Tag: maintenance?

Easy Tips to Keep Garbage Disposals Functioning

When homeowners need to quickly and efficiently remove food scraps while cooking or clearing dinner plates, they rely on their garbage disposals. These appliances grind down food scraps to eliminate food and odors.

If these units malfunction, they can clog and emit foul smells. Fortunately, homeowners can avoid these issues and strive for a clean garbage disposal by performing maintenance tasks. 

Ormond Beach, FL, plumbers provide tips on how to keep garbage disposals working fine. These include putting the right types of food down the disposal, running cold water while using the disposal, and putting only a little food down at a time. 

Avoid Clogs by Only Putting the Right Foods Down the Disposal

Garbage disposals can be useful systems for households as long as the right types of food are placed in them. 

Generally, plumbers deem most soft foods safe to dispose of in the garbage disposal. This includes citrus fruit rinds, vegetable scraps (except fibrous ones and potato peels), small chopped-up meat, ice, and other similar items.

Some foods that households should avoid putting down the disposal are:

• Fruit pits
• Bones
• Cooking oils, fats, and grease
• Starchy foods
• Fibrous foods
• Stringy vegetables

If homeowners are still determining specific foods that can go down the garbage disposal, they should, by the rule of thumb, toss them in the waste basket instead of putting them down the unit.

Run Cold Water to Keep Disposals Working

A dumping hack many homeowners might not know about is running cold water down the garbage disposal.

Running cold water while the unit is running—and for a short time after turning it off—helps food run through the system and prevents clogs. Cold water also prevents garbage disposals from overheating. Food can be baked onto the blades if the appliances get too hot while grinding, causing foul odors. 

Homeowners should also put ice cubes down the garbage disposal, which can help sharpen the blades and remove food particles.

Don’t Put Large Amounts of Food Down the Disposal

Another way for homeowners to keep their garbage disposals working correctly is to limit the amount of food they put down the system one at a time. Putting too much food down the disposal can lead to blockages.

Plumbers recommend that homeowners cut larger food scraps into smaller pieces to avoid putting too much food down the device. 

Property owners should also pay attention to signs that indicate their garbage disposal needs to be repaired or replaced. If it starts to make humming noises or stops properly grinding food, it should be turned off immediately, and the homeowners should schedule professional services. During an inspection, the plumber will likely try using the garbage disposal reset button to determine if repairs or replacements are needed.

About Andy Frattin Plumbing

The team at Andy Frattin Plumbing is your trusted local plumbing expert in Daytona Beach. They offer flat-rate prices, on-time services, and guaranteed satisfaction. Call them today for garbage disposal services, repairs, or replacements, in Ormond Beach, FL.

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