5 Things You Need To Know About Your Garbage Disposal

The garbage disposal is a plumbing feature in your home that you probably use often. However, you might not be using it for the right reasons. Many homeowners use their garbage disposal in a way that can lead to major damages. This is actually a more sensitive plumbing feature than you might think. Here are five things you should know about it:

  1. It Needs to be Cleaned: Yes, the garage disposal needs to be cleaned every once in a while. This does not mean putting your hand down there with a sponge and scrubbing at it. Actually, it's much easier than this. Simply putting some dish soap down the drain and running the cold water with the garage disposal running should be enough to remove anything that is built up. It's important to do this every night after you have been using the sink, especially after you have cooked a large meal. 
  2. It Needs to be Used: Even if you don't cook often so you really have no need for the garbage disposal, it still needs to be used if you want to keep it in good condition. There are moving parts that need to be moved every once in a while to prevent corrosion and other issues.
  3. It Needs Cold Water: When you are running the garage disposal, you should never be using warm or hot water. The reason for this is that it prevents the food and other waste from moving down the drain. Instead, warm or hot water encourages food and other debris to stick to the walls of the drains, which can cause backup and problems with the disposal, as well. 
  4. It Cannot Grind Fibrous Materials: Corn husks, celery, artichokes, and other fibrous materials such as these cannot go down the sink drain. Instead, it should be disposed of in the garbage. This is because the garbage disposal cannot grind fibrous materials. The reason for this is that they can become entangled in the garbage disposal causing the moving parts to become stuck. When this happens and the garbage disposal is used, it can overwork itself and become damaged. 
  5. It Needs a 15-Second Cool Down: After you have used the garbage disposal, it needs a 15-second cool down. This means that once you turn it off, you need to leave the cold water running for at least 15 seconds. This is going to help everything flow down the drain more fluidly. 

When you know these five things about your garbage disposal, you can definitely take better care of it and avoid major issues with the plumbing in your kitchen. Click here to learn more about your home's plumbing care.


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