Garbage Disposals

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Garbage disposal is an electrically powered appliance that is installed beneath your kitchen sink or within a dishwasher. For dishwashers without built-in garbage disposal, a drain line can be run to an external disposal

Inside the disposal is a series of rotating grinders and impellers which grind food down until it is small enough to flow through the drainage pipe. This prevents clogs caused by food piling up within the sewage system.

Garbage disposals should never be used unless the water is running because the water pushes the ground up food through the drainage lines and out of your home. Additionally, garbage disposals should be used only to shred food waste. Anything harder than food could cause the disposal to malfunction.

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Disposal Installation

Installing a garbage disposal can be a fairly easy DIY project if you know what you’re doing. However, your best bet is hiring a professional and experienced plumber to do the installation for you.

The garbage disposal is installed to shred food waste from a kitchen sink or dishwasher. Many dishwashers come with a built-in garbage disposal, but some do not. Fortunately, a drainage line can connect the dishwasher to the same disposal used by the sink.

When installing a garbage disposal, make sure you’re using the correct breaker size. While a garbage disposal can be run independently on a 15 amp breaker, a 20 amp breaker will be needed if the dishwasher and garbage disposal are placed on the same circuit.

Clogged Disposals

While garbage disposals prevent your drainage pipes from clogging, they can become clogged. Two common reasons for this include:

Too much waste has been put into the disposal causing the moving parts to become clogged and stop functioning properly

Something other than food is inserted into the disposal

These problems can be easily resolved by using the garbage disposal appropriately. This means only inserting food into the disposal and nothing else. Additionally, when putting food in the disposal, insert it slowly and make sure that it is all shredded before inserting more food.

Even if you do take the proper preventive measures, clogs may still occur. Fortunately, they’re pretty easy to remove:

First, shut off power to the disposal by flipping off the breaker that powers it. Then you can use a flashlight to look into the garbage disposal from the sink to locate any visible clogs. After locating the clogs, remove the debris causing the clog with your hand or a pair of pliers.

Disposal Repair

If a garbage disposal clogs, and you can’t clear it yourself, then it’s time to call the experts. The clog may be deep within the disposal where you cannot reach it from the sink, which means the disposal may need to be taken apart to locate and clear the clog.

Experienced plumbers familiar with the ins and outs of a garbage disposal know how to do this without causing more damage. However, for someone with little to no knowledge of the inner workings of a garbage disposal, any attempt to take it apart may cause more problems.

However, clogs are not the only reason a garbage disposal may need to be repaired. Other reasons include:

New or unusual grinding noises have begun occuring
The disposal starts vibrating erratically when turned on
The disposal won’t turn on or shuts off quickly after being turned on

Bad odors enter the house where the disposal is installed
Water is leaking beneath the sink

If you notice these or any other problems, contact a plumber immediately. If the disposal is experiencing a minor problem, it can be fixed quickly and inexpensively. However, if the problem is left untreated, it might cause the entire disposal to stop working altogether.

It’s also a wise idea to have your garbage disposal and the rest of your plumbing system inspected regularly. Yearly checkups can detect unseen problems before they lead to real damage.

Disposal Replacement

A garbage disposal is a regularly used tool that will eventually wear down over time. If you do not perform proper maintenance, the disposal may last around 8-10 years. However, you may be able to get 15-20 years out of your garbage disposal if you use it properly and make sure it is well taken care of.

To figure out if you need a garbage disposal replacement, you’ll want to have a plumber inspect the device. They may find a simple fix to a problem that will add years of extra life.

However, the necessary repairs may cost more than a new garbage disposal. It’s also possible that internal damage is so significant that no repairs are possible. In these cases, you will need to replace your garbage disposal.

The price of a new disposal can vary greatly depending on the brand, quality, horse power, and other factors. Nonetheless, they aren’t incredibly expensive considering how long they last. Contact Cooper’s Water for options and pricing.

Contact Cooper’s Water to schedule a garbage disposal installation in Indianapolis.

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