How to Best Protect This Important Kitchen Plumbing Component
Your kitchen’s garbage disposal is easily one of the most convenient devices or appliances you have in your home—making cooking duties far easier than they would be otherwise. However, if not operated and maintained as it should be, garbage disposals can break down, block or clog the drains, or cause any number of other costly plumbing and drain problems.
Fortunately, although we do provide superior Rigby, ID kitchen plumbing services, most garbage disposal problems are preventable, and garbage disposal care is fairly simple. When you use this device as intended, it can give you many years of reliable use. We’ve highlighted below some of the problems you can avoid with proper garbage disposal care, to potentially prevent kitchen plumbing emergencies later on down the line.
Keep the Disposal Clean
Many homeowners underestimate just how important—and easy—this is to do. There are a few ways you can keep your disposal clean. One method is simply pouring a small amount of dish soap inside and letting the disposal run for a minute or so. You could also use a baking soda/lemon juice mixture for the same effect.
Run the Disposal Regularly
Just like any other important appliance that deals with water meeting metal, frequent use of your garbage disposal will keep rust and corrosion at bay by ensuring all parts stay moving, and obstructions don’t accumulate.
Don’t Overload the Disposal
There are some items that simply shouldn’t be put down your disposal. This includes chicken and fish bones, fruit pits, potato skins, and even eggshells. While the latter two can be put down your disposal in small amounts, you do want to take care that you aren’t trying to shove more down your disposal than it’s able to handle at once. This can cause the device to become jammed, and you can be stuck with a pretty ugly mess to handle.
Keep Trash Items Out of the Garbage Disposal
It may go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway—your garbage disposal is only meant for food waste. This means that glass, plastic, metal, paper, combustible products, and cigarette butts should go in the garbage can instead of your garbage disposal system. Ignoring this warning can lead to damaged blades and a damaged disposal motor.
Avoid Putting Fibrous Materials or FOG Down the Disposal
This includes corn husks, celery stalks, onion skins, and artichokes. The fibers from these foods can tangle and jam the disposal motor, and can block your drains. FOG stands for fats, oils, and grease. These are actually more harmful to your drain rather than your disposal—as they cool, they solidify, creating clogs. However, they can impede the performance of the garbage disposal as well.
Keep the Water Running through Grinding
Don’t turn off your garbage disposal or the water until the food waste you’ve put down it has stopped grinding. Let your water run for about 15 seconds after food is done grinding—this will allow you to flush out any remaining particles and will help keep your garbage disposal in good shape.
Whether it’s your garbage disposal system or another plumbing component in your kitchen, you can count on
Advanced Home Services. Contact us today!
