Most home kitchens these days aren’t complete without this little handy hidden appliance known only as the garbage disposal. Because garbage disposal is such a helpful kitchen aid to use during food preparations such as composting the waste after peeling potatoes and salad preparation all the way to the cleanup; the daunting task of pre-washing.
Yes, the garbage disposal has earned its place in the modern kitchen, Only second to the microwave oven. It is such a handy tool that many appliance manufactures have included the garbage disposal built-in to their dishwashers.
Life would be a little harder without your garbage disposal. You might have to walk a few extra feet to dump your refuse. Then you would have to make sure the trash is taken out that evening to keep it from smelling up your house. Life is a little easier in the kitchen with your garbage disposal.
Because your disposal has moving parts, sudden mechanical failure could occur at any time. That is why taking care of your garbage disposal now will prolong the life of such a versatile appliance that you will use for years to come.
Below you are about to discover 4 little-known tips that will help keep you and your garbage disposal happy and healthy for the life of your appliance.
Tip #1. Be sure to always run water before and after grinding refuse in your disposal. This will insure the blades work at optimal performance and food particles from getting trap in the belly of your disposal which would cause a stink almost as worse as a decaying mouse carcass in a floor register.
Tips #2. Be sure you use cold water while grinding food in your disposal. If there are any kind of fats or gelatin in the foods your disposal will chomp up it could melt in hot water and re-solidify as it travels down your pipes. Over time this could cause a messy major blockage.
Tips #3. Never use chemicals such as bleaches or drain cleaners in your garbage disposal, because it eats at the finish on the disposal blades and inner lining causing rust and reducing the life of your garbage disposal. Not to mention the damage it could cause to the environment or your septic tank.
Here is a quick list of foods to avoid putting into your garbage disposal and down your drains with a brief explanation afterwords.
Rice
pasta
Beans
Eggshells
Coffee Ground
Bones
Gelatin
Fibrous fruits & vegetables
Beans, rice and pasta’s bloat by sucking up moisture even after it has been cooked.
Egg shells could cause dulling of your disposal blades and could get trapped to the sides of the waste tank or your pipes because of the super stickiness of egg whites.
Coffee grounds is another food product that should be avoided at all cost. Since they are ground and beans not only will they stick everywhere down the drain over time will expand and cause a really hard blockage that is almost as hard as cement.
Bones will break and dull the blades of your disposal and if you have been lucky so far, could get small chips into the housing which will burn up the motor.
Gelatin and fibrous fruits and veggies will build up in your pipes and over time cause a blockage.
These are the worse kind of blockages you could have because sewer rods could bore a hole through the gelatin allowing the water to drain then close back up after the rod has been removed. Water jetting the pipes might not get it either unless special care is taken to ensure the removal of the blockage. This could take several hours and many camera tests during the procedure and cost over a $1,000.
Technology is the best thing that happened in our lives. At one point, left-over food had to be manually disposed of. As technology continued to evolve and as we have moved to big cities, something had to be done with left-over food scraps. It is very messy when you need to put the left-over food scraps inside plastic trash cans. This was the scene during the time of our fathers and their fathers too.
Thanks to great technology, a garbage disposal unit was discovered and this can even be found under our sinks. Since we have a technology that is right at our finger tips, here are some tips on how we can better take care of our garbage disposal.
Before you run the disposal unit, make sure that dishes and utensils such as spoons and forks are not in the sink. A garbage disposal unit requires cold water and the cold water could be blocked by the dishes and food and these utensils can end up in the sink garbage disposal. It is very important to remember not to put your hand inside the disposal unit while it is functioning. When you are putting food inside the sink garbage disposal unit, put the food in slowly. If the entire food waste will be put in all at once, the appliance might break down. Refrain from putting fat or grease into your garbage disposal unit as it can break down your unit. Large bones should also be avoided putting inside the unit. Smaller bones are more ideal and safe for the machine.
If the sink garbage disposal unit that you purchased is for commercial use such as restaurants, you may pile up the waste food. For garbage disposals designed for home kitchens, remove the garbage as soon as possible since there is a high possibility that the machine will corrode right away.
A strange sound while the disposal unit is turned on could possibly mean there is a hard object inside such as a car key. Turn off the disposal unit, unplug the machine and remove the hard object. Just make sure you don’t use your hands in trying to get the object. There are ways and means on how you can get back your car key such as a long pole or using the handle of a broom stick.
A sink garbage disposal can be very handy and helpful when you have one in your kitchen. If your equipment is cared for then you may expect that this will work fine for a few more years than expected.
When buying a garbage disposal unit there are several key factors to look at and research in order to determine which disposal is right for you. Among the most important factors to look at are horsepower, feed type (continuous or batch feed), and durability. There are other factors which I will mention, but these three are probably the most crucial. So, let’s get started.
Horsepower
Disposal units normally come in three variations of horsepower and most people are not sure how much power they actually need. As a general rule, the horsepower of the unit should correlate to the usage it will receive. More horsepower will give you more grinding power.
½ Horsepower Waste Disposal
This type of garbage disposal is ideal for individuals who live in an apartment or condo in which the unit will not receive excessive use.
¾ Horsepower Waste Disposal
Three quarter horsepower is the most common type of garbage disposal and is typically found in single family homes. It has enough power for the family, but should not be abused – make sure you never put anything down the garbage disposal that you would not eat in one sitting.
1 Horsepower Waste Disposal
These units are good for heavy use and homes that have a big family. They can also be used in an office where a lot of people will use it.
Feed Type – Continuous Feed Vs Batch Feed
Continuous Feed
This type of garbage disposal is the most common and can be found in most kitchens. Continuous feed only operates when a switch is turned on and can be fed waste “continually” while the unit is running. To operate you must turn on the water first and then switch on the garbage disposal and feed the waste down the sink hole until you are done then you turn off the unit and then the water.
Batch Feed
These are similar to the continuous feed models, but they do not have an automatic switch to turn it on. Instead, they require a plug to be placed in the drain and turned. This will turn the unit on and when you are finished you need to turn the plug the other way to turn it off.
Durability
Most of the complaints with disposals that I have seen are about the garbage leaking. Sometimes it is because the unit was not installed properly or because something is wrong with pipes. However, sometimes the garbage disposal unit itself is the cause of the leakage. You need to make sure that the unit you buy includes stainless steel grinding chambers, stainless steel drums will not rust through (this is a typical cause of leaks or failures)
Additional things to look for:
Ease of installation
Most new garbage disposals are pretty easy to install and if you are replacing an old unit just make sure you have the right PVC pipes and connectors. You should also check your sink cabinet space to confirm that you will have enough space to install the unit you buy.
Sound Proofing
Unless you like to yell when you are talking make sure you invest in a unit that has some type of sound proofing. Read buyer reviews and see what they are saying about the unit’s noise levels.
Most kitchens, you assume, have the normal appliances like a stove and a fridge and cabinets and a sink. But one thing that seems so obvious that you don’t even check to see if it’s there is a garbage disposal. You would have to be living in a very old house or apartment to find one without a garbage disposal, even then it’s possible that the sink as been replaced or a garbage disposal added. As with most necessities, garbage disposals require care and attention too. So here are a few points to be aware of about your garbage disposal.
Food
How can food be a problem? Garbage disposals are supposed to cut the food down so that it isn’t a problem. That is true with most food. There are actually few exceptions, including egg shells, coffee grounds, potato and banana peels.
Egg shells and coffee grounds can be put in the same category of problem. When you put either of these down the garbage disposal the little pieces will stick to any bit of sludge that might be found in the pipe. You can see how this would rapidly form a clog in the pipes. It would add onto itself until there was no way for anything to get through.
Potato peels aren’t quite the same as egg shells or coffee grounds but can clog your pipes just as easily and quickly. When you grind up potato peels you create this mashed potato-like, starchy paste that will make a nicely messy clog. Banana peels are like the potato peels, just add to stringy fiber goodness to the mess.
*Keep in mind that bones are not considered food and in no circumstance should be considered able to be taken care of by a garbage disposal.
Lack of Water
Before you turn on your garbage disposal make sure the water is running at a fairly good flow so nothing gets stuck on the spin cycle inside the disposal and wreak havoc. That should be easy enough if you run it after doing the dishes. Also, after you’ve run the disposal and turned it back off, keep the water running another 30 seconds or so to make sure it all is really flushed out.
When you don’t have enough water flow through the garbage disposal the waste and mushed up food doesn’t make it all the way through the pipes and out. Without enough water to shuffle it along, the food stops in the pipes and makes a little home for itself. This can build up to the point where your pipes clog and you have a problem.
Metal
Metal silverware won’t create a clog or get stuck in the pipes, in fact, it would never get past the disposal. Generally, it is the metal silverware that disappears down into the disposal without you realizing it and you don’t stop to check and just flip on the disposal. Then you hear that awful clanging sound and jump to turn it back off. While it won’t clog, it causes other problems such as damaged spoons, dented garbage and parts, or mangled blades. This is an easy fix. All you have to do is check with another piece of silverware, not your hand, if there is anything down there that shouldn’t.
Safety
It may be surprising to see this among a list of common garbage disposal problems, but it still made it on the list. There are two basic types of garbage disposals. One is called the continuous feed garbage disposal. Don’t get this disposal if you have little kids. It would so easy for a lot of dangerous things to happen. A continuous feed disposal doesn’t wait to be turned on. Once anything goes down the drain, the grinder turns on and grinds away; hands, toys, rings, silverware. Don’t let your garbage disposal eat what you still want.
Another interesting problem to be noted is how often people use their hands to check if there is anything in the disposal that isn’t supposed to be. Don’t use your hand! There are blades in there designed to cut things up small enough to make it through the pipe system without problems. That disposal won’t know the difference between food and your finger. It doesn’t think, it only cuts and disposes.
Lastly, don’t put any chemical drain cleaners down your kitchen sink. Not only will you damage the disposal, but the chemicals won’t do their job as well as they’re supposed to, if at all, leaving you with a toxic mess.
A garbage disposal is both a blessing a boon for every household. Just imagine how convenient it is to have food leftovers, chicken bones and any excess waste to be flushed down the sink and ground into bits and pieces. The Waste King garbage disposal is probably one of the best results of the brilliance in technology. As much as it is fun to watch how you can toss an almost entire chicken down to the sink without causing any clog, it is also an impressive tool to have in your kitchen that will surely wow your guests.
Waste king is proud to have two major lines of products that belong to the legend series. The EZ-mount and 3-bolt mount series respectively are both effective in disposing food waste quicker which will save you time. The legend series also grinds faster and uses less energy so you save on electricity during the process. The Waste King garbage disposal has several features that will suit your kitchen requirements. You can get the cheaper product if you have a small family or if you live alone. Cheaper does not mean poor quality.
All of the products regardless of the price are all top of the line products with superior quality. They didn’t sacrifice quality. For larger families, the higher end products will be ideal as it can work harder, faster and longer. It is ideal for disposing large amount of kitchen waste as it is designed for heavy duty performance. The mid-range products on the other hand will also suit average sized family.
The Legend series are also categorized according to various product functionalities, such as the ease of the installation procedure, the sound insulation, horsepower and the overall suitability to your kitchen. Waste king has also made an effort to create an eco-friendly model to avoid pollution. You will find the price range for their series to be affordable and reasonable which is from $70 to around $220. The lower end items will normally carry 1/3 to 1/2 horsepower.
The Waste King garbage disposal has four categories of horse power. They come in ½ HP, 1/3HP, 3/4HP and 1 HP. The lower end will be the cheaper version and the higher end is more expensive but powerful and high-performing. All Waste King garbage series are rated number 1 in quality and unparalleled performance. On top of that, they also come with a standard warranty which ranges from 2 to 10 years, with the exception of the legend 8000 series which comes with a lifetime warranty.
If you want to make your kitchen life easier, a Waste King garbage disposal is all you need to maintain a clean and tidy kitchen free of any kitchen scraps and rotten foods. It is one of the best innovative additions to your kitchen tools, and a must-have for every household.
Garbage disposals don’t break down very often but when they do, you’re sure to notice. Don’t run out and buy another one just yet. This article will give you some troubleshooting tips so you can determine what is going on and then give you some ideas on how to repair your disposal.
In most cases, the problem has to do with either something being stuck down in it or a wiring issue. So, let’s look at how your garbage disposal is behaving.
When you flip the switch, does it make noise or does it just sit there quietly? If it does not do anything at all, then it may be possible that either it is a wiring problem or it needs a new motor. However, there may be another explanation… there is a small red button on most disposals that is a reset button.
Sometimes, the motor will shut itself down to keep from burning up if something get’s in there that the garbage disposal can’t handle.
Before going any further, please be sure the power is shut off for safety reasons. When you are ready, you will find the button on the bottom of the disposal unit. Push the button until it makes a clicking noise and if you’re lucky, your disposal will be like new again. Turn the power back on and check your switch. Does it work?
If your garbage disposal is not being quiet, but definitely not normal, then you will just have to investigate a little further. Again, make sure the power supply is shut off. Then reach down inside the garbage disposal and feel around. Usually, you can find the spoon or other object that fell down into the garbage disposal. After removing the object, your garbage disposal should be working again.
If your disposal is making buzzing or humming sounds instead of a large clanking noise, then you may have something that is stuck in the grinding part of the unit. You will need a hexagonal wrench (that hopefully came with your garbage disposal when you bought it). If you don’t have one, check under the sink and take a look at the hexagonal hole. Your going to need to purchase (or borrow) a hex wrench that fits the size of the hole. Once you have the wrench and have made sure the power is off, then you can use the hexagonal wrench to work the grinding unit back and forth until it turns easily. Once you have done that, turn the power back on and check your disposal. Hopefully, it is now running.
If your garbage disposal does not make any sounds and does nothing even after resetting the red button, then most likely you have a wiring issue. Again, turn off the power and then climb underneath the sink with a multimeter and test the voltage that is coming into the unit. If it registers the proper voltage going through (110-120 volts) then you are going to need a new garbage disposal. It you have no power going through at all, then that will tell you it is loose wire or bad switch. If you’re not comfortable working with electricity, call an electrician.
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