How to Avoid Garbage Disposal Problems

We’ve listed the best ways to avoid garbage disposal issues below, but we understand that mistakes happen. If you have a problem with your system, it’s important to call a plumber as soon as possible. If you need a plumber in Independence, MO contact our teams for the best services available.

Here are a few things you can do to aid the function of your garbage disposal.

It doesn’t take long for your garbage disposal to finish grinding up the waste you put down it. You probably flip the switch and shut the system off right after you’re done grinding down food, but you should keep it running for a little while longer. This helps ensure that all the food has been ground down and completely flushed out of your system to prevent any potential clogs.

Got big pieces of food you want to put down your garbage disposal? Make your garbage disposal’s job a little easier and break this food down before it goes down the drain. After all, your garbage disposal is only so big, you can’t expect it to grind down huge hunks of food without a little difficulty.

When you grind down food with your garbage disposal use cold water and not hot. We understand why homeowners are predisposed for using hot water, it helps when you clean, but this is a problem for your garbage disposal. Hot water can melt or alter the foods that your garbage disposal is trying to grind up. It defeats the purpose of you even turning this system on. Cold water helps food harden and aids your garbage disposal.

Do you ever go more than a few days without using your garbage disposal? You shouldn’t. Even if you don’t have anything to grind, try to use your garbage disposal every few days so that your system won’t have a chance to freeze during the cold weather, corrode, or let any old food harden.

We’ve told you what you should do, now here are some bad habits to avoid.

The biggest enemy to your garbage disposal is FOG. FOG stands for fat, oil, and grease. Putting any of these things down your garbage disposal creates the perfect environment for a clog to form. Avoid these substances at all costs.

Starchy, fibrous foods don’t grind easily. Instead they have a tendency to wrap around your blade and stop them from functioning.

Foods that expand in water like pasta and rice are a problem because they can enlarge once they’re in your drain and cause a persistent blockage.

All these items are a problem because they have the potential to bend or break your blades. Make sure they end up in the trash rather than down your garbage disposal.