Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, with all of its various feasting and merrymaking. Chances are, you’re going to be doing quite a bit of cooking for the occasion. Even if you’re not, though, you may be using your kitchen to help host the event. Times like this always put a lot of strain on the garbage disposal, which can cause problems if you’re not careful. If you want to keep your garbage disposal in ideal condition this year, read on for some tips.
Saddleback Plumbing Heating & Air Blog: Posts Tagged ‘garbage disposal’
What Not to Put Down Your Garbage Disposal This Thanksgiving
Monday, November 21st, 2016How a Garbage Disposal Works
Wednesday, June 8th, 2011Garbage disposals are becoming more and more prevalent in homes across the country. So the chances are pretty high that you have one in your home. Garbage disposals definitely make getting rid of food waste easier. Instead of scraping all those plates and dishes into the garbage first, you can simply flush it all down the drain, run the garbage disposal and it magically disappears.
But do you really know what is happening when you turn on that wonderful garbage disposal and where all your food is really going? The truth is that a garbage disposal is not a particularly complicated piece of equipment. There are some variations, but in general your garbage disposal has a motor attached to rotating blades which are located in a chamber below your sink that is attached to your drain.
When you put food down the garbage disposal and turn it on, these blades shred the food into small enough pieces that it can pass safely through your drain pipes and out into the sewer system. The shredded food then runs with the water back into your main drainage system and passes out of your house.
This is a pretty simple operation, but there are some things you should be aware of if you use a garbage disposal in your home. First of all, it is important to never reach into the garbage disposal when it is running. If you need to reach in, make sure the unit is switched off. It is even a good idea to shut off the power to the garbage disposal entirely so that it cannot be turned on by accident while your hand is in there.
You may notice a foul odor coming from the garbage disposal after a period of time too. This is common and easy enough to fix, but you will have to get down into the garbage disposal to get rid of the smell. The smell simply comes from residue of the food you have put down the garbage disposal and that needs to be cleaned off so the smell will go away.
Again, make sure you have the garbage disposal turned off completely before you reach in to take parts out to clean them. You can also put baking soda, vinegar or half a lemon down the garbage disposal and run it in order to combat a persistent smell or to keep one from developing.
Why Does My Garbage Disposal Leak, Grind Poorly and Make a Lot of Noise?
Monday, February 7th, 2011It is definitely convenient to have a garbage disposal in your kitchen. They make doing the dishes and getting rid of food waste much easier. But just like any other appliance or piece of equipment in your home, your garbage disposal can sometimes develop a problem that causes it to leak or perform inadequately.
Leaky garbage disposals are certainly no fun to deal with. There are several reasons why garbage disposals can develop a leak. There could be an inadequate amount of putty or sealant at the joint where the garbage disposal connects to the drain pipe from the sink. A leak can also spring from that area simply because the bolts holding the two pieces together are not securely tightened.
The point where food and waste exit the garbage disposal and move into the main drainage system is another spot prone to developing leaks. These types of leaks are similar to those that occur between sink drain and garbage disposal and can be remedied in the same way.
In general, the key to dealing with a garbage disposal leak is to locate the source. This will most often be where two pipes come together or where the pipes join the unit. However, as your garbage disposal ages, it is more prone to developing cracks in the body of the unit itself. When this happens, leaks can develop anywhere there is a seam or break in the body of the garbage disposal itself. With this type of leak, the only thing to do is to replace the garbage disposal with a new one.
Leaks are not the only problems that can develop in a garbage disposal either. Sometimes you may notice that your garbage disposal is making an unusual amount of noise when it is turned on. This is often the result of something getting in there that should not have, so you should not continue to run your garbage disposal. Turn off all power to the unit and see if you can reach or see into the garbage disposal to determine what is causing the problem.
If your garbage disposal is not grinding well even though it seems to be rotating fine, you may not be running enough water into it when it is turned on. The water is necessary to facilitate the grinding process, so be sure to keep it going at all times. If that does not solve the problem, you may need to have a professional come out and take a look at your system to find out what is going on.