Getting a garbage disposal unit is quite essential for your kitchen. It can help you to efficiently manage food waste and other garbage. Instead of flushing food leftover down the drain, you can use a garbage disposal to hold organic waste. But before you buy a garbage disposal, it is also important to be aware of how it works. From this article, we will share all the basics that you need to be aware of using a garbage disposal.

Installing the garbage disposal unit

You will need to install the garbage disposal unit under the kitchen sink. Then you can connect it to the drain. It is made out of a motor, a shredding disk, and a grinding chamber. Once activated, the motor will spin the shredding disk fast. This will break down food waste into smaller particles. These particles will then pass through small holes within the shredding disk, which will get flushed away through the drain. You will need to use water for this process to complete efficiently.

Select what should go into the garbage disposal

It is true that a garbage disposal can help you handle numerous forms of food waste. However, you should also understand that not all materials are suitable enough for disposal. For example, you should not allow bones, fruit pits, or coffee grounds to go into the garbage disposal unit. If that happens, the blades of the garbage disposal can get damaged. This can even end up with clogging the drain.

Moreover, you should be careful not to let any fibrous materials go down the garbage disposal. For example, you should not put corn husks or celery stalks on the garbage disposal. They can tangle around the blades of the garbage disposal and impede its operation. This is why you should only stick to vegetable scraps, fruit peels, and other small amounts of leftover food within the garbage disposal.

Operating the garbage disposal

When you are running the garbage disposal, it is quite important to let a steady stream of cold water run through the sink. The water will help you to flush down the ground particles. Moreover, you can allow water to keep the garbage disposal unit away from overheating as well. While water is running, you will need to gradually feed waste into the garbage disposal. This will help you to make sure that all the waste that you put in is safely flushed away by the unit.

Cleaning and maintaining the garbage disposal

If you want to keep the garbage disposal in perfect condition, you will need to pay attention to regular cleaning and maintenance. One of the most effective ways to do it would be to grain some ice cubes and let them run down the disposal regularly. This will help you with cleaning the blades. Moreover, you can use it to remove the buildup of residue in the garbage disposal as well.

Likewise, you can also use lemon, orange, or citrus peels to get rid of the unpleasant odors coming out of your garbage disposal. Make sure that you don’t let any grease or fat go down the drains of the garbage disposal unit. If that happens, grease and fat would solidify along with time. This can clog the entire unit.

Learn to fix the common issues in your garbage disposal

It is better to have a basic understanding on how to troubleshoot the small issues that could arise in your garbage disposal along with time. For example, if the garbage disposal gets jammed, you should be aware of how to fix it. This is where you can turn off power and use an Allen wrench to manually rotate the shredding disk. This will help you to get rid of the obstructions manually.

If you are getting an unpleasant odor from the garbage disposal, you will need to grind a small amount of baking soda in it. Or else, you may think about using a specialized cleaning solution as well. In case if the garbage disposal stops working completely, you will need to take a look at the power supply. If not, it is better to call an appliance repair technician in your area.

Environmental considerations when using the garbage disposal

Using a garbage disposal can be convenient for you. However, you should also be aware of the environmental impact that it can create. Food waste that you send to landfills can result in methane gas. This is one of the biggest contributors to climate change. But if you properly use a garbage disposal, you will be able to convert your waste into energy production through biogas. Therefore, you need to think of using your garbage disposal as an environmentally friendly alternative for traditional waste disposal.

Final words

Now you have a clear idea on what a garbage disposal unit is and how to use it. Make sure to stick to the tips we shared in this article, so that you can end up with getting the most out of your garbage disposal unit.

Garbage Disposal Installation Albuquerque

We are Day & Night Pluming, Heating & Cooling, and we’re happy to provide articles like this one about garbage disposal basics to help people and our valued customers learn more about pest control and pests to be concerned about. If you need a Albuquerque garbage disposal installation service give us a call at 505-974-5797 to schedule an appointment.