How to Help Avoid Garbage Disposal Problems

Ways to Help Maintain Your Garbage Disposal

Many households rely on their garbage disposals to grind up food scraps after rinsing dishes so they become small enough to travel through the pipes without clogging them. However, when people use their garbage disposals the wrong way, they risk breaking down or clogging. So, it’s important they are properly cared for. This post will provide a few tips on how homeowners can keep their garbage disposals working correctly.

Know What Can’t Go Down the Disposal

In order to keep their garbage disposals working correctly and help avoid a clogged sewer line or drain pipe, homeowners must understand what items should never be disposed of using garbage disposals and instead should be thrown in the trash. Putting the wrong types of food down the disposal can cause problems with the disposal or clogs and blockages, such as:

• Eggshells
• Potato peels
• Coffee grounds
• Hard items like bones, nuts, and fruit pits
• Foods that retain water, like rice, pasta, and oatmeal 
• Stringy and fibrous foods, like celery and asparagus
• Cooking oil, grease, and fats

Run Cold Water While Using Garbage Disposals

Plumbers recommend that homeowners run cold water from their kitchen faucets whenever using their garbage disposals to keep them clean and working correctly. Turning on the cold water while the disposal is running and keeping it running after the device is turned off helps flush food scraps down the drain and keep garbage disposals clean. 

Running cold water can also help cool the system when it heats up during the grinding process to avoid overheating. Homeowners can also put ice cubes down the disposal from time to time to help keep the blades sharp, remove food particles, and keep them clean and odor-free. 

Avoid Putting Too Much Down the Disposal

Another key to preventing garbage disposals from clogging or malfunctioning is limiting the amount of food put down the system at once. If too much food enters the unit, it can cause blockages and lead to other problems. Before putting larger food scraps down the disposal, plumbers recommend that homeowners break them into smaller pieces and feed them into the garbage disposal slowly. 

In addition, property owners should watch for signs that indicate the unit is malfunctioning, like garbage disposal humming noises or failure to grind the food properly. If property owners notice these symptoms, or if the garbage disposal malfunctions and the garbage disposal reset button doesn’t resolve it, they should immediately turn off the unit before the problem gets worse and call a plumber to have it inspected and repaired.

About Gray Plumbing Inc

Gray Plumbing Inc has over two decades of experience serving the Fairfield area. They offer flat-rate pricing, on-time services, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Call them for kitchen plumbing or garbage disposal repair and replacement services in Fairfield, CA.

Contact Information:

Gray Plumbing Inc

1735 Enterprise Drive, Suite 101
Fairfield, CA 94533
United States

Jeffrey Gray
(707) 466-0468
https://grayplumbing.com/