Foods You Should Never Put Down the Kitchen Sink Garbage Disposal

Do you have a handy garbage disposal in your kitchen? Using these waste units can be easy, but what we may not realize is that they are easy to damage. The main problem? Food. Food has the tendency to get stuck on the way down, which can cause damage to your pipes!

Here are five foods you should never put down the kitchen sink garbage disposal:

Meat. Especially raw meat - it becomes stringy and gets caught around the blades. If you must dispose, be sure to send it down in very small pieces. 

Grease and Oil. Grease easily clogs up the garbage disposal and ruins your pipes. To be on the safe side, either wipe it off with a paper towel or run cold water when sending greasy food down the drain.

Pasta and Rice. No matter how much water you run, it’s difficult to break down the starch in rice. Cooked or uncooked, pasta and rice can easily swell and clog your pipes.

Flour. It may be soft and grainy, but once flour becomes wet, it turns into glue. It then becomes hard and thick when dry, which can cause problems for your disposal. 

Fruit Peels. The tough skin of fruit is hard to break down and can easily get caught in your garbage disposal. Rule of thumb: Never dispose half a fruit or larger all at once. Banana peels should never be put down the disposal, as they are long, slimy, and stringy.

It’s always a good idea to scrape food off your plates before washing them. Remember, your garbage disposal shouldn’t be used as a substitute for your trash bin.

Is your kitchen sink garbage disposal already clogged or worn? Don’t worry - that’s why we’re here! Nassau County Plumbing and Sewer Rooter is your solution for all sewer, drain, and pipe problems. Give us a call at 516.974.7937 or visit our website for more information.

Easter Plumbing Tips: Keep Egg Shells Out of the Garbage Disposal

With Easter Sunday around the corner we know that many families are getting ready to gather around the table and color and decorate easter eggs. While this is a fun and exciting way to spend time together, remember that it is important to consider where the egg shells end up. 

According to Angie's List, "Contrary to popular belief, egg shells have no place in the garbage disposal. Some people claim that egg shells sharpen the blades of the unit, but this is not true. The shell's stringy membrane layer can wrap around the shredder ring, and the shell itself will be ground to a sand-like consistency capable of clogging pipes." Therefore, after peeling the shell and enjoying your hard boiled egg, make sure to throw the shell scraps out with the trash!

On the other hand, easter does have some plumbing benefits. Use the left over food coloring dye to check for a leaky toilet. Fill the tank with enough dye to make the water visibly that color. Wait and see if the toilet water fills up with this color. If this is the case, clean it immediately. You have a leak in your toilet that you want to get fixed!

For assistance with leaks or garbage disposals, call NY Plumber and Sewer at 212-235-1436. We offer 24-7 30-minute emergency service, so don't hesitate to call even if you've already sat down to celebrate.

Don't let a Clogged Disposal Ruin your Holidays

Did you know that one of the most common home repair mishaps during the holiday, is a clogged garbage disposal.  Rather than going through the trouble of having it fixed, we have put together a few tips that will keep your disposal from malfunctioning during your holiday festivities!

If you do have a garbage disposal in your home, chances are it has been clogged a few times.  It is also quite common to have to replace the disposal all together.  Sometimes we find ourselves in a scramble to clean up and we end up dumping every morsel of food from the plate into the disposal, especially during the holidays when you are entertaining multiple guests at once.  Sometime the disposal is up to the task, but other times its NOT.  The easiest way to keep your disposal running is by knowing what not to put in it.  Avoid egg shells, potato peels, coffee grounds, rice, pasta, asparagus, celery, carrot peels and anything that is hard, fibrous or gummy.  Also know your limits, overflowing a disposal is an easy way to break it.  If you notice that your disposal is taking a bit longer than usual, it may  be time to sharpen the blades.  Of course, following all of these recommendations does not guarantee a clog-free disposal but it will definitely help your chances.  For more info on how to keep your disposal running efficiently visit: http://goo.gl/NjvGVp.

If your disposal does clog at any time call New York Plumbing and Sewer Rooter, we are available 24/7 and also 30 minute emergency services.  Call : 516-874-7937!