The cold temperatures of fall are a gentle hint that the winter season is just around the corner. While most people do it without even a second thought, the weather has a big influence on how you use your kitchen.

With the temperatures steadily dropping, and the stores putting out their holiday decorations (a little early don’t you think!?) it is definitely time to start using your kitchen more thoughtfully so that you don’t run into issues or malfunctions during the cold weather months.

• Putting a casserole into the oven and leaving it to cook couldn’t be an easier way to make a healthy dinner for your family. But, after those heavy, dense ingredients cook to the side of the casserole dish, you’ve got some cleaning up to do! Make sure not to put the entire dish into the dishwasher without first rinsing it and getting all of the large bits of food off. The filter in your dishwasher is small, and it will be easily clogged by an un-rinsed casserole pan.
• When you are preparing your meal, make sure not to rinse just anything down the garbage disposal. Vegetable peels in particular this time of year can be hard on your disposal, and will most definitely cause a stubborn clog. Things like root vegetables have especially tough peels that your garbage disposal can’t macerate completely. You will wind up with a starchy clog in your pipe and overflowing sink.
• After you have used your disposal, run hot water down the drain for about 10 seconds to wash away any debris. Also, during this time of year it is a good idea to pour a pot of boiling water into your disposal once a week to soften any food debris and get them rinsed away. Just plug your sink, fill it with boiling water, and then (carefully) pull the plug (preferable one with a chain so you don’t burn yourself on the boiling water) and let the heat and pressure of the water “wash” your disposal.

Fall is a favorite time of year for many people because it inspires delicious baked goods, savory casseroles, and warming stews. But, for your kitchen fall can be rough. Make sure to follow these tips so that you enjoy your meals, and your plumbing doesn’t fail!