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8 Last Minute Home Gift Ideas

12/22/2021

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Metro-Flow Plumbing! Christmas time is a time for family and spending time with our loved ones. Be it family or friends, it helps us take a break from our everyday lives and continues to show us that we should really count our blessings. The holidays can be overwhelming if you don’t know how to prepare for them. One of the customs associated with Christmas is that of gift giving. Today we’re going to explore where that custom came from as well as give you some last minute ideas for gifts that could help anyone with their housekeeping.

In Christianity gift giving is tied all the way back to when the three magi, or wise men, brought gifts to baby Jesus on his birthday. This is why we open gifts on Christmas morning. It may have also been influenced by Nicholas of Myra, a 4th century saint who was famous for his gift giving. Fast forward to today, the tradition of gift giving continues to be popular with everyone involved!

Here are some appliances we thought might make anyone's life easier and also make excellent holiday gifts!

An air fryer! Air fryers are all the rage right now. If the person you are giving this as a gift to doesn’t have one or doesn’t use one, they soon will. Air fryers reduce the amount of oil used to cook by cooking with hot air. They’re very versatile and a healthier option.
Roomba vacuums have evolved significantly since they were first introduced and now pick up more dirt and dust than ever before. It’s a perfect gift for a new homeowner and will keep any home floor clean in between mopping sessions.
Have a younger member of the family who doesn’t need a state of the art blender but is venturing out on their own? Get them a magic bullet blender. These versatile (and easy to clean) simple blenders are perfect to make smoothies in.
Gourmet press sandwich maker. Who doesn’t love a panini or grilled cheese sandwich? These affordable appliances will make any sandwiches into warm delicacies.
Air Purifier. Air purifiers remove mold, dust, smoke and just about anything that you might be breathing in.
Mini Fridge for a game room/man cave. Mini fridges aren’t as expensive as you may think and they work great to save a loved one or friend a trip to the kitchen. Cool drinks at arm's length.
Tower fans. Don’t have a ceiling fan in a room but still want an extra kick of cool air? Tower fans are the way to go.
Bidet attachments. Not a full bidet but a bidet attachment. Hooks right into your toilet's water line and helps you save money with both toilet paper and water usage. These bidet attachments even give you a warm water option!

We know the holidays can be stressful so hopefully we helped you with your gift ideas.

Next month we’ll hit the ground rolling with more plumbing tips and tricks here at the Metro-Flow Plumbing blog. From our family here at Metro-Flow Plumbing to yours we wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year!

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Prevent a Garbage Disposal Disaster

12/15/2021

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We’re halfway through the month of December and we wanted to spend some time addressing an often overlooked part of our kitchens. Garbage disposals are both really helpful but often problematic when not taken care of properly. Many people often toss just about anything down there to get rid of it at the moment but don’t realize they can only put so many things in there before clogging and damage begins to occur. In today’s blog, Metro-Flow Plumbing is going to take you through the do’s and don'ts of garbage disposals.

Before we begin, a brief history: the garbage disposal was invented in 1927 by John Hammes, an architect in Wisconsin but then again the credit could go to General Electric (GE) in 1935 depending who you ask. Hammes’s wife, who didn’t like the smell of food scraps in the garbage, inspired him to start working on an invention that would ultimately change all our lives. Behind every great man am I right ladies? Not always the loved appliance it is in modern kitchens, ordinances were once passed in various cities prohibiting the use of garbage disposals for the fear that they might be the cause of damaged plumbing in the long term. Garbage disposals were then put through rigorous inspection and they were finally given the go ahead over the years. Today more than 50% of all U.S. households have garbage disposals.

Now what foods can I throw down there you might be asking yourself. Here is a short list:

Absolute NOTs for Garbage Disposals

Potato skins in large numbers can clog up a disposal in no time and are advised against.
Any “stringy” or “phlegm like” food. Onions and eggs are a big no because these natural “strings” in the food can cause the garbage disposal to clog and stop working over time.
Pasta and rice are also not recommended because when broken down the yeast in these foods can cause a paste like substance to form with the water and this will also cause clogging over time.
Bones… don’t think this one needs an explanation, just no.
GREASE! Why the capital letters Metro-Flow blog person? Because grease is the biggest culprit of them all. Hot cooking grease runs rather smooth but once cooled it hardens, it can then clog up your garbage disposal and water pipes. Have you ever left a pan full of grease hanging out after cooking and when you come back later you see a layer of solidified grease in it? Same concept, but imagine that in your pipes.

Absolute DOs for Garbage Disposals

Pet food, dog or cat. If your pet eats canned food of any kind, it's okay to put it in the disposal.
Small amounts of coffee grounds. Key word being small.
As a rule, if a baby can eat it then it’s good to throw it down there.
Small pieces of cooked meat.
CITRUS RINDS! Oh here I go again with the capital letters. Yes! Citrus rinds of any kind can be put down the garbage disposal and not only is it fine to grind up but the citrus smells from the rinds will actually leave your garbage disposal smelling fresh! It’s a win-win.

On that note… well, how do we clean them?

Be sure to give your garbage disposal a good cleaning from time to time, we recommend a weekly (or monthly) cleaning depending on how often you cook.

To clean the inside of it, drop about 12 ice cubes in there and grind them up while water runs. This will eliminate small food particles that might have gotten stuck in there.
Another tip is actually making a paste out of baking soda and water. Using a small brush or sponge, dab the rubber flaps on the entrance of the garbage disposal with said paste and scrub gently. This will get rid of any grime buildup from use.

We hope you enjoyed our garbage disposal filled post and it helps you to maintain your garbage disposal at home. As always check back with us for another entry and we hope you explore our Metro-Flow Plumbing site. Happy Holidays Dallas! The jolly big guy in red is right around the corner!

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5 Hosting Tips for the Holidays

12/6/2021

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Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays one and all! It’s December and we’re gearing up for a busy holiday season. We would like to remind all our readers to check out our specials and website for all of your plumbing needs. As the holidays quickly approach us we start to get phone calls from all our relatives, we make plans and try to quickly get the house ready for our guests. Often, what gets overlooked comes back to haunt us at the worst times so that’s why today we want to go over a few easy steps on how to get your home ready for guests.

Clean your kitchen thoroughly. Our kitchen can be the focal point in a lot of our homes. People like to crowd around where there’s food and the kitchen becomes a social spot during the holidays. You want to concentrate on the stove tops and microwave. These will receive constant use.
While we’re on the topic of the kitchen, keep that refrigerator stocked. Guests will sometimes bring food of their own that will need to be refrigerated but you also want to be able to provide guests with a quick snack or refreshment.
Moving into our guest bathrooms, we want to make sure our guests have enough towels and toiletries to get them through their stay. Make sure the toilet and sinks are operating at 100%, if you suspect any clogs make sure to call us and we’ll send someone out to be of service.
Washer and dryer maintenance. Guests equal more clothes and sometimes that means more loads in the washer and dryer. Make sure they’re in tip top shape. If you buy a new washer we are happy to come by and install it!
This is a given, but make your guests feel welcomed. Put some holiday music on, light some candles, and most importantly have fun!

Hope these helped you along! We know the holidays can be overwhelming at times so we want you to know Metro-Flow Plumbing has your back. Above all else though, enjoy your time with family! Family time is priceless and we know how special being together is after current events.

From our family to yours we hope this blog has helped you to kick start your December. Let us know if we can assist you with your plumbing needs. We have 3 entries for you this month so we will see you soon!

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8 Last Minute Home Gift Ideas

Prevent a Garbage Disposal Disaster

Absolute NOTs for Garbage Disposals

Absolute DOs for Garbage Disposals

On that note… well, how do we clean them?

5 Hosting Tips for the Holidays

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