Welcome back to Part 2 of 4 of our series on home repairs … Those frustrating emergencies are bound to happen at the most inopportune time and some of YOU may not be equipped to deal with them … Check out our list of topics for some typical tasks that ALL homeowners should learn to handle promptly:
- Put Your Tool Kit Together Today and How to Find the Water Main Shutoff
- How to Restart a Garbage Disposal and Unclog a Toilet – TODAY’S POST
- How to Change Your Air Filters and Put Out a Grease Fire
- How to Reset the Electrical Power and Open Garage Overhead Doors Without Power
How to Restart a Garbage Disposal
When disposal blades jam, a little force may be necessary to dislodge them. Most units have a hole on the underside of the disposal that an Allen wrench fits into. Check underneath the unit to see if an Allen wrench is attached.
Unplug the disposal and turn off the power at the electrical panel. Be certain you have done this! Then, insert the Allen wrench into the hole and work it back and forth until the blades are freed.
Knowing that you have turned the power off to the unit, remove any debris from the disposal. Press the reset button, which is usually on the bottom of the unit near the point where the electrical cord enters the disposal, and then turn the power back on.
How to Unclog a Toilet
A flange plunger, which has a cone extending from the bottom of the bell, is recommended. This style of plunger creates a better seal in the toilet than a cup plunger and creates adequate suction to clear a clog. Position the plunger over the drain hole, pumping up and down a few times to let the air out, creating a vacuum seal. It may be necessary to bail out the bowl until it is half full before attempting to dislodge the clog.
Once you feel resistance indicating the seal is good, pump in rapid quick strokes 4 or 5 times, being careful not to break the seal. If you are lucky, the clog will clear…If not, repeat the process. For those really tough clogs, it may be necessary to use a toilet auger. With a rubberized guard, it won’t scratch the porcelain the way a plumber’s snake might.
BTW – You can use a similar technique to unclog a sink, but use a cup plunger instead. Be sure to use a wet rag to plug the overflow drain.
We hope you found this post to be helpful, informative and interesting … Watch for our next blog on September 7th as we continue with Part 3 of 4 of our home repair series. To locate our recommended “Trusted Vendors” in Spring Hill and Brooksville of Hernando County, Florida, be sure to visit our website @ https://www.homesinthesunteam.com/trusted-vendors/
Thinking of buying or selling in the Spring Hill, Brooksville, Weeki Wachee and Hernando Beach areas of Hernando County, Florida? Visit us TODAY at www.GailSellsFloridaHomes.com and explore our state-of-the-art, MLS Map Search Feature making it easy for BUYERS to SEARCH MLS listings and for SELLERS to SEE what their competition is doing!
Until then… it’s all about YOU!