Guide To Buying A Garbage Disposal
Whether you’ve had a garbage disposal for years or are just now deciding to purchase one, you already have a good idea of why so many people seemingly can’t do without this appliance as part of their kitchen. But like most things today, technology has made garbage disposals more complex, meaning you’ll need to know exactly what you need before making your purchase.
Here at Boss Plumbing, we want to make sure you get the perfect garbage disposal for your needs. To help you know how to choose a garbage disposal for your home, here is our comprehensive garbage disposal buying guide.
Why Should You Buy a Garbage Disposal?
When you buy a garbage disposal, we guarantee you’ll reap a variety of benefits. First, you’ll have much less trash in your kitchen garbage can. Rather than have various food scraps toiling away in your garbage can until trash day, you can simply toss them down the drain and into your garbage disposal.
You will also notice your kitchen has less of a need for air fresheners, since less trash in the can means fewer unpleasant odors from spoiled food. Garbage disposals are also excellent long-term investments, with most lasting at least 10 years.
Finally, if you do lots of cooking, we can assure you having a garbage disposal in your kitchen will save you lots of time. Rather than having to go back and forth tossing stuff into the trash can, you can simply toss it down the drain and let your garbage disposal work its magic.
Types of Garbage Disposals
If you are hearing loud grinding noises when you put your usual stuff down the garbage disposal or find yourself having to hit the reset button far too often, we can safely say it’s time to buy a new garbage disposal. However, you’ll find plenty of different types from which to choose, which will usually include the following:
- Batch Feed Garbage Disposal
If you’ve got curious kids or pets as part of your household, we recommend you consider a batch feed garbage disposal. Able to turn on only when a stopper is placed over its opening, this disposal will also help prevent other items from accidentally falling into the disposal.
This can be especially important if you remove rings from your hands and set them nearby when cooking, since the last thing you want is your wedding ring getting ground to smithereens.
- Continuous Feed Garbage Disposal
When you combine a smart faucet with a continuous feed garbage disposal, this will give you the ultimate in kitchen convenience. Along with your smart faucet operating when you give it a bump with your elbow when your hands are full or messy, your continuous feed garbage disposal will turn on when you flick the switch and, of course, run continuously. This lets you add food while the disposal is running, which differs from the batch feed.
- One Horsepower Garbage Disposal
When selecting a garbage disposal for your home, a one horsepower model will usually work very well. This disposal will have enough power to easily grind up chicken bones and coffee grounds, and can also handle fruit rinds if needed. However, keep in mind that it can usually be somewhat large, so you will need to make sure you have adequate space in your kitchen for proper garbage disposal installation.
What to Consider Before Buying a New Garbage Disposal
When looking at garbage disposals, always consider the following things prior to purchase.
Ensure Your Kitchen Has Enough Space
If you are perhaps thinking of installing a new sink and faucet in your kitchen, measure carefully to make sure you’ll have enough space in your cabinet under the sink to have your disposal installed. One thing to remember is that today’s garbage disposals are made to fit all types of kitchen sinks, since the sinks now have standard drain hole sizes of 3.5-4 inches.
Make Sure it’s Allowed
Yes, we can’t stress enough the importance of making sure your building or homeowner’s association allows for the installation of garbage disposals. Believe it or not, New York City had a ban on disposals as late as 1997, so always check to make sure it’s okay before you have a disposal installed in your apartment or home.
Look For Reputable Garbage Disposal Brands
Here at Boss Plumbing, we always recommend our customers purchase name-brand garbage disposals, such as Waste King or Moen. If you think Moen only makes faucets for your kitchen, you should know they also make some of the best garbage disposals on the market today.
Also, make sure your disposal comes with a warranty that is good for around 10 years, since most disposals last about this long under normal operating conditions. Finally, buy a disposal that comes with a power cord already included, since this cuts down on potential problems.
Check For Sound-Control Features
Last but not least, spend a few more dollars and buy a disposal that comes with sound-deafening features, which can include grinding parts that are nylon-coated and mounting baffles that are insulated.
How to Maintain Your Garbage Disposal Now that You’ve Picked One
After you get a new garbage disposal, there are certain things you can do along the way to keep it well-maintained.
Don’t Put Everything Down the Disposal
If you want to avoid the need for kitchen plumbing repairs after you get your new disposal, start by remembering you can’t put everything down your disposal. As a rule, don’t put banana peels, corn husks, and especially cigarette butts down your disposal’s drain.
Run it Regularly
Even if you don’t have any waste to put in your disposal, try to run it at least once per day. If you can, toss some ice cubes down the drain. They will get chopped up by the blades, helping to rid the disposal of any waste that gets stuck to the sides or inside the drainpipe.
Clean Every Two Weeks
Rather than find yourself calling on our pros here at Boss Plumbing to repair your clogged garbage disposal, clean your disposal every two weeks using various methods. These can include tossing a combo of ice cubes and rock salt into the disposal and running it for 60 seconds, pouring a vinegar-baking soda mixture down the drain to kill bacteria, and letting warm water flow into the disposal while you toss pieces of lemons and oranges down the drain.
What Problems Can You Expect with Any Garbage Disposal?
- Leaks
If your disposal is leaking, it’s likely an O-ring needs to be replaced or something needs to be tightened.
- Clogging
When clogs happen, they do so because the disposal has not been cleaned in awhile or the wrong things have been put down the drain.
- Grinding Noises
Something may be stuck around the blades, or your current disposal may be getting old and need to be replaced.
- Slow Draining
This usually means you have a disposal with very dull blades or there is a clog that may be lodged much deeper than you realize.
Do You Need a Professional Plumber to Fix or Repair Your Garbage Disposal?
If you’ve ever tried to install a dishwasher on your own or fix your garbage disposal, you know all too well what you thought would be a simple job usually turns out to be much more challenging.
By relying on our pros here at Boss Plumbing, you can be sure whatever problem your garbage disposal may be experiencing will be repaired right the first time.
Contact Us For Garbage Disposal Installation and Repair
Should you still have questions about how to choose a garbage disposal or are ready to have one professionally installed, contact us today here at Boss Plumbing. Once you do, you can sit back, relax, and soon have a garbage disposal in your kitchen that will work great for many, many years.
