Your plumbing system is a major source of convenience in your home. Even those of us that might enjoy roughing it at camp a few times a year have to admit that the idea of living without indoor plumbing is not one that we’d give any serious thought to. For a system that is already working hard to make your life so convenient, a garbage disposal is the perfect upgrade. It may not be as integral as your main water line, but once you’ve used one yourself, you’re unlikely to go back.
That is exactly why you really want to ensure that you are using your garbage disposal properly. Failure to do so can cause serious problems over time, and eventually may lead to a complete breakdown of the appliance. Most people understand that it is necessary to keep the water running when using the disposal. Too many people also fail to realize that their garbage disposals in Tomball, TXcannot handle everything that they can throw at them, though.
What Should Go Right in the Trash/Compost?
There is a general rule that some homeowners follow dictating that anything you cannot chew on your own should not go down the garbage disposal. This is precisely the type of folksy advice that lands people in hot water, though. It’s just not true. You may not want to consume some of the items that your garbage disposal can’t handle, but many items that your system can’t handle are actually fine for human consumption.
- Rice/Grains/Pasta – This is a prime example of the type of foodstuff that you may choose to eat, but which should not go down the garbage disposal. Now, the issue here is not really with the disposal itself. Instead, the problem is that the disposal won’t be able to process these items to a point where absorption is no longer an issue. These foods will swell up when wet, and that can lead to drain clogs even after running through the disposal.
- Celery Stalks/Corn Husks – You aren’t eating corn husks, probably, but celery stalks are certainly a pretty normal food source. So what’s the problem here? This type of waste is very fibrous. If those fibers from such foods get all entangled in the moving parts of the disposal, chances are good that they’re going to strain the system and potentially damage it.
- FOG – We can’t close out this topic without mentioning FOG, or fats, oils, and grease. Now, you likely are not going to be consuming these things directly. However, there is no denying that some butter on bread or some bacon grease used to fry up some eggs is a nice — if not entirely healthful — indulgence. The problem is that these materials will congeal in your pipes as they cool down. After frying in oil or sauteeing in butter, pour these fats and grease into a can and freeze them for disposal: not in the garbage disposal.
Schedule your plumbing and garbage disposal services with Milton Frank Plumbing & Cooling.