What does a garbage disposal have to do with homeowners insurance? A lot! If you take care of your garbage disposal, you can avoid filing damage claims for your home. Not filing lots of claims means you can keep your homeowners insurance premiums lower. So, how do you take care of a garbage disposal? It's easy. 

1. Keep the garbage disposal clean. Once a month pour a little dish soap down the drain, follow that with a few ice cubes and then run the garbage disposal. That will clean the food particles and bacteria out of the disposal. 

2. Use your disposal at least once a week. Running your garbage disposal is important so you keep all the parts working and prevent water from causing parts to rust. 

3. Use cold water. Cold water keeps the garbage disposal from overheating. 

4. Don't overstuff the garbage disposal. If you put too much in the disposal, then you can strain the joints which can then start to leak. 

5. Check under the sink at least once a month. If you see any water under the disposal, stop using it. Call a qualified plumber and get the garbage disposal replaced before it causes significant water damage. 

Garbage disposals do wear out and while they might sound like they are working, they are actually just spewing everything out the bottom. That water and junk can ruin your kitchen cabinets, seep between cracks and cause damage to your floor and walls. 

It’s such a little piece of equipment in our homes that we tend to ignore. Take time today to take care of your garbage disposal so it doesn't break and cause damage to your home. Being proactive helps keep your homeowners insurance premiums low. 

Protect your family. Call Bob Putnam Agency, Inc. at (607) 397-1999 for more information on Worcester home insurance.