Prevent a Garbage Disposal Disaster During Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday celebration that involves family, friends and a lot of food. aside from the fun and food, you should think about other essentials, such as your Winchester home drain and garbage disposal.

You could be overworking your garbage disposal which could cause it to malfunction or completely stop working.

Here are three ways you can keep your garbage disposal in like-new condition during Thanksgiving and other events and celebrations you may host in your Winchester home.

3. Running Water

Running water while using your garbage disposal helps break down food so it can be disposed of properly. Garbage disposals are great to have, especially during the holidays. You need to care for your garbage disposal correctly to avoid expensive repairs.

Running water while using the disposal makes it easier for the disposal but you should not dump plates of food down your sink for your garbage disposal to handle. Excess food causes your garbage disposal to become clogged.

2. Avoid Draining Grease

Your garbage disposal can do many things but it cannot handle grease. Grease should be drained in the trash can. If you want to avoid a potential mess, store grease in a can or jar and freeze it, then store it in the freezer until your designated trash day.

Oil, grease and fat from previously prepared and cooked meals will harden over time and clog you drain.

1. Know Your Foods

Although food can be disposed of using your garbage disposal, there are some foods that do not belong in your disposal. Some of these foods include:

• Egg shells
• Celery
• Potatoes
• Bones
• Corn husks
• Carrots
• Pasta

Egg shells should not be placed in your garbage disposal because they can clump together and clog your drain.

Vegetables that are high in fiber, carrots, celery, corn husks and potatoes are stringy vegetables that can wrap around the blades of the garbage disposal and cause it to work incorrectly.

Bones, including chicken bones can damage and break the blades of the disposal. Pasta may seem harmless for your garbage disposal but they expand and cause your drain to clog.

Here are three perfect ways to keep your garbage disposal and drain from clogging and avoid expensive repairs. These tips can be used any time to maintain a clean drain.

Don’t get clogged up this Thanksgiving in your Winchester, VA home, call Powells Plumbing today at 540-665-8196.