Tips to Maintain Your Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposals are sturdy systems, and it can be tempting to view them as somehow immune to issues. However, this isn’t the case. Garbage disposals can develop all sorts of problems, most of which can easily be avoided if you know what you’re doing. If you want to get the most out of your garbage disposal, read on to find out how you can keep it as healthy as possible.

No, not the moisture-based weather condition. FOG stands for Fats, Oils, and Grease. These are all really common materials used in cooking, and are typically poured down the disposal after being used. While they’re liquids when in use, they tend to congeal into a viscous substance upon cooling. This tends to gum up the impellers in the disposal, as well as the line from the disposal to the sewer. If you want to keep your disposal running smoothly, it’s highly recommended that you avoid pouring those substances down the disposal. Throw them in the garbage instead.

Garbage disposals need the occasional maintenance and repair services, just like any other system. You probably don’t need to have your garbage disposal professionally checked every single year (unless it’s a commercial kitchen.) Every other year, though, is probably a good idea to ensure that the wear and tear on the system is mitigated. If the system does start to develop issues, it is highly recommended that you call for repairs as soon as possible. Disposal problems will get progressively worse if they are allowed to develop, so the sooner you can have it repaired, the better off the system will be.