Caring for Your Garbage Disposal

If you are like most people, you don’t give much thought to your garbage disposal. You flip on the switch when you finish doing the dishes, let it do its job on the food particles, and then flip it off again. This can go on for years without any problems – or you could flip that switch tomorrow and hear a horrible noise, or worse, no noise at all. Just like any appliance, your garbage disposal does need care and maintenance to keep it working properly.

First, make sure you and all your family are using the garbage disposal correctly. Never put anything down the drain that is not biodegradable; also avoid hard or fibrous food items like egg shells or peelings. Before you use the disposal, run cold water for a few seconds before you flip the switch. Then let it grind the food with the water still running. Once it you hear the chopping stop, flip off the disposal and let the water flush any remains down the drain.

To keep your disposal clean and odor free, run hot, soapy water down the drain once a day. A weekly cleaning can also be done. One method is to freeze vinegar or lemon juice in ice cube trays. Grind these through your disposal to remove any food particles and to disinfect for odor control.

Even with good care, your garbage disposal can jam, become clogged or need replacement. When this happens, call in a plumber to handle the repair. Since your disposal is connected to your plumbing, you want to ensure the job is done right the first time and without any damage to your vital kitchen sink.

Posted on behalf of:
Bynum & Sons Plumbing, Inc.
2120 McDaniels Bridge Rd SW
Lilburn, GA 30047
(770) 736-8283

Garbage Disposal Maintenance Tips

Your garbage disposal is the workhorse of your kitchen sink, grinding food particles down to make them easier to flush through your plumbing. However, they are not meant to be a blender that liquefies everything you put down the drain. To ensure your garbage disposal doesn’t get overloaded, there are a few maintenance tips to follow that will extend the life of your disposal and keep plumbing problems at bay.

  • Clean your disposal. Food can get trapped in your garbage disposal and leave a foul odor after a few days. Clean your disposal weekly by either grinding up a cup of rock salt and ice cubes, or just use ice cubes made from vinegar. Chopped up lemons with warm water can also remove odors.
  • Keep these items out of the disposal. Fiber-heavy fruits and vegetable like banana peels, celery, potato skins and corn husks should not go down the disposal. Also keep other tough items like egg shells and coffee grounds out of the disposal, along with fats, to avoid clogged pipes.
  • Be careful when trying to unclog your disposal. If your disposal become entwined with fibers or clogged, turn the unit off and use pliers or tongs to dislodge items. Never use your fingers or try to unclog the unit with drain cleaner.

Keep in mind that the garbage disposal does not stop food from clogging drains, it only curtails it. Fats can congeal both in the disposal and in your pipes, causing major drain blockages. Also, even food that goes through the disposal can become lodged in your pipes. When you have a garbage disposal or kitchen drain that is clogged beyond your ability, call a professional plumber for assistance.

Posted on behalf of:
Bynum & Sons Plumbing, Inc.
2120 McDaniels Bridge Rd SW
Lilburn, GA 30047
(770) 736-8283

Are You Using Your Garbage Disposal Correctly?

Using a garbage disposal seems pretty straight forward; put food down the drain, turn on the grinder and presto, everything goes down the drain. But is that really all there is to it? Not if you want to keep your plumbing free of clogs and extend the life of your garbage disposal. There are correct ways to use a garbage disposal that will protect your plumbing and help maintain your disposal. Here are a few tips:

  • Keep fibrous items out of the disposal. Most vegetable and fruit peelings should be thrown away or put into your compost, not put down the drain. Not only are they tough on your garbage disposal, they don’t breakdown and can cause large clogs in your plumbing.
  • Coffee grounds shouldn’t be put down the drain. Even though coffee is already ‘ground’ it is still a hard bean that can get stuck in the gears of your disposal and cling to fat in your pipes. Don’t dump coffee grounds in your kitchen sink!
  • Keep your disposal clean. If your garbage disposal gets food trapped in the blades, the rotting smell can stink up your whole kitchen. Carefully wipe the blades clean with a cloth, obviously with the disposal completely off. Chopping up a few small ice cubes can also help remove food particles.

Just because it is called a ‘garbage’ disposal, doesn’t really mean garbage should be put down your drain. This device is just meant for pulverizing soft food into smaller pieces to ensure it can go down the drain without clogging your plumbing. Keep all items like egg shells, nuts, bones and other hard materials out of your disposal to reduce wear and clogs in your plumbing.

Is your garbage disposal not working right or making a strange sound? Call your local plumber to have them inspect your device and see if it is time for a new disposal.

Posted on behalf of:
Seagraves Plumbing Sewer & Septic
4980 Plant Atkinson Rd SE
Smyrna, GA 30080
(494) 792-2221

Caring for Your Garbage Disposal

Anyone who has a garbage disposal knows how handy these little mechanisms can be for homeowners. They make cleaning up after a meal so much easier, grinding up the little pieces of food that get left behind. While they are nifty devices, they also need special care to keep them working properly. Overworking them or not maintaining them will cause garbage disposals to breakdown, something no one wants in the middle of the holiday season.

3 Ways to Care for Your Garbage Disposal

There are a few ways to care for your disposal to keep it working properly. Most of garbage disposal problems are caused by operator error, usually overworking the motor until it gets clogged or burns out. Here are three rules to keep in mind when it comes to keeping your garbage disposal in working order.

  1. Be careful what you put into your disposal. Garbage disposal are not meant to handle all types of garbage. No non-food substances should ever be put into the disposal, and even the acceptable types of food come with some limitations. Keep hard foods like fruit peels, coffee grounds and tough or fibrous vegetables out of your disposal.
  2. Always run water when using the disposal. If the disposal is on, your cold water should be running, also. Always run cold, not hot, water while running your garbage disposal to flush items down the drain.
  3. Keep it clean. You will need to clean out your disposal occasionally. Make sure the device is off and carefully wipe the blades and seals with a thick cloth. You can also run ice cubes through the disposal with tiny pieces of citrus peel to clean the blades and get rid of odors.

Once you are used to living with a disposal, you’ll want a malfunctioning disposal repaired quickly. If your garbage disposal does jam or stop working, call in your local plumber. They may be able to fix the problem or can install a new device.

Posted on behalf of:
Kiddco Plumbing Inc
Sterling, VA
(703) 435-4441

Garbage Disposal Repair

One of the most popular or all household appliances is the garbage disposer, which is found in almost every home in America.  Garbage disposers are designed to grind up scrap food into small pieces, where it then flows into the sewer system.  One of the advantages of the system is the ability to quickly dispose of organic material, without leaving it in the trash, where it can attract bugs, rodents and other pests.  While garbage disposals are very reliable, they can require periodic repair in order for them to perform as designed. 

Typically garbage disposer repairs are related to either a power issue or something stuck inside the unit. In many cases, electrical problems are related to something being stuck in the disposer, which trips either the main breaker supplying power to the appliance or the breaker within the disposal itself.  In cases where the electrical issue is related to a blockage, the blockage must be removed.  If the disposer is not blocked, the cause of the electrical issue must be determined and corrected before attempting to use the disposer. 

When something is stuck in the disposal it is critical that the item be safely removed prior to the disposer being used again.  Methods of removal vary, but do not include placing your hand in the disposal!   While sometimes it is possible to break free the disposal using the disposal wrench, in many cases it is necessary to remove the disposal from the sink and partially disassemble the disposer itself to safely remove the blockage.

Posted on behalf of Find Local Plumber

Garbage Disposal Repairs

Garbage disposals are found in almost home in the United States, as well as most restaurants and other food service establishments.  These appliances, which are usually located just below the main drain of the sink, grind up food into small pieces, which are then allowed to mix with water and flow into the home’s sewer system and eventually into the public sewer system.  In general, the only things that should be placed into a garage disposal are food products, which are intended for human consumption.

While garbage disposals are quite durable, occasionally homeowners and business owners alike will experience periodic problems with the appliance, with the most common problems being the garage disposal seizing up frequently, which trips an internal “kill switch” or not items not intended to be ground up in the disposal, such as a ring, finding their way into the disposal.

When encountering any disposal that is constantly becoming jammed up or needs to frequently have the reset button pushed, the root cause of the problem must be identified and corrected before the garbage disposal returns to service.  In many case the cost to replace the disposal is cheaper than making extensive repairs to the appliance.  When something accidently finds its way into a garbage disposal, it is important that safety measures be taken prior to retrieving the items.  These measures include removing the disposal from the drain and disconnecting the power source.  In both cases it is important to remember not to place your hand into the disposal, as severe personal injury can occur if the disposal were to spontaneously start running!

Posted on behalf of Kiddco Plumbing, Inc.

How to Install a Garbage Disposal

Installing your own garbage disposal can be a fairly difficult task, depending on your own skills and experience, the size of your sink and cabinetry, as well as whether or not you also have a dishwasher. As with most home appliance purchases, step-by-step instructions, along with all the necessary parts, are usually supplied. Of course, reading and following instructions can be the difficult part for some home installers.

Disconnect and remove the p-trap and horizontal extension pipes under your sink. As your disposal will replace the strainer body in the sink, remove it. Separate the mounting assembly from the disposal, loosening the screws and remove the snap ring. After placing plumber’s putty around the drain opening, insert the new sink flange into place. From under the sink, install the mounting assembly. If you are also using a dishwasher, you will find a knockout plug on the disposal that needs to be tapped out.

Turn off all electrical power before removing the electrical cover plate and make sure that your disposal is grounded. Make the electrical connections and replace the plate to cover the wires. Align the disposal with the mounting assembly and lock into place. Install the discharge tube, turning it until it aligns with the drain trap. If applicable, connect the dishwasher tube to the disposal. Once everything is installed and in position, the disposal should be tested for leaks. Restore electrical power and test its operation.

If you are not experienced with this type of installation or are not comfortable that you have the plumbing as well as electrical skills needed, it is probably your best interests to have your local plumber do the garbage disposal installation.  You can be sure the job is done right and enjoy years of trouble free operation. Furthermore, some local building codes may require a licensed electrician to make the electrical connections.

Proper Garbage Disposal Usage

Having a garbage disposal in your kitchen can make clean up easy, but they get a serious work out in most homes. Disposals are designed to grind up pieces and bits of food so they can be safely disposed of in your waste system and water pipes, but if not used properly, they can become the source of clogs and other blockages.

In fact, the most common issue plaguing garbage disposals is clogs. There are numerous explanations of why clogs are created by using garbage disposals incorrectly. The most common reasons involve putting things into your disposal that won’t belong there, or not running water while using the disposal. Here are some tips to follow when disposing of food:

No coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are a common culprit for garbage disposal issues. The ground up granules can stick to the insides of the pipes and create a blockage over time. Anytime you see grounds in the bottom of your coffee cup or pot, clean them out with a towel and throw them away. 

No food peels. It’s important never to put peels from bananas or potatoes into a garbage disposal. Grinding up these peels can make a mushy, stringy paste which will clog the disposal’s spinning blades. Do not put any peels into your disposal – throw them in the garbage or into your compost pile instead. 

No egg shells. Grinding up egg shells can create a similar effect to coffee grounds. The small pieces can clog your pipes and stop up the drain. 

Always flush your disposal thoroughly. Make sure to run plenty of water while grinding up food, and to make sure to keep the faucet running for a few more seconds to flush out any remaining food particles.

Garbage Disposal Features

Garbage disposals are great to have in the kitchen to help make clean up fast and easy.  Whether you are upgrading your existing garbage disposal or planning a new installation, there are a few features to look for in your new garbage disposal.

The most common problem with garbage disposals is jamming.  Overloading the garbage disposal or trying to grind a hard object can jam the disposal. Many garbage disposals come with features to reduce jamming or to make it easier to free a jammed disposal.  At the most basic level, most disposals have a reset button that trips whenever the disposal jams to protect the motor.  These disposals usually include a tool that is used to turn a jammed grinder manually in order to free it.

More sophisticated garbage disposals have sensors that can sense a jam and reverse the direction of the motor to try to avoid the jam from occurring.  Some garbage disposals also reverse automatically every time they are operated to clear waste and avoid future jams.

If you have a dishwasher, you may be interested in a disposal that allows the dishwasher discharge to be routed to the garbage disposal.  Food waste from the disposal is then ground using the garbage disposal before flushing it down the drain.

Garbage disposals are historically noisy, but some newer models feature noise suppression features to keep noise to a minimum.  If your kitchen is located in an area where noise could be a concern, consider one of the quiet units.

With any garbage disposal, you will get the best results by having the disposal professionally installed by your local plumber.  This is especially true for new installations where drain plumbing may need to be re-routed and an electrical supply may need to be installed.

Garbage Disposal Basics

Garbage disposals are a useful appliance that can help make kitchen clean up a breeze.  Before you buy a new garbage disposal, there are a few things you need to know.  First, there are two types of garbage disposals: batch feed garbage disposals and continuous feed garbage disposals.

A batch feed disposal is designed to be loaded with kitchen waste before running.  After it has run, it gets flushed and loaded with the next batch of waste.  Batch feed disposals will only run when the sink stopper is in place.  This feature makes batch feed garbage disposals a little safer than continuous feed garbage disposals. However, it also takes a little longer to dispose of waste.  Also, batch feed garbage disposals are a little more expensive than continuous feed units.

A continuous feed garbage disposal is faster and more convenient to use than a batch feed model because it runs constantly as long as the switch is turned on.  There is no lid or stopper that has to be in place so you can feed fresh kitchen waste into a continuous feed garbage disposal as fast as it can grind it up.

Both types of garbage disposal come in different sizes.  The smallest size uses a 1/3 horsepower motor the most powerful garbage disposers commonly available for residential use have 1 horsepower motors.  The larger the motor, the more kitchen waste the disposal can grind and the less likely it is to jam.  In addition, higher horsepower models are generally quieter and offer more features than smaller garbage disposals.

Make sure your sink can hold the weight of the garbage disposal you are considering.  Thin gauge steel sinks may not be able to support the largest sized disposals.  Professional garbage disposal installation by a reputable plumber will help ensure the disposal works properly and lasts for years.