Category: Kitchen Plumbing

Have you ever considered getting a garbage disposal? There are many benefits in doing so. Garbage disposals are good for the environment, because they cut down on waste that goes into landfills.

They simplify your life because there is less trash for you to remove from your San Antonio, TX home every week. They can also prevent other household problems, which we will explore in more depth below.

Keep Clogs Away

Most people have experienced a clogged drain at some point in their lives. It can be messy and inconvenient.

You might also suffer expensive water damage from a backed up drain. You can avoid this whole clog headache simply by getting a garbage disposal put in.

Clogs are formed by a number of things, but most commonly are formed by food matter falling into your sink. Over time this debris can gather in the pipes and drains which means that you’ll be dealing with a pesky clog.

Your plumber might be able to get rid of it with a plumbing snake, or you may need more force, like hydro jetting. However, if your food waste is going right into the garbage disposal, you won’t have to worry about clogs.

Help you Clean Your Dishes

Scraping plates into the trash can and cleaning them under the faucet in the sink can be a bit cumbersome and messy.

You are probably tracking a mess all through your kitchen, not to mention letting food matter get down your drains.

Having a garbage disposal is a one-stop shop. You can clean and rinse your plates in the same place, all while getting rid of food scraps.

Keep Odors Away

Not only will food matter falling down your sink cause problems with clogs, the same food particles can cause some serious odors in your drains.

If you compress that food waste and wash it away through the garbage disposal, you won’t have to worry about it.

The same goes for your garbage bags. You can use some scented bags to try to reduce kitchen odors, but that doesn’t really go very far. It’s better if you can eliminate what is causing the odors- your garbage- through a garbage disposal.

Although your garbage disposal can tackle most organic waste, there are some items that you should never put down there because you’ll break the blades. Keep fibrous items, like peapods and celery or very hard items like nutshells and bones away from there.

Buying a new refrigerator can be exciting for a homeowner. It not only looks great in your kitchen, but it also increases the value of your home if and when it comes time to sell.

Picking out the best fridge is the easy part, installing it can be a challenge. Make sure to follow this guide to connecting your new refrigerator, and give yourself some peace of mind.

Learn How to Connect the Water Dispenser

Now that your fridge is out of the box, it’s time for installation. Turn off the water in your house, the run the tap at your sink to drain the line. Once the line is drained, you can tap into the cold water supply pipe.

The cold water supply pipe will either be located under your kitchen sink or in the basement. Once located, tap into the pipe by piercing it with your saddle valve from your kit. Make sure the valve is bolted tight enough, and you hear it pierce the pipe.

Run the tubing from your kit from the cold water pipe up to the refrigerator. If your pipe was in the basement, you will need to drill a hole through the floor by the fridge, to connect it. Once the tubing reaches the fridge, it needs to be connected to the water valve, located at the bottom left of the fridge. Connect these using compression fitting.

Connect the Ice Maker

Now that the connection to the water pipe has been made, you open the valve and let to allow water flow. Turn the water back on, and check your work for leaks.

You will most likely notice a leak at the saddle valve. Sometimes water pressure will be too high and can cause the valve to loosen, and weaken over time. Additionally, the coated metal clip rusts over time, causing the valve to become weaker, and cause leaks.

This is why plumbers in San Antonio, TX don’t use saddle valves, and they are even illegal in some states. If you spring a leak, call a plumber, but be prepared for them to cut your cold water pipe, and install a proper stop valve.

Professional Installation Yields Good Results

If reading the installation manual is making your palms sweat, perhaps it might be wise to have a professional help you out. Choosing professional installation over the DIY version is faster, easier, and causes much less stress in the long run.

You know without a doubt everything has been done properly, and you didn’t have to lift a finger. Our kitchen plumbing system can be quite complex.

Treat it right, and it will protect you from leaks, and other problems down the road. Whether you opt for professional installation or do it yourself, make sure it's done correctly and up to code.