunction with wired and wireless flood sensors, wall switches, and most home security and home automation systems, it’s designed to be installed on your home’s main floor, on the main water line near the existing manual shut-off valve.

WaterCop flood sensors are then installed near water-based appliances and in rooms where running water is present. When the sensors detect leaking water, a wireless signal is broadcast to the WaterCop main valve causing the valve to close. Water flow is then cut off to all areas of the home to eliminate continuous flooding.  Particularly important to Minnesota homeowners is the devices ability to also prevent burst pipes.  Optional temperature sensors, placed near indoor pipes, can shut off a home’s water in the event that the ambient indoor temperature drops below a pre-determined point!

After installing your WaterCop, keep in mind that this device reduces your flood related risk and, as a result, can increase your home’s insurability.  Contact your insurance agent to determine if you are eligible for discounts associated with automatic water shut-off systems.

Contact Nowthen Plumbing to have your WaterCop flood prevention tool installed today!