The under sink garbage disposal is a great invention that most of us take for granted. It will keep grinding away food waste for many years without complaint. There are a few factors that will determine how long your disposal will last.
One of the most important factors is the quality of the unit. Some brands are just made better than others. This is often reflected in the cost of the disposal. Going with a proven brand, such as InSinkErator the company that invented the disposal, and you can expect to get around 8-15 years of service with regular use.
Frequency of use will also play a part in how long the disposal will last. In this case underuse can be more of a problem than overuse. Garbage disposals can rust, corrode, collect hardened food, and in some cases even freeze. That’s why it’s important to run the disposal regularly, even for a short period while running cold water. This will keep the surfaces clean by reducing food residue buildup and corrosion.
Another important factor is the horsepower rating of the unit. Most disposals designed for home use start at 1/3 horsepower. If the disposal is not powerful enough it may have to run longer and work harder than a more powerful unit to accomplish the same amount of work.
Another important factor in the lifespan of the garbage disposal is how it is used. Here are a few tips you can follow to ensure your disposal last as long as possible.
- Use cold water. Cold water keeps the food waste as hard as possible, making it easier to grind up and force down the drain pipe.
- Keep food waste as small as possible. A garbage disposal isn’t designed like a food processor, there are no blades to cut up larger pieces. It works best when you feed smaller pieces that can be efficiently passed through the grinder.
- Don’t put starchy foods down the disposal. This includes potatoes, rice, pasta etc.
- Avoid hard foods. Bones, pits, and seeds will dull the grinder, shortening the lifespan of the unit. They are alos more likely to jam the disposal.
Time to replace your garbage disposal? Call Grand Lake Plumbing and Heating. We install high-quality disposals designed to provide many years of reliable service.
