Everyday Useful Hints

• To shut water off to any specific fixture or appliance, look for its shutoff valve and turn it clockwise to shut off the water to that fixture or appliance only. The valve is generally located underneath a fixture, such as a bathroom or kitchen sink, and behind the fixture for a toilet or a pedestal lavatory.


• Do not use the fixture as it may continue to leak and cause unnecessary damage, which is not covered under the manufacturer's or installation warranties.


• If you have an odor coming from a sink, tub, shower, floor drain or laundry tub, try running water through that fixture. Most often the smell comes from not using the fixture for an extended period of time. This causes the drain to dry up and trap odors.


• If you have an odor coming from your garbage disposal, you can eliminate it by placing a few ice cubes and a citrus peel into the disposer and running it for at least 30 seconds.


• If your garbage disposal stops working, you can try the following steps before calling the repairman:


1. Push the reset button, which is usually located on the underside of the disposal.


2. With the garbage disposal switch in the OFF position, insert a broom handle into the disposal and move the blades in a counterclockwise direction. Try to turn the blades all the way around at least twice.


3. Turn your disposal switch back in the ON position and see if the unit is now operational.


• For leaking toilet tanks:


1. Put a dozen drops of food coloring, in a strong color like red, blue or green, into your toilet tank to test for silent leaks. If the dye appears in the bowl, you may need to change the ball or the flapper.


2. The toilet is free of leaks if no dye appears within 15 minutes