We’ve provided tips before on how to keep your garbage disposal working in the best conditioning possible and to get the most years out of it. The time when you need to be the most cautious about how you use your garbage disposal is during the end of the year holiday season, because your kitchen will receive significantly more use as you entertain guests and family members. We’d like to use today’s post to go over common food items that you shouldn’t place down the disposal so you can avoid the all-too-common seasonal problem of a broken kitchen garbage disposal. (more…)
My Drain Company Blog : Posts Tagged ‘Garbage Disposal’
Some Special Holiday Tips to Avoid Garbage Disposal Repairs
Monday, December 21st, 2015Things You Should Never Pour Down the Drain
Monday, May 4th, 2015We often rely on our kitchen and bathroom sinks to dispose of unwanted food particles and other bits of garbage. Garbage disposal units are designed to grind up organic waste matter and after a time, we come to rely on them for getting rid of all kinds of organic detritus. But before you dump another piece of food down the drain, stop and consider the damage you may be causing.
Don’t Make These 3 Simple Mistakes with Your Garbage Disposal
Friday, December 19th, 2014The garbage disposal is a wonderful invention, and has succeeded in making the lives of homeowners quite a bit easier over the past decades. Despite its tough reputation, however, a garbage disposal does have its weaknesses and vulnerabilities. If you want your garbage disposal to live a long, productive life, don’t make these 3 simple mistakes.
Putting Bones in the Disposal
This should be a no-brainer, and yet we still run into people every year who insist on putting small bones in the garbage disposal. The misperception is that the garbage disposal is strong enough to handle bones as long as they are small and relatively thin. This is false. Bones splinter and crack when they come into contact with the garbage disposal blades, but they won’t be ground up finely enough to be washed away without a problem. Instead, they are more likely to break your disposal by jamming it.
Oils and Grease
It’s always a pain to get rid of oils and grease. When dinner is over and you’re trying to get the dishes done in a timely manner, it is very easy to just pour it all down the disposal. If you want to preserve your garbage disposal’s health, however, you’ll abstain from doing this. When oils and grease get into the garbage disposal, they harden and clog the drain. This causes the disposal to fill up with waste that can’t drain properly, causing your kitchen area to smell as well as needing a plumber to clear it out.
Vegetables and Fruits
Now, this last one really depends on the kinds of fruits and vegetables you’re putting down the disposal. The two kinds you’ll want to avoid are hard ones and fibrous ones. Putting something like a potato down the disposal can cause it to overheat, as it will require more work than the disposal is designed to do. Fibrous fruits and vegetables like celery can tangle the blades, causing the disposal to jam.
If you’re having issues with your garbage disposal, call My Drain Company. We provide garbage disposal services throughout Glendale.
What Not to Put Down Your Garbage Disposal
Friday, October 17th, 2014Without a working garbage disposal, cooking and cleanup would become far more difficult. Trash would accumulate quickly, and cleaning dishes would become quite the chore. The garbage disposal is a sturdy modern convenience you rely on nearly every day but it is certainly not indestructible. Like any mechanical fixture, a garbage disposal requires maintenance in order to continue working as it should. And one of the most important parts of garbage disposal maintenance involves knowing what can and cannot go into the drain.
Garbage disposals do not have sharp “blades” as you may expect. Garbage disposals break up food into smaller pieces, since large portions of food may become stuck in the drain and lead to backup in your sink. Take care of your unit and avoid frequent calls to plumbers as well as problems with your drainage system by disposing of the following items in a separate trash receptacle.
- Non-Food Items: A garbage disposal can take on a lot of different food items, but materials such as paper, plastic, and glass simply do not belong in your drain. Similarly, avoid hard food items such as popcorn kernels and meat bones. Your system may become overworked attempting to process these, and they can severely damage your pipes.
- Large Amounts of Food: Garbage disposals cannot process large amounts of food. You should break apart hefty chunks of food and scrape only a bit off of your plate at a time, running cold water while you do.
- F.O.G.: Fats, oils, and grease seem fairly harmless, but these can cause major problems in your drain pipes and for your disposal unit. These substances solidify when they cool, clogging the drain pipes as other food items become attached as well. Furthermore, it can build up along the disposal, inhibiting performance. Running cold water may help somewhat with greasy foods, as the disposal may have an easier time processing F.O.G. when it is solid.
- Fibrous Foods: Fibrous vegetables like celery will wrap around the blades of the disposal, keeping them from moving as they should and interfering with the operation of the motor.
- Expandable Foods: Finally, foods such as pasta and rice can expand in the pipes, creating blockages that could allow food waste to back up through the drains.
For experienced, qualified plumbers in Glendale, call My Drain Company today!
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