Things to Know About Your Home
It is very important for home owners to have a knowledge of the basics of the different systems in their home, from garbage disposal to the furnace and filter, to the main water shutoff valve.
It may be worth the investment to have a "whole house inspection" done every four or five years, and follow your inspector around to learn and ask questions, to get yourself familiar with these items, and to be sure your roof, etc is still ok.
What are the things you don't know about your home?
They are all the important things you don't know are important until you need to know them. Now is that clear to everyone. Ok, here's an example: You call the plumber because the garbage disposal is acting up. All it does is hum, kind of a deep throated "mmmmmmmmmmm". Then after trying to get it to run by turning the switch on and off several times, it even quits the "mmmmmmmmmm". Wow, now you've done it. It is seriously injured at this point, right. Nope, it is just stuck. You can't imagine how many times this happens in households across the nation. What causes this is something (from bones to plastic straws) has wedged itself between the internal rotating blades and the external (stationary) blades. Sound complicated, it really isn't. Did you know that this is considered a consumer repair item. That's why they give you a wrench when you buy a new disposal. Most disposals have a wrench that fits in a hex receptacle on the bottom of the disposal. This is made to give the disposal some assistance if it gets stuck. If you don't have a wrench your local hardware store or home improvement store will. Make sure you turn off the switch. Then just locate the hex shaped receptacle on the bottom of the disposal, insert the wrench and turn. Believe it or not, it really is easy. But there is one more thing to do (isn't there always). There is a red or black button on the bottom of the disposal. The button is a reset for the motor, it keeps the motor from burning up. Push the button until it sticks out a bit. Make sure there is no one with hands feet or anything else close, then turn on the switch. Hopefully, whatever was stuck is clear and it will run. If it doesn't, turn the switch off and repeat the above until it works again. If it doesn't work after repeated tries then it is time to call the repairman. Make sure you NEVER put your hands in the disposal. By the way, if you still have your paperwork for the disposal all of the above is in the instructions. Even if you don't have the paperwork you can access this information (a much better written version) on line.
Now, maybe you did know all that and if that is the case I apologize for repeating it. If you didn't then you now know something about your house you didn't know before.
Other things are even higher on the need to know list than how to unstick your garbage disposal. Like where is your main shut off valve for your water and where is the main disconnect (switch/breaker) for the electric or the main service panel itself.
Jack Gilleland
Home Inspection Services, Clayton
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