Common Garbage Disposal Mistakes That Will Make You Call The Plumber | Sandy Springs, GA

Common Garbage Disposal Mistakes That Will Make You Call The Plumber | Sandy Springs, GA

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Did you know that your trashed food leftovers end up in a landfill and slowly decompose into greenhouse gas? Garbage disposal not only eliminates this problem but also makes it possible to carry your daily kitchen activities stress-free.

It’s an essential device, but some residents in Sandy Springs, GA, undervalue it. Some do not know how to safely use a garbage disposal, resulting in immediate wear and tear. One minute you may be dumping anything down the disposer, and the next minute, you would probably be searching for a plumber because you have a clogged, backed up, or smelling sink.

If you are a homeowner and have a garbage disposal, you better take care of it to prevent premature malfunctions and costly repairs or replacements. The following are the most common mistakes you might be making with your garbage disposer. Make sure you learn from them to minimize plumbing costs.

Running With Hot Water

It’s a good idea to run water when the disposal is operating. It makes the grinding process straightforward because it allows food particles to flow smoothly without interfering with the blades. It’s like swallowing tablets with a sip of water. If you are running a disposer, use cold water and not hot water.

Some homeowners believe that hot water is appropriate for breaking down foods, but it can damage the appliance. Warm or hot water melts fatty foods and greases that stick on the walls of the disposer that solidifies and accumulate over time, clogging the drain pipes.

Using cold water keeps fats and greases in solid form, allowing the blades to slice them into small pieces that flow down the drain line. It is advisable to run cold water before and after using the garbage disposer. Coldwater makes grinding quick and reduces the possibility of calling a plumber if the unit fails.

Also, you should avoid operating the garbage disposal when it is dry. It can lead to clogging just like using hot water. Water acts as a lubricant, and without it, some foods can get on the blades and never flow to the drainage.

Not Cleaning the Disposal Regularly

Like other household appliances, disposals require regular cleaning and maintenance to keep them running smoothly and lengthen their lifespan. Most of the food you flush down the drain disappears, and you may not see it again. However, tiny food substances can get into the grinding components and decay, causing a bad smell in the sink.

Also, because the disposer operates continuously, its effectiveness reduces and may even fail to chop food as required. You can keep your garbage disposal working well by having a plumber clean it and check for any malfunctions regularly.

During cleanup, your plumbing company may use cold water, salt, and ice cubes to clean food debris and sharpen the blades. You can also crush citrus peels using the disposer to freshen the smell of your kitchen sink and remove food debris left on the edges.

Treating Your Disposal Like a Trash Bin

Despite its name, a garbage disposal cannot handle all foods or non-foods like a trash can. Some dwellers in Sandy Springs, GA, dump anything and everything through the disposer until the blades stop working. It’s a common mistake that homeowners make with their garbage disposals.

Apple peels, watermelon rinds, and potato peelings are among the vegetable wastes plumbers remove to get blades back to work. Garbage disposal is designed for biodegradable foods and not non-food items such as cigarettes, eggshells, plastics, and toys. Only food scraps that disintegrate quickly should go down the disposal.

Also, plumbers advise homeowners to chop large food chunks into small pieces to make the grinding process quick. Disposing foreign substances into the disposal is the number one cause of its breakdown. Your disposal is not a trash bin, so you should not treat it like one. And if you have any issues with the system, have a plumbing professional examine it.

Overusing or Neglecting to Run the Disposal

Some homeowners turn on the disposal anytime they are using the kitchen sink. Garbage disposal is meant for food scraps, so you should run the system only when washing utensils that have food in them. When you use it more often, its parts wear down, making it ineffective in chopping foods and may even shorten its life.

The disposal should not be neglected for a longer time. Failing to run the disposer periodically may result in freezing or corrosion, and the system may lose functionality. If you have a garbage disposal, ensure to turn it on once in a while to make sure it’s in good shape and help you know when you need to call a plumber.

Failing to Reset the Garbage Disposal

When your disposal is not acting right, and you think it might be at fault, you should reset it before calling your local plumber. You will have to switch off the disposal and press the reset button.

The reset button is similar to the circuit breaker and may help you regain power if the system fails to run. After trying this and nothing changes, it would be wise to reach out to a plumber. A professional can assess the system to determine the possible cause of its failure and offer a remedy.

Flushing Grease and Fats

Some homeowners pour foods that have oils, fats, or grease down the garbage disposal. That may not cause any problem sooner, but with time, fats and oils solidify and accumulate on the drain pipes and around the blades causing endless problems down the road.

These substances may affect the effectiveness of the disposal to break down food and may also cause clogging and backflows. It would be best if you had a trash bag for grease and fatty foods.

Peach Plumbing & Drain: Your Reliable Plumber

Garbage disposals are a convenient way of disposing of food leftovers and keeping irksome smells at bay. These devices need maintenance to keep them running smoothly during usage. If you live in or near Sandy Springs, GA, and you need a plumber, contact Peach Plumbing & Drain.

Our licensed professionals can fix any issue you may have with your garbage disposal and guide you on how to take care of it. We can install, repair, and help you maintain your disposal. In addition, our technicians are on-call and ready to attend to plumbing emergencies.

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