Repair Your Sink In 5 Steps!
Simple repairs of kitchen sinks don’t really need the services of experts. Though there are flaws developed that necessitate the services of a plumber, the trick is to know what kind of flaws should entail such services from professional plumber. There are a few easy ways to determine that. Here are five tips helping you to take care of kitchen sink and fix the flaws thereof.
1. Know Your Parts
You’ll agree that knowing the names and functioning of different parts is essentially needed for making a proper diagnosis of flaws. It goes a long way to identify and hence repair the faults.
2. Examine the Leak
The kind of repair needed is decided by the type of leaks, of which there are different kinds. The leak that appears around the base of the spout is quite different than a dripping spout. In most cases the leaks appearing at the base of the spout is caused by worn out O-rings. Such leaks are easily taken care of by pulling and twisting the spout free. Some of the other parts, usually the handle may also be removed. At times it may be difficult to approach the O-ring, being tightly placed. Nevertheless, a bit of extra elbow grease does the trick.
3. Turn the Water Supply Off
Identify the two valves below the sink that control flow of water supply. If you are unable to locate these valves, you can simply turn off the main supply. Taking this step helps avoiding the hassle of using a wet vacuum after you completed the job.
4. Repair the Leak in a Timely Fashion
In most cases, the floorboard below the sink is made of wood. If the leak is left unattended for long, it may warp the wooden floor. Apart from that there is always a chance of mold getting built up there and the whole of the kitchen could start smelling foul. That makes it imperative not to allow leaks to continue for long and measures should be taken to stop such leaks quickly and efficiently.
5. Know When You’re in Over Your Head
Though most of the simple repairs can easily be managed by the homeowner, there are certain which need the services of a professional plumber. If you are unable to identify the problem or not too sure of taking care of that or if the leak continues to persist despite repeated repairs, it’s time to ask for the help of an experienced plumber. Timely services of an expert save a lot of botheration and prove economical in the long run.
Hopefully, you now understand the basics of efficiently approaching and solving any simple plumbing job. It’s important to be careful and attentive…. And above all, enjoy!
Stainless Steel Sink Strainers You Gotta Try Out
A sink is incomplete without a drain and a strainer. Strainer has an important function in the scheme of things and is usually made in stainless steel. On buying a new sink it may form a part of that, but you can buy it as a separate part also as replacement of old component. .
If you go online looking for strainers you will find some styles of strainers made from stainless steel. Depending on the design, each has its own effectiveness. Stainless steel strainers for sinks are basically available in four different styles at most of the stores. Here are the different styles:
You get the normal strainers with bigger holes, which may be circular or triangular in shape. These are good functional designs that ensure fast flow of water. But such a design doesn’t facilitate straining of small food particles as they sit around the holes.
The second design is that of regular flat strainers provided with small holes. These are most suitable when you like to prevent smaller food particles from getting washed out from the sink. This design has small holes, evenly distributed over the surface enabling it to strain food particles coming from different directions of the sink. However, you need to keep a watch as flow of water may get restricted, more so when some of the holes are already stuck with suds or dirt built up.
The third design comprises of a stainless steel basket as a strainer. Though they also have smaller holes, the entire basket is removable allowing the user to throw away the food particles collected therein. Normal food particles can’t pass thru the basket.
The last and final design is a mesh basket stainless steel sink strainer and that’s a sure way of straining food particles. This basket is just made from stainless steel net that guarantees to trap any food particles from blocking your drain, thus saving you time and bother of fixing your blocked drain.
Now that you are aware of the different styles of stainless steel strainers, you can choose one as per requirements, but make sure to choose the right size that fits in the sink and prevents its clogging.