Help Avoid Garbage Disposal Issues With Simple Steps

garbage disposal

Ways to Help Keep Garbage Disposals Running

Garbage disposals can be helpful devices for households. They allow homeowners to quickly grind up some food scraps to help them travel through pipes safely without clogging. However, if they are used incorrectly, it can cause problems for the disposal and clogged pipes. Homeowners can help avoid these problems by learning some tips for using garbage disposals correctly. This post will share some ways to help keep garbage disposals working correctly, including what things cannot go down the disposal.

Things That Shouldn’t Go Down the Disposal

sinkWhile garbage disposals are convenient for grinding up food scraps, not all types of food should go down the garbage disposal unit. Many types of food and items can cause problems with the disposal or clogs in the pipes, so people should avoid putting things like the following down their disposals: 

  • Foods that expand in water like pasta, rice, and bread
  • Hard items like nuts, pits, bones, and seafood shells 
  • Coffee grounds
  • Eggshells
  • Grease, fats, and oils

As a rule of thumb, if people are unsure if something can go down the garbage disposal, they should put it in the garbage instead to be safe. 

Run Cold Water 

sinkIt’s recommended that people run cold water any time they are using their garbage disposals and immediately afterward. This is an easy way to keep food flowing down the pipes and to help keep a clean garbage disposal. It also allows the garbage disposal unit to cool off and prevent overheating. 

Homeowners can also occasionally put ice cubes down the garbage disposal to help keep it clean. When ice cubes are ground up in the disposal, it can remove food particles stuck in the disposal and help sharpen the garbage disposal’s blades. 

Avoid Putting Large Amounts of Food Down the Disposal

Another way homeowners can help keep their garbage disposals working correctly and avoid sewer line clogs is to avoid putting too much food down the disposal at a time and large items. People can avoid this by cutting or breaking up large food scraps into smaller pieces and putting small amounts down the disposal at a time. 

If homeowners notice signs of problems with the disposal, they should call a plumber for garbage disposal repair. These signs can include the disposal making strange noises like humming, failing to grind food properly, and not turning on. Upon arrival, plumbers can inspect the unit and make the necessary repairs or replacements.

About Power Plumbing Services

Power Plumbing Services has more than a decade of experience serving the Houston area. They offer straightforward pricing, quality craftsmanship, and lifetime warranties. Call them for kitchen plumbing and garbage disposal services in Houston, TX.