Plumber’s Guide: What to Not Put Down Your Garbage Disposal

Modern appliances have made our lives a lot easier and more convenient. Unfortunately, even the most convenient devices are susceptible to damages resulting from user error. Garbage disposals are certainly one of the most misused appliances in homes throughout the country. If you use a garbage disposal in your Sicklerville, NJ home you know how much of a luxury it can be. At SPS Mechanical, though, we know that many people force the wrong items down their garbage disposal, causing damage. Here are some items that you should avoid putting down your garbage disposal to help you avoid this situation.

Bones:

You’ve just finished Thanksgiving dinner and you’re too stuffed to think about doing dishes. You decide you’ll just scrape the scraps down the garbage disposal and clean up later. Well, if you don’t take those turkey bones off the plate before you scrape it into the sink you’ll also wind up calling a repairman later. Bones always go into soup or into the trash, never down a garbage disposal.

Fibrous Tissues:

Hard items such as bones are not the only things that can cause your garbage disposal serious problems. Fibrous items such as celery stalks and corn husks can get wrapped around the moving parts of your garbage disposal, putting a lot of strain on the motor and damaging the appliance. Just because it can be chewed does not mean your garbage disposal can handle it.

Grease and Fat:

Surely liquids must be safe to put down my garbage disposal, you may be thinking. Well, you are partially correct. Liquids are okay to put down your garbage disposal as long as they remain liquids. The problem with fat and grease is that, while they are liquids when heated, they re-solidify when they cool down. This means that when you pour hot grease down your drain and it comes into contact with cold pipes or water it will start to congeal. This can block your drain and trap other items in the pipes as they try to move past.

For more information about how to properly use your garbage disposal, call SPS Mechanical. We are always happy to help keep your home as efficient and convenient as possible. We can answer any questions you have about your garbage disposal in Sicklerville, NJ.