How to Help Keep Garbage Disposals Working Well
When homeowners are cooking or cleaning up after a meal, it can be convenient to scrape food scraps into the sink and dispose of them in the garbage disposal. However, this may be contributing to problems with the garbage disposal and clogged sewer lines.
Homeowners can follow some simple tips to keep a garbage disposal unit working correctly. This post will share some tips for how household residents can help prevent their unit from malfunctioning and clogs from forming, including being careful about what foods go down the garbage disposal, running cold water while using it, and limiting how much food goes down the disposal at once.
Foods to Avoid Putting Down the Garbage Disposal
Helping keep garbage disposals running well and preventing clogs includes being mindful about what goes down the drain and disposal. The after-dinner rush might tempt homeowners to toss everything in at once, but a little caution can save a lot of trouble.
Food items that can cause problems with the disposal and pipes include things like pasta, rice, coffee grounds, eggshells, grease, fats, oils, and more. Stringy foods like celery, artichokes, asparagus, pumpkin, and corn husks should also be kept out of the garbage disposal.
Run Cold Water While It's On
Another easy way for people to keep their garbage disposals working correctly is to run cold water from the kitchen faucet while using it and for several seconds afterward. Performing this task offers key advantages to the system, including helping flush food scraps through the system, preventing buildups and clogs, and resulting in clean garbage disposals.
Additionally, running cold water can help keep the disposal from overheating. People can also put ice cubes down the disposal occasionally to help remove food particles that have gotten stuck in the unit and to help sharpen the blades.
Limit How Much Food Goes Down the Disposal
Homeowners can also help prevent their garbage disposal from experiencing problems and the pipes from clogging by limiting how much food they put down the disposal at once. Putting too much down at one time can cause problems like clogs and blockages in the garbage disposal and pipes. Only small amounts of food should be put down at once. Additionally, if food scraps are too large, plumbers recommend breaking them into smaller pieces before putting them in the disposal.
Homeowners should also watch for signs that their unit needs to be repaired or replaced, especially if the garbage disposal reset button doesn’t fix the problem. Some signs of garbage disposal problems include unusual noises like humming, bad smells, or if it stops working correctly.
About Jeffrey Burke Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
Jeffrey Burke Plumbing, Heating & Cooling is a family-owned company that has been serving the Bound Brook area since 1986. They offer affordable prices, dependable work, and timely and courteous service. Call them for kitchen plumbing and garbage disposal repair or replacement services in Bound Brook, NJ.
