Plumber Tips: Things To NEVER Throw Down Your Garbage Disposal Unit | Maryville, TN
A garbage disposal unit is an excellent addition to your kitchen. It ensures hygiene and sanitation in that critical part of your home. It also saves you the money you could have used to purchase the daily waste disposal bags. Unfortunately, some homeowners do not practice proper garbage disposal hygiene. They think you can toss any food waste into the unit. However, this isn’t true. You might have to call a plumber in Maryville, TN, sooner rather than later if you toss some food waste into the unit.
Like any other appliance, a garbage disposal unit can also run into problems because of ignorance or negligence. Some of you have hurriedly cleaned the dishes after having a holiday dinner or a party. You are in a frenzy of wiping food wastes off the dishes and rinsing them. And finally, it is time to turn to your garbage disposal unit to grind and drain the wastes. Unfortunately, you hear that clunking sound. That is a sign that you might have tossed something you shouldn’t have in your garbage disposal unit, and you could be staring at a time-consuming and expensive repair.
The best way to avoid garbage disposal issues and ensure that you don’t have to call a plumber for a repair is by knowing what should be thrown into the unit and what shouldn’t. Below are some of the food items to never throw into a garbage disposal unit:
Bones
Bones are suitable for the garbage disposal unit since they sharpen the blades. Have you ever heard this myth? That is a misrepresentation of fact and overestimating the garbage disposal unit’s blades. The unit does not use Samurai swords to grind the wastes, and certainly, its blades aren’t strong enough that they can break bones. Rather, the bones will break or chip the blades, making it inevitable for you to call a plumber to have it repaired. Hence, don’t throw bones into the garbage disposal unit; the next time a person claims to sharpen the blades, educate them of such dangers.
Nuts
Whenever you hear of nuts, what comes to your mind? Cashew nuts? Ground Nuts? Although these also shouldn’t be thrown down your garbage disposal, nuts are much more than that. They include processed nuts such as peanut butter, amongst others. Unfortunately, some homeowners don’t see it that way. Whenever these nuts are processed, they become just as sticky as grease. Some are even more sticky because they don’t have any additional oils. It will stick to all parts of the unit when you toss it into the garbage disposal unit. This also can result in clogged drains should they find their way there, meaning that you might have to call a plumber for a drain cleaning service in Maryville, TN.
Grease
Homeowners make the most frequent mistake involving garbage disposal is throwing greasy materials into the unit. Have you ever fried bacon and let the produced greasy or oily substance sit and cool? It probably had solidified into this white waxy substance by the time you returned. It is solidified or
congeals to a strong substance whenever grease cools down. The sticky substance could clog up your garbage disposal. Even worse, it will collect in your piping system and obstruct them. Never dispose of cooking grease down the drains or into the garbage disposal. Otherwise, you will have to look for a plumber for a drain cleaning service to unclog your drains and clean the garbage disposal unit.
Egg Shells
Eggshells are organic and fragile, which will be easily crushed by the garbage disposal system and drained down. There is truth to this. However, they may stick in the drains or the garbage disposal system longer t than you might have realized. First, eggshells have a slippery membrane within that cannot be ground. Second, when broken up by a garbage disposal unit, they form sand-like grit. Because of the two, the shells will stick to the interiors of the pipes and the garbage disposal unit. When other food particles or hair is entangled, it might easily result in a clog that would require a plumber to clear.
Non-Food Products
Whoever named the unit a “garbage disposal”—and we’re not sure who —did the appliance a serious disservice. Besides breaking down some food wastes, it cannot break down actual garbage. Due to this misunderstanding, people have been known to put anything and everything down in garbage disposals. At one point, a homeowner might have thrown them into the unit, paper towels, plastic wrappers, grocery bags- you name it. You will soon have to call a plumber to inspect the garbage disposal and perform any necessary repairs. At worse, you might be forced to replace it prematurely.
Coffee Grounds
Homeowners with a coffee maker that uses paper filters most likely throw the filters into the trash even without thinking. However, relying on a reusable filter, you shouldn’t dump the coffee grounds into your garbage disposal unit. This is because when the coffee grounds become wet, they thicken, and they will clump together in the piping, forming a serious clog that will require you to enlist the help of a professional plumber for a drain cleaning service in Maryville, TN. You want your drainage system to remain in pristine to ensure that it can carry the wastes into the sewer or septic system and keep your home clean.
Let Our Plumbing Professionals Help
Do you have a garbage disposal unit at your home? It ensures hygiene in your kitchen. However, you also have to practice proper garbage disposal hygiene for it to serve you for an extensive period.
Otherwise, you might have to have a plumber replace the appliance sooner rather than later. Hence, don’t throw any of the wastes above into your garbage disposal unit. However, even with such meticulous measures, you might still experience issues, especially if your home has some toddlers or children. Call us at My Professional Plumber for a plumbing service whenever you notice that your garbage disposal unit isn’t functioning properly.
