If you are renovating or updating your kitchen, one common kitchen addition you might be interested is a garbage disposal unit. This little unit sits in your sink and allows you to shred food that you would not normally fit down the drain. This can be a handy appliance, however it may introduce the threat of electrocution into the environment, as water and electricity don’t mix well. If you are looking at having a garbage disposal unit installed in your sink, have one installed safely.

The garbage disposal unit is installed into your existing sink pipe. In order to power the unit, you will require a 120-volt GCFI (ground-fault circuit interrupter). This means that you will need an outlet under your sink to plugin into. If one is not available you will need to have it installed. Often, other appliances may already heavily load kitchen circuits, it is important to check the load on that circuit before installing a new electrical outlet. If you are not careful, every time you run your garbage disposal you could cause the breaker to trip and lose power to your toaster, microwave, or refrigerator.

At times disposal units may need maintenance, become clogged, or break down for some other reason. To identify the problem you may need to open up the sink or motor to get to the part that you need access to. Before you begin any work, shut down the circuit that the garbage disposal is on and unplug the unit. This will not only keep your fingers safe from the motor activating unexpectedly, but it will also help you avoid an electrical related accident. If you start to take apart the pipes and water begins leaking there is a big risk of electrical shock. If you are not familiar with the plumbing or electrical work of the garbage disposal, leave it to a professional. You may think it is a simple job, but one mistake can be costly.

Before having a new garbage disposal installed, inspect your sink and pipes for any leaks. If these leaks make contact with exposed electrical wires or outlets there is risk of electrical shock. If you are not familiar with the plumbing or electrical work involved in installing a garbage disposal unit, call an expert. Our licenced electricians can ensure that your kitchen circuit can handle the unit and install a new electrical outlet.

One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning®, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® and Mister Sparky® are North America’s most trusted home services brands thanks to the skilled, hardworking tradespeople who proudly wear our uniforms. That’s why we’re equally proud to announce a partnership with Mike Rowe, creator and executive producer of CNN’s “Somebody’s Gotta Do It” and Discovery Channel’s “Dirty Jobs.”

In addition to his TV work, Rowe is the founder of the mikeroweWORKS Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting honest work and reinvigorating the skilled trades. Our home services brands have committed to donating $100,000 in scholarships to mikeroweWORKS over the next 12 months, and will work alongside Rowe to promote the skilled trades industry and empower future and potential trade professionals.

The partnership, announced yesterday at our annual convention in Las Vegas, features Rowe in television, radio and print advertisements, where he will appear alongside real technicians from each of our brands. Rowe will also work with the companies to highlight the benefits of careers in the plumbing, electrical and HVAC industries. No other home services provider has embarked on a partnership of this kind to promote skilled trades and the professionals who’re carrying those industries forward.

“We are pleased to join forces with Mike and appreciate his commitment to the trades,” said Mark Baker, president of franchise for the three brands. “The men and women with careers in this field power all three of our brands. We are excited to support them and share the message of how our trusted technicians, plumbers and electricians are like superheroes to our customers, often saving the day when they encounter a problem and helping to protect their homes and families.”

Rowe became a household name by working alongside tradespeople in essential but often unglamorous fields in his two television programs. Since establishing mikeroweWORKS in 2008, he has written and spoken extensively about the value of hard work, the widening skills gap, offshore manufacturing, infrastructure decline and related topics. To date, his foundation has awarded more than $3 million in education “work ethic” scholarships for schools around the country.

“The goal of mikeroweWORKS is pretty simple - help close the skills gap by encouraging men and women to get the training they need to pursue good jobs that actually exist,” said Rowe. “One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing and Mister Sparky are perfect partners because, collectively, they offer thousands of jobs waiting to be filled. And they know first-hand what a "good job" really is. I'm flattered for the chance to speak on their behalf and grateful for their generous donation to my foundation."

Join us in welcoming Mike Rowe to our home services family, and watch for him in new advertisements for our brands coming soon!

If you’re a busy person, constantly running from one place to another, it can be easy to forget some of the little things you leave behind at home. The thermostat, for example, controls perhaps the two biggest energy hogs in your home, the air conditioning and thermostats help improve your home comfort by offering advanced temperature and climate features as well as remote control that simply cannot be beat. Chances are, you are one of many Americans who uses a smart phone, tablet, or computer with internet access every day. A Nest thermostat learns your preferences for daily operation, but can still be controlled from far away if your plans change throughout the day! Here’s a bit more on those features.