The garbage disposal is one of the most underappreciated kitchen appliances we use. A good garbage disposal makes it easy to get rid of food scraps, saving you the hassle of wiping them into the trash. It will also shred those food scraps, thereby preventing them from clogging your pipes. Considering just how useful it is, you’ll want to get your garbage disposal repaired as quickly as possible should anything go wrong with it.
Signs You Need Garbage Disposal Repair
The following are some of the common signs that indicate that there’s an issue with your garbage disposal that you’ll want to have repaired:
- It won’t turn on – If the garbage disposal won’t even turn on, then you know that there’s an issue. Try resetting the unit first. If this doesn’t work, check the circuit breaker. If your garbage disposal still won’t turn on, you’ll need a plumber to come to inspect it for issues.
- It’s making strange sounds – A garbage disposal has a lot of moving parts. If you hear strange or loud noises, there’s a chance there’s something wrong with these parts. It could be because something that can’t be shred has jammed the disposal. It could also be because one of its moving parts is damaged or has broken down.
- It’s producing foul odors – If you rinse your garbage disposal, any odors that were lingering should go away. If they don’t, it means that old food particles have latched on to the disposal and it requires cleaning.
- It constantly needs to be reset – Hitting the reset button can help bring a garbage disposal back to life if it was having trouble turning on. However, if you’re constantly hitting the reset button, it means that there’s an underlying problem that needs to be addressed.
- It’s leaking water – If your garbage disposal is leaking water, then it may be cracked. Depending on the severity of the damage, you may need to have it replaced.
- It’s taking too long – If it’s taking way longer than usual to break down food scraps, it may be because the blades are dull. You may have to have the blades sharpened or replaced.
How to Prevent Garbage Disposal Problems
Nobody wants to deal with a broken or malfunctioning garbage disposal. Fortunately, if you know how to use it properly, you can prevent some of the more common issues. The following are a few tips that can help you avoid the need for garbage disposal repairs:
- Use ice once in a while – Putting a small amount of ice down your garbage disposal will help clean the blades and prevent foul odors.
- Avoid putting too much down the drain – Your garbage disposal is going to have a tough time breaking down a lot of things at once. This is especially true for tougher items, such as vegetable peels.
- Don’t pour chemical cleaning agents down the drain – If you have a clog or you’re just trying to keep your lines clear, don’t use a store-bought drain cleaner full of chemicals. These chemicals can damage your garbage disposal over time, thereby shortening its expected lifespan.
- Avoid putting certain items down the disposal – First of all, only food scraps should be going down the garbage disposal. Don’t put actual trash down there. Secondly, avoid fat, grease, hard bones, and materials that are very fibrous, such as cornhusk silks. These can clog up your drain and cause unnecessary wear and tear on your garbage disposal.
- Run cold water while using your disposal – This will help clear particles from the blades and help flush shredded materials down your pipes. Do not use warm water while running your garbage disposal.
Schedule Garbage Disposal Repair Today
If you’re having problems with your garbage disposal, inspecting it on your own can be dangerous. You’re dealing with sharp blades that could potentially injure you, after all. Instead, contact a professional plumber who can safely inspect and repair your garbage disposal.
If you are in need of garbage disposal repair, be sure to contact us at your neighborhood plumber, Greenwell Plumbing to schedule an appointment in the Louisville area today. We have over four decades of experience and have built a reputation as one of the most dependable and trustworthy plumbing services in the area.
