Plumbing Dos and Don’ts With Your Garbage Disposal
Plumbing emergencies can come from a number of different areas in the home and the last thing you want is to cause an emergency yourself because you did something to the pipes that unintentionally hurt them. If you have a clogged garbage disposal, it might be something you did or put down the disposal that caused the issue. While it’s not a huge emergency, if you have family coming over, a clogged disposal is certainly inconvenient. Plus, whatever is plugging it can start to smell which might make it harder to get rid of the rotting odors in your kitchen.
Common Garbage Disposal Clogs
There are certain things you can put down the garbage disposal and other things you should not. If you place bones, grease, corn cobs, potatoes, rice, or small pits down the drain, it could very well clog eventually. You also don’t want to stuff even appropriate items down the drain too quickly. You should always run the water before and after running the disposal to clear the drain, of course. And any time you drop a utensil, a sponge, or a piece of jewelry, among other items, down the drain on accident, you could be in trouble.
Think Of The Disposal Like A Fan
The garbage disposal is a device that has blades that operate like a fan. It is meant to chop things up and then send them down the drain. But think about the disposal like it has a fan in it and consider what would work going through fan blades and what might jam things up. Have you ever gotten your hair caught in a fan? It can wrap around the blades real fast, right? That can happen in a disposal too with things like corn silk, spaghetti noodles, and other long, stringy items so you’ll want to avoid putting these types of food down the drain, among others.
What To Do With A Clog
The moment you notice a clog, the first thing you should do is turn the switch back off, so the disposal won’t harm itself even further. Never try to work on a clogged disposal with the switch on. You can then get a flashlight and take a look in the disposal. You might be able to see the object that is jammed and if so, get some pliers or tongs and try to dislodge and remove it. Let the motor cool off for 20 minutes before you turn it back on and then try it again. If you can’t find the clog or you can’t get the item back out, give the professionals in the plumbing industry a call. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when you’re working on a garbage disposal so if you have any doubt about your clog, call for help.
Getting Help With Your Plumbing
The garbage disposal may be very important to how you operate your kitchen and it’s an inconvenience when things aren’t working properly. Call Pete Fer & Son Plumbing with your questions about clogs of any kind and get the repairs you need right away.
