Give Your Kitchen and Home a Food Waste-Free Experience
If you have a residential garbage disposal, you know how convenient it can be. You can grind up your food waste and flush it away without worrying about taking it out to the garbage can. However, you may not know that a few things you should avoid putting down the disposal, as they can cause problems. For starters, hard objects like bones or fruit pits can damage the machine’s blades, so it’s best to avoid putting them down there. It would be best to take care of stringy or fibrous items like celery or corn husks, as they can wrap around the blades and get stuck there. Some also recommend avoiding putting grease or oil into the disposal to escape the problem of clogging.
Like this, there are some more suggestions regarding this highly efficient kitchen companion. If you are planning to shop for a disposal unit for the sink, the following insights may come in handy.
Before shopping the product
Some communities may not allow the use of garbage disposals due to the inability of their sewage systems to manage food waste passing through the drain pipes. The bits of wasted food can get stuck in the plumbing lines and create further trouble. So, it will be a good idea to talk to your building authorities first. Also, if you face frequent clogging issues with your plumbing lines, it is better to stay away from this device. It will not work even if your community permits the use.
Since food particles take time to break down compared to other wastes, the septic tank can risk clogging. If your building uses a septic system, you can get in touch with the concerned authorities to understand if installing disposal will be helpful. Usually, large septic tanks don’t pose any challenge with these disposal units. Another thing is that these garbage disposal devices need up to 3 gallons of water every minute when they are operational. If you run it twice daily, your water consumption will drastically increase.
Remembering these points when buying this product will help you focus on the best models. Also, if you cannot use it where you live, spending your energy on it will make no sense. Still, you can enrich your knowledge about this environmentally-friendly device to incorporate it later in some other home you buy or build.
Choosing the best disposal unit for home
Suppose your community and plumbing systems support this device. In that case, you don’t have to think twice before purchasing a branded unit. But it’s not just about the label. Various elements constitute its functionality and performance. For example, family size can be a crucial consideration. Then, if you have kids, it will be another angle. All these can be the yardstick for the type of device your home needs. A big family will have a large amount of food waste to deal with, so an oversized unit can be adequate for them. At the same time, different models offer different processing capacities, which you can select based on your specific requirements. These units provide two stark options – continuous feed and batch feed.
Difference between continuous feed and batch feed
Most systems are continuous feed, and you get a broad range of prices per the device’s quality and power. The best thing about continuous feed models is that they run nonstop once you switch them on. As a result, you can keep adding food waste to the running device to allow it to process the garbage. The only precaution you need to practice with this system is to keep your hands away from the blades when operating.
On the other hand, batch feed devices handle only small portions of food and can be suitable for a home with curious young kids. While there is some safety, these models can be costly to buy. Also, it can process only two to four cups of wasted food in one cycle, depending on the grinder chamber’s size.
Horsepower
Horsepower defines the grinding capability of the device. Higher horsepower means higher performance. So, a device rated as 1/2 to 1/3 horsepower can be an economical option suitable for small or medium-sized households. These may handle only soft food items at best. However, anything with 3/4 HP can even tackle fibrous foods without difficulty. Large families with higher food wastage can rely on these models tension-free. You get a higher range also, but these may not be too affordable.
Disposal body
The grinding chamber of the unit faces food waste and water almost continuously. Hence, finding suitable materials that can withstand all the abuse is crucial. In this context, your options may include plastic, galvanized steel, stainless steel, etc. If you want the best, nothing can beat the choice of stainless steel. It can be a little pricier, but it will give you a company for many years. You may not have to replace them. Besides that, rusting and cleaning issues will not bother you.
Installation
High-end designs tend to be plug-in types, allowing you to connect them to your home’s electrical outlet without any tension or stress. Some can have cords and no plugs. You will have to add plugs to those for ease of use. Anyway, direct plug-in models are always easy to handle and install.
Factors like these can make your choice more solid and efficient. Hence, it’s good to ponder over them beforehand. Along with the main features, some additional highlights, such as anti-jamming, noise level, corrosion protection, and others, can also be worth considering. As you delve deeper into the device’s characteristics and learn about their practical implication, you can compare them with your home’s environment and determine how far a specific model will justify its usage. Nevertheless, it will be wise to have two to three options handy in terms of the price range, features, and brands. Anything with high user ratings can be a safe purchase. Still, ensure you analyze its details against your requirement to make it work. In the end, you may have to hire an expert for installation, especially if you are not a DIY pro.