Why People Get Garbage Disposals
Most people have a habit of throwing extra garbage down the drain, but that food waste can cause serious problems to your pipes if it isn’t small enough. You could end up clogging the pipe. A garbage disposal slices food waste into tiny pieces so water can carry it away.
It can be harder to control smells in a kitchen if you don’t have one and you don’t change your garbage enough before it rots. Even if you keep on top of your garbage bin, food waste can cause an odor before the bag is full. By using a disposal, there’s no chance for food to rot in the kitchen.
Finally, it makes doing dishes much faster. Without a disposal, you have to scrape dishes off into the trash before washing them. Scraping isn’t as good as spraying, so your dishwasher or dishwater gets dirty faster. So a garbage disposal is an excellent investment for your home!
Garbage Disposal Repair in Kingman
Many people are afraid of fixing their own garbage disposals. They have good reason to be afraid! You could easily get a hand caught in the disposal trying to fish something out, and it could end with a trip to the ER.
If your garbage disposal is having problems, do the following and then call Plumbing By Jake’s garbage disposal repair team in Kingman:
- Check under the sink and see if there is a power switch on the disposal. Turn it off.
- If your model has a plug going to an outlet, unplug that as well.
- Remove any standing water in the sink with a cup.
- Using long tongs, remove what you can from the disposal. Do not put your hand in there.
How do I Avoid a Garbage Disposal Jam?
Garbage disposals are strong, but they can’t handle everything. Items that are too hard or too small to grind can get stuck inside the disposal and create a jam. When you use a disposal, always keep the water running and don’t overfill it with waste. Grind a little at a time.
Things to avoid putting down your disposal include:
- Any silverware or glasses. Broken glass can cause jams.
- Bones, nutshells, fruit pits
- Pumpkin innards and other slippery melon seeds
- Corn husks
- The woody part of artichokes
- Any pasta or bread (they can expand and clog the system)
- Saturated animal fats (they get hard once cooled and cause clogs)
Maintaining Your Garbage Disposal
If your garbage disposal has a funny smell, but runs fine, you can give it some maintenance. Turn off the power to your disposal and wipe around the opening, then take a bottle brush and clean out the inside.
After you’ve removed the food particles, cut a lemon into small pieces and add a couple ice cubes. Turn the power back on and grind these up to freshen up the disposal. Some people freeze vinegar into cubes for this.
Can I Install My Own Garbage Disposal?
Yes, it’s possible if you have plumbing skills of your own, but it’s a job that can get complicated quickly. You might not have the electrical wiring you need to turn it on, and there’s a risk that your pipes might leak after the job is done if you make a mistake.
The last thing you want is a hidden drip under your sink cabinet! Get the job done right with our installation team. We can make sure you get the right size for your space and wiring so you don’t have to mess with an underpowered unit.