Ideally, every home should have a proper garbage disposal method. This is to ensure that all the waste from the kitchen is disposed in the right places. It is because when such waste is left to get into the drains, it will lead to blockages. The result will be a sink that does not drain, and an odor that you cannot stand. If there is no garbage disposal, the best alternative is to install a drain strainer in the kitchen sink to avoid clogged drains.

Keeping Food Out of the Pipes

With a drain strainer, you will not have any problem keeping food particles out of the pipes. It sieves through the water to get out all the leftover foods. Sometimes, these particles may be small, and could tempt you to let them pass. However, after some time, you will notice that these small particles pile up to become a huge mess that won’t let water to free flow through pipes.

Making Your Work Easier

Another reason why every plumber recommends a drain strainer in houses that do not have garbage disposal is because it makes things easy for everyone. For you in the kitchen, it makes it easy to separate dirt from water while for the plumber, the pipes will be clean for longer and therefore, they require minimal maintenance. It is one of the small things that make a huge difference in every home.

When installing a drain strainer in the kitchen sink, you should find a reliable plumber. They will recommend the one that best suits your kitchen based on how you use it. Since the main aim is to ensure that you do not have to end up with a clogged drain, you have to do everything right.

If you are looking for a trusted, BBB-accredited plumbing company, check out this link. Do not wait for your kitchen drain to become clogged. Let the experts install your drain strainer for you.

No matter how careful you may be while washing dishes and taking a shower, practically everyone ends up with a clogged drain every now and then. If you have a blocked drain at home, here are some drain cleaning tips worth trying out.

Plunger

A plunger is one of the fastest and easiest options you have for clearing your blocked drain, if used properly. You have to create a seal by placing its rubber head against the drain. This prevents air from seeping through, which is when you need to push on the plunger till its head inverts.

Now release the pushing motion till the head returns to its original shape. Repeat a few times, till the water starts draining. If nothing happens, try another DIY drain cleaning method!

Snake Drain Auger

Your next option is a snake drain auger that reaches deep into the pipe to remove blockages. Though effective, it requires quite a lot of skill. You have to insert it into the drain while rotating its cable handle in a clockwise motion.

Grip the handle about 3 inches from the drain opening so that you can feel the clog as you push the cable further into the piping. Once you reach the clog, try to break and hook the blocked matter by slightly pulling and pushing the auger.

Keep turning the handle till the auger gets hits the blockage. This is when you have to slowly pull out the auger so that the blockage hands onto it, and doesn’t fall back into the drain. Now remove the auger and pour some hot water into the drain to ensure the drain is clear.

Chemical Drain Cleaners

If the plunger and auger don’t work, you can next try chemical drain cleaners to unclog the blockage. These cleaners usually contain sulfuric acid and lye that get through tough clogs and also prevent recurring blocks. It’s important that you flush out remaining chemicals by running enough water through the drain.

Natural Drain Cleaners

Natural drain cleaners can also unclog drains, without the smell, residue and danger of chemicals. They are safer to use in a home with kids and pets as there’s no risk or danger of the kids or pets accidentally swallow or play with them.

Examples of natural drain cleaners are baking soda with vinegar or lemon juice, a mixture of borax, vinegar and salt or just running boiling hot water into the blocked drain.

Of course, if all this fails, or if you don’t have the time to unclog the drain yourself, you can always call drain cleaning professionals to do the job for you. Just make sure you choose the right company after checking their experience, license and estimate for the job.  Where we live, in Elizabeth, New Jersey, our favorite plumber can be found here.  (Gotta give the guy a plug every now and then, he’s always really good to me…)

Taking control of your pest control means preventing bed bugs, cockroaches, ants, etc. before they get out of hand. Knowing what to do is half the battle, so here’s a list of twenty-two pest control strategies for every part of your home.

Outdoor pest control

1. Keep grass cut short
2. Ensure proper drainage
3. Trim bushes and trees
4. Remove standing water
5. Level dirt/soil under outdoor structures
6. Seal and/or paint outdoor structures
7. Clear out outdoor debris
8. Sweep outdoor spaces

Indoor pest control

1. Store food in sealed containers
2. No trash can under the sink
3. Check for leaks around sinks
4. Clean spilled food immediately
5. Re-caulk cracks around sinks etc.
6. Change sheets regularly
7. Vacuum all areas often
8. Clear out clutter like papers, cardboard
9. Don’t leave pet food out
10. Check screen and door seals
11. Fix any leaks quickly
12. Seal entry points in the attic and basement
13. Use proper insulation
14. Knockout cobwebs

These simple strategies for pest control will help to keep a wide variety of pests at bay in your Jersey City home. It doesn’t take a great deal of effort to prevent pests, but it does take a great deal of effort to get rid of them.

You might also consider calling a professional pest control expert to help you get ahead of the game. They can do an assessment of your home and help you find problem areas, getting out front of potential pest problems early.

If you are in the Jersey City area, we like Jersey City Exterminators, at www.jerseycityexterminators.com.

Sometimes it’s the simplest and easiest do it yourself projects that have the biggest impact. Sealing your windows doesn’t take long, anyone can do it, and your energy bill will thank you. Whether it’s summer and you’re trying to run that AC a little less or winter and you want to reduce the amount of energy you’re losing while heating, sealing your windows will help.

Properly sealing your windows

This is SO easy! You only need two supplies and a few minutes to a couple of hours (depending on how many windows you have in your home).

What you need:

• Window sealant (you may need a few tubes depending on h ow many windows you have and how much big the cracks are that you need to seal)
• Disposable gloves

You’re ready to go!

Grab your sealant and your gloves, then start to walk around the exterior of your home and look for openings around the edges of your windows. When I did this to my home, I found some gaps that were up to a half an inch! All these gaps do is allow warm air out in the winter and cool air out in the summer.

Just fill them in with the window sealant. Smooth out with a gloved finger when you need to. That’s ALL!

This simple, quick fix DIY home improvement project will give you peace of mind. I know it gave me peace of mind!

Of course, at the end of the day, if your windows are too drafty, then you have no choice but to replace.  Have a look here for our favorite windows.