Home Newsletter May 2012

Drain Clogging Prevention Tips Drain Trap or P-Trap—What’s the Difference? Where Are Your Home’s Shut-off Valves? Celebrate April’s Fruit-of-the-Month—Star Fruit Avocado Fruit Salad Keep the Water Flowing with These Drain Clogging Prevention Tips  Keeping your drains clear is probably easier than you think. With a few simple precautions, you can prevent your drains from clogging. Tips for the Kitchen Sink • Pour grease into cans and throw them in the garbage. If you empty grease into the sink, the grease collects along the sides of the pipe and then food particles stick to the pipes, eventually  contributing to a clog. • When grinding food in a disposal, run plenty of cold water to flush food particles down the pipe. Using too little water can contribute to the particles collecting along the sides of the pipe. • Don’t empty coffee grounds in the sink. Tips for the Bathroom • Clean the pop-up stoppers in sinks frequently. Hair often collects here and causes clogs. • Never flush heavy paper products down the drain. Excess paper can clog the toilet and/or the whole sewer system. www.lowes.com/cd_Clear+Clogged+Drains Drain Trap or P-Trap—What’s the Difference? Common Plumbing Terms Branch Line: A supply pipe that carries water to an individual fixture. Cleanout: An opening, closed by a removable plug, that provides access to a drain or sewage pipe for clearing blockages. Drain Trap (or P-Trap): A U-shaped passage at a fixture or in a drain line that stays filled with water to keep sewer gases from escaping from the drain into living spaces. Shut-Off Valve: A valve that cuts off water to one or more fixtures, allowing repairs without shutting off the supply system for the entire house. Trunk Line: The main cold-water supply pipe within the house. Vent Stack: A large vertical pipe that projects above the roof; connected to the soil stack, it vents sewer gases from the soil stack, preventing the gases from entering the living space. Do You Know Where Your Home's Shut-off Valves Are? Review the location of all of your home’s shutoff valves and how to turn them off with all your family members so you’ll be prepared for emergencies. Gas shutoff valve: Locate and show the entire family how to turn it off. Whole-house water shutoff valves: The main shutoff should be beside the meter if you are on City water. If you use a well, the shutoff will be on the house side of the pressure tank. You should also know how to cut power to the tank. Hot water shutoff: There should be a valve on the hot water outlet of the water heater, which controls all of the hot water to the house. Toilet shutoffs: Show your entire family how to shut off the toilet by turning the ribbed oval handle under the tank if it ever starts to overflow. Sink shutoffs: You should have handles beneath the sinks or within the cabinets; the one on the left is usually for hot water, the one on the right for cold. Dishwasher shutoffs:Look under the kitchen sink for a reducer coupling and shutoff valve leading to the dishwasher on the 1/2 inch hot water sink supply line. Washing machine: Valves are usually where the washer hoses meet the house supply lines. However, washer hoses are notoriously weak, so consider changing them routinely every year or at least close the valves when leaving home for an extended period. National Garden Month April 1st: April Fool’s Day April 8th: Easter Sunday April 16th: Income Taxes Due April 22nd: Earth Day April 25th: Plumbers Day   April Home Warranty Tip: Pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain once a week to melt away any fat or grease that may have collected. But, if the drain pipe is made of plastic pipe, don't use boiling water!   Star Fruit— Celebrate April’s Fruit-of-the-Month with a Little Star in Your Salad! Star fruits are an excellent source of vitamin C, low fat, and naturally sodium and cholesterol free. A small whole star fruit will provide approximately 2/3 cup sliced. Selection: Select firm, shiny skinned, even colored fruit. Star fruits will ripen at room temperature and have lightly brown edges on the ribs when it’s ripe. Avoid purchasing star fruit with brown, shriveled ribs. Storage: Non-ripe star fruit should be turned often, until they are yellow in color and ripe with light brown ribs. Store ripe star fruits at room temperature for two to three days or unwashed, and refrigerated, in a plastic bag for up to one week. Preparation: Star fruits are great to eat out of hand as these tropical delights do not need to be peeled or seeded before eating. Simply wash the fruit, remove any blemished areas, cut crosswise to get the star shape, and eat!   Avocado Fruit Salad Salad Dressing Ingredients: 1-1/2 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp raspberry vinegar 1 tsp grated lime peel 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice 1 Tbsp fresh chopped basil leaves 1/2 tsp dry mustard 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper Salad Ingredients: 1 10 oz package mixed baby greens 4 kiwi, peeled and sliced in half rounds 1 grapefruit, peeled, seeded and sliced 2 cups sliced strawberries 2 star fruits, sliced 1/2 ripe avocado, seeded, peeled and sliced Salad Dressing Directions:In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients,  set aside. Salad Directions: In a large salad bowl, combine baby greens, kiwi, grapefruit, strawberries and star fruit. Pour on dressing and toss to coat. Top with avocado slices. apps.nccd.cdc.gov Repair, Replace, Relax with Fidelity National Home Warranty (FNHW). A home warranty from FNHW provides both the home buyer and seller with “peace of mind” when it comes to repairs and/or replacement of a home’s major systems and appliances. FNHW prides itself on superior customer service, including quick response time and efficient solutions for homeowners’ problems and needs. This is not intended as a solicitation if your property is currently listed with another agent. These materials contain information and articles obtained from third parties. FNHW does not endorse the recommendations of any third party nor guarantee the information provided is complete or correct. For Service Call 1-800-308-1420