If you’re used to working in a home kitchen with a garbage disposal in the sink, you wouldn’t want to have to go without it. Even a single day with no disposal will make you understand what an essential part of your daily life it is.
Unfortunately, people often ignore signs that their garbage disposal is coming to the end of its service life (usually 10 to 15 years). Below are a few of the indications that will tell you it’s time to call our expert plumbers and arrange to have a new disposal put in. It’s a good way to get your kitchen off to a fine start to the New Year!
Constant clogs
Is the drain where the disposal is attached clogging regularly? It might be an issue with the drainpipe itself. But it might also be the fault of a disposal that can no longer grind down food waste finely enough, and is instead allowing large bits of food get stuck. You can’t “sharpen” the blades of the disposal to improve this, since the disposal doesn’t even use sharp blades. (Its impellers are blunt.) You’ll probably need the unit replaced.
You need to hit the reset button too often
When a disposal stops running, the first thing you do is check on the reset button (underneath the sink) and press it. This is the circuit-breaker for the disposal’s motor. You shouldn’t need to reset the button frequently, however. If you need to press it a few times a week, then the motor of the disposal is wearing down—and it’s time for a new disposal.
Major leaks
Leaks can occur around the sink flange and other parts of the disposal. In some cases, it’s more expensive to repair the leak than to start over with a new disposal. If you already have an old disposal, we recommend putting in a new unit rather than pay for repairs that may not even hold up for long.
Slow food grinding
Is the disposal just not grinding down food as fast as it once did? When it takes longer and longer for the disposal to clear the hopper, call our plumbers and we’ll see if you need repairs… or a new disposal.
Red Rock Mechanical LLC: Serving Northwest Vermont and Plattsburgh, NY area for over 23 years!
