How many times have you turned on your garbage disposal only to hear it hum and grind, but never actually get rid of anything? If you’re like most people, you probably wait until the next day to call someone to fix the problem, which is why so many people neglect their garbage disposals and end up with expensive repairs or replacements. With just a little know-how, however, you can prevent issues and extend its life so that you never need to call in a garbage disposal repair service.
Misuse of Garbage Disposal
Here are some common items that people try to put down their disposals, but shouldn’t: fats (such as bacon grease or cooking oil), bones, eggs shells, meat or seafood remnants, corn cobs, celery stalks, or other fibrous vegetable matter like carrots or broccoli stalks. If you grind these up into small pieces, they can cause clogs that lead to messy overflow situations, which can be really bad for your plumbing. It is best to use a trash can or compost bin for those items instead of the disposal.
Things That Can Go Wrong With Your Garbage Disposal
Most people don’t think about their garbage disposal until it stops working. But, there are a few things that can go wrong with your device that you should be aware of. First, the top ring might not have been installed correctly. Secondly, an accumulation of dirt or hair could have clogged the opening in the sink. Thirdly, a food particle might have found its way into the drain pipe outside of the sink or dishwasher. Lastly, when water is continually running over the blades without anything going down them to help break up the food particles inside them, they will eventually wear out and need replacing.