Garbage disposals are a handy tool for eliminating food waste from your kitchen, but they can also have problems if not used and maintained properly.
They use a set of blades to grind up waste into tiny pieces that are washed down the drain with water. But sometimes objects that are too hard for the blades to break down get caught between them, causing a jam.
Clogs
Clogs in garbage disposals can be annoying, frustrating and potentially dangerous. Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to prevent this problem.
Choosing the right food items to put in your disposal is one of the best ways to avoid a clog. Generally speaking, food scraps should only be put in your disposal when they’re very well ground up and haven’t gotten sludgy or wet.
The other key is to keep a steady flow of cold water running when you run your disposal. This will help break up any solids and reduce the risk of a clog.
You can also use a sink plunger to loosen the blockage. Fill your sink with a few inches of water, place the plunger over the drain opening and plunge it a few times to get the clog moving.
Leaks
The garbage disposal is one of the most important appliances in your kitchen. This is why it’s important to keep it working properly, and fix any problems it might have as soon as possible.
Leaks are a common problem with garbage disposals and can be difficult to identify on your own. However, identifying where the leak is coming from is crucial to finding out how to repair it.
First, check the sink flange, where your disposal and the sink drain connect. This is the most likely place to find a leak.
If the flange is leaking, it may be caused by a faulty seal made of plumber’s putty. To fix it, loosen the retaining bolts and force some new putty into the gap between the flange and the drain pipe.
Other places where a leak could occur are on the bottom, around the reset button, or in the holes or screws that hold the bottom of the unit. These are often more difficult to fix, but they should be addressed immediately.
Noise
The whirring motors of garbage disposals make a lot of noise as they chop food. They can make sounds like passing trucks, and they’re louder than some
refrigerators.
If you’re hearing a humming or rattling noise, there may be a jam inside the disposal. This could be something as small as an olive pit or a spoon that got stuck in the machine.
A hard object that gets stuck in the disposal can clog it and cause it to run constantly, which can damage the motor. It also eats away at the blades, so it’s best to keep your disposal clean and clear.
The quality of the build material used for the disposal’s body and mount also plays a role in how much noise it makes. High-quality materials are more durable and vibrate less than poor-quality plastics, so they produce a quieter sound.
Overheating
When your garbage disposal is overheating, it can make a loud humming sound and may refuse to turn on. This is usually caused by a clog or overuse.
In most cases, overheating is a relatively easy fix. It involves removing blockages, reducing the amount of waste put in the disposal, and giving it time to cool down before pushing the reset button.
The most common reason for overheating is overuse and jamming the motor. Typically, you’ll notice this when the red button on your disposal becomes stuck.
Another potential problem is leakage. A leaking garbage disposal can be a fire hazard, so you should immediately shut it off if you see signs of water coming from the reset button or the grinder chamber.
Luckily, this is a rare occurrence and not a concern for most homeowners. If you have any questions about your garbage disposal, don’t hesitate to call a plumber in Melbourne to help!