There is at least one component in today’s modern kitchens that many homeowners take for granted—the garbage disposal system. Without a garbage disposal, you’d spend way more time scraping things into the kitchen trash bag, and subsequently more time taking the trash out to avoid a smelly home. Thankfully, most of our food waste can be put down the drain—but not all of it!
One of the most common reasons we get calls for professional DuPont, WA garbage disposal services is because something has been put down the drain that was never meant for a garbage disposal to manage. To ensure a fully operational garbage disposal and to help you avoid problems, we’ve shared some facts below that you should know about the system.
The Disposal System’s “Blades” Are Not Sharp
A common misconception about disposal systems is that the blades are sharp enough to “cut through” anything you put down your kitchen sink drain. However, the appropriate term for these blades is “impellers” and how they work is by moving quickly and forcefully to grind food up against a shredder ring so it breaks apart.
As a result, there are certain items that you should not put down the drain—meat bones, popcorn kernels, paper, plastic wrappers and fibrous veggies such as celery are all no-no’s. The harder materials can damage the impellers while fibrous substances can wrap around the impellers and jam up the motor.
Most of the Time, Disposal Problems Are an Easy Fix
Most homeowners are unaware that there is actually a button that can help you fix the disposal. If your disposal system isn’t starting up at all, it may be that it had a jam and just needs to be reset. Make sure the system is turned to “OFF” and check under your sink for a reset button.
Remember, you should never stick your hand down the disposal to check for a jam—if you’ve reset the system and it still isn’t starting up, it warrants a call to our professional plumbers.
Garbage Disposals Aren’t Hard to Clean
We’re not talking about chemical drain cleaners, though. In fact, store-bought liquid drain cleaners can actually do more harm than good, as they are corrosive to your plumbing pipes, and can actually help stubborn clogs buildup more over time.
If you have a stench coming from your kitchen sink—but no other drains in your home—then your garbage disposal may be a bit grimy. Try using a small lemon slice and running it through the disposal to dissipate the smell—adding a bit of baking soda can help too!
FOG Is a Threat
We’re talking about Fats, Oils, and Grease here—FOG. This is actually one of the most common reasons for a drain clog, since as FOG cools, it hardens and can stick along your pipes. We actually advise against putting this down your kitchen sink at all.
However, if you do put it down your kitchen sink drain, it’s best to let it cool to the point that it solidifies first, and letting the garbage disposal break it up while running cold water, to avoid it from turning back into liquid form.
Contact Brooks Plumbing Co. today for all of your plumbing service needs.
