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.
