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Keep Your Garbage Disposal in Excellent Shape With These Helpful Tips

How to Keep Your Garbage Disposal Humming Along Through the Holidays

The holidays are officially here, and with all the holiday festivities, many families are beginning to plan their parties, gatherings, and celebrations, none of which are complete without lots and lots of food. While this is all fun and exciting, it also means that kitchens will be abuzz with activity, and while the stove and oven are where the action is, kitchen sinks will get a lot of mileage as well, with all the cleaning up afterward.

The last thing anybody needs during this festive season is to be dealing with clogged or broken garbage disposals, so read on to find out some important dos and don’ts of keeping the garbage disposal in excellent shape to get through the holiday season.

Keep These Foods Out of the Disposal

Food waste is one of the primary reasons why garbage disposals clog and break down and a common cause of clogged pipes. When certain types of food are allowed to go through the kitchen drain, they can cause problems for the garbage disposal and the home’s piping. These types of food that should never go down garbage disposals include oil and grease, coffee grounds, hard foods like fruit pits and bones, fibrous vegetables and potato peels, and expandable foods like pasta, rice, and oatmeal.

Not only can these types of food waste cause problems for garbage disposals, but if they make their way past them, they can clog the drain pipes and sewer lines, creating even more problems for the household, such as slow draining, backups, and bad smells. Additionally, too much food should never be put down drains and garbage disposals simultaneously to avoid problems.

Run the Disposal With Running Water

Running cold water through the garbage disposal system during and after its operation is also crucial for maintaining the system. The water flow aids in flushing the food waste through the system, thereby keeping the blades clean and preventing unwanted waste buildup that could lead to jams or clogs.

The continuous flow of water also helps to cool the motor, reducing the chances of overheating during prolonged use. Additionally, a handy trick to dislodge any stubborn food particles stuck in the garbage disposal is to use ice cubes. When ground, ice chips can reach crevices that water might not, thus effectively scraping off residual waste and dislodging food, ensuring a cleaner, smoother-running disposal.

Call Your Trusted Plumber for Repairs

Homeowners do what they can to prevent garbage disposal breakdowns and clogs, but things don’t always go according to plan, and garbage disposal repair may be needed. Even well-kept garbage disposals can break down, and when they do, the best thing to do is call a plumber. Some problems can be solved by pressing the garbage disposal reset button, but for more complex fixes, a plumber will have the disposal up and running again in no time.

Recognizing signs of garbage disposal problems can prevent further damage, so if the disposal is making unusual noises, has persistent odors even after cleaning, is leaking under the sink, is unable to grind food or needs frequent resets, or if the disposal refuses to turn on, it’s time to call for professional repair.

About Heidler, Inc.

Heidler, Inc. is a family-owned and operated company that has been serving Annapolis, MD, and the surrounding areas since 1947. They provide flat rates, live assistance, and a preventative maintenance agreement. Call them today for garbage disposal installation and repair in Annapolis, MD.

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Does the Garbage Disposal Need Repairs?

Signs That the Garbage Disposal Need Repair or Replacement

The International Association of Certified Home Inspectors reports that garbage disposals should last around 12 years. During that time, parts may need replacing, repairs may be needed, and blades may need to be sharpened. But how can homeowners tell the disposal needs professional attention? In this short guide, homeowners can learn the signs that something is wrong with a garbage disposal that needs a professional’s attention.

Odd Sounds

A garbage disposal will make noise as it minces waste. However, it should not make:

Humming sounds: This means that the motor is trying to turn on but can’t. This could be an issue with the power supply, or it could mean something’s caught in the blades.
Rattling or screeching noises: These sounds metal can make likely mean that a part of the garbage disposal has come loose or something is stuck inside, like a utensil that has fallen down the drain. A plumber can tighten any components that have come loose over time or replace them, depending on their age, and find and remove anything that may be stuck inside.
No sound at all: A garbage disposal makes noise as it runs. If it doesn’t turn on and makes no sound, the issue could lie with the power source.
Buzzing: This could indicate multiple problems with the garbage disposal, from a jam in the motor to a burnt-out battery.

Attempting to fix garbage disposals without professional training can be dangerous. DIY repairs could end up damaging the system further or result in injury if it turns on unexpectedly, so homeowners should call professionals to fix them.

It Doesn’t Work Well

Some more common signs that a garbage disposal isn’t working well and warrant a professional’s attention include the following:

Frequent clogs: If the garbage disposal’s blades don’t properly chop up waste, the remnants can get stuck in the plumbing system. In addition to clogs, this can lead to slow draining.
Reset button must be frequently used: If the reset button has to be used often to restart the disposal, there is an issue that needs attention. Garbage disposals can trip and shut off due to problems like overheating and jams.
It takes too long to chop up waste: A garbage disposal should mince waste quickly. If one has to keep the system on for several minutes, this likely means that the blades need replacing or sharpening.

The Garbage Disposal Smells Bad

The point of installing a garbage disposal in the kitchen sink drain is to shred and get rid of waste. So, the kitchen sink shouldn’t smell bad. If it does, this likely means that food is clogged and stuck in the pipes or the disposal itself. Homeowners can run ice cubes in the garbage disposal to help dislodge any food waste stuck on it. However, if this doesn’t work, plumbers can help find and remedy the problem.

There are also ways homeowners can help prevent clogs in the pipes and things from getting stuck in the disposal. Along with ice cubes, running cold water while the disposal is on helps waste go down the drain and not get stuck. In addition, only put a little food waste down the disposal at a time and avoid putting particular food waste down the drain and disposal at all. Grease and oil, coffee grounds, eggshells, vegetable scraps, and water-absorbent foods like pasta and rice shouldn’t be put in a garbage disposal.

About Heidler, Inc.

Heidler, Inc. is a family-owned and operated plumbing company serving Annapolis and the surrounding areas. They provide flat rates, live assistance when you call, and on-time arrival. Call them today for garbage disposal repair and installation in Annapolis, MD.

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Clean Up Your Kitchen Today With the Ideal Garbage Disposal

What is The Ideal Garbage Disposal?

A great way to cut down on the amount of trash you have to throw out is to invest in a garbage disposal. And, consider how much better the trash will smell, too! There are many things that a person should consider when purchasing a garbage disposal.

Attributes such as noise level, motor size, and warranties should all take priority in the household decision. This article will take a more in-depth look at these three categories to help make the purchase of a home garbage disposal as simple as possible.

Does Bigger Size Equal Louder Noises?

There is no doubt that any garbage disposal is going to make some noise. Grinding all that food can’t be done in silence. But, many homeowners may be surprised to find out that the better quality and more expensive units tend to be quieter than the smaller sizes.

This is due to the better insulated grinding chambers that come with the unit. Homeowners can also look for some models that offer unique features that could include sound baffles.

These help to lower the decibel level of the garbage disposal as well as anti-splash baffles, which will keep your sink cleaner without an extra loud garbage disposal!

How to Select the Proper Motor Size

Once the decision has been made to purchase a garbage disposal, it is time to consider what type of disposal the homeowner should select. Many times this decision is based on the number of people in the family. A smaller motor size will be sufficient for fewer and softer foods. A single homeowner should consider a one-third or one-half horsepower motor.

A larger family may want to consider a three-fourths to one horsepower motor. This will provide a much smoother operation and be able to handle more substantial samples of foods. The chambers in the disposal will be larger due to the increased horsepower.

Choosing chambers and blades that are made of stainless steel will last for a longer duration, provide strong efficiency, and won’t rust. The pulverizations will be more delicate, and families will be dealing with fewer jams. This will make cleaning the disposal much easier.

Garbage Disposal Warranties

One final aspect of the garbage disposal a homeowner should look into is a garbage disposal warranty. It is easy to see how quickly a garbage disposal could wear down with all the grinding and clogging that can happen each day.

Warranties can run anywhere from one year to seven years. Some companies could also offer a lifetime warranty. The ideal warranty to invest in would be a lifetime mechanical and corrosion in-home replacement warranty.

Researching how easy the companies are to work with in terms of their warranty guarantee should be worth investing some time. The in-home service warranty will ensure that a technician will come to the homeowner’s home and fix the unit right in the house. This is a better option than receiving a replacement unit to install and start all over again.

About Heidler, Inc.

Heidler, Inc. has been taking care of Annapolis’ plumbing needs since 1947. Their services have been expanded over the years to include a full range of plumbing and heating solutions to make everyone comfortable at home and the office.

Their team of experts keeps up on all the latest advancements in plumbing and heating, and customers can count on their no gimmick, flat plumbing rates. On-call 24/7, people will never have to worry about problems, even in the middle of the night.