Reasons why your garbage disposal gets jammed

There are many reasons why garbage disposals get jammed. First of all, putting any non-food item down the system will almost always jam it. Avoid plastic, glass, rubber and putting any similar object down your garbage disposal. Perhaps you made a nice meal and your guests have helped clear away the dishes dumping all uneaten food into your garbage disposal. Maybe they did not realize that chicken bones and fruit pits should not go in your garbage disposal and now it is no longer working.

Additionally, it might be tempting to put grease, oil, and greasy food down your garbage disposal, but do not do it. When grease cools, it hardens and will clog, jam, and sometimes gum up your system. Stringy vegetables are also no-no’s when it comes to what not to put in your garbage disposal. Vegetables like celery have strings that can wrap around the blades, slow them down and eventually jam them. While coffee grounds will not harm your garbage disposal, dumping grounds in the system will most likely jam the P-trap. Rice and pasta becomes a thick mash-like consistency when it is combined with water in a garbage disposal and can cause a clog or jam very quickly.

Keep in mind your system was made for convenience; to dispose of small pieces of food. If you have a plateful of food you want to get rid of, it is better to just toss it in the trash can rather than risk overloading your garbage disposal and jamming it up. While logically you might think putting a full orange or lemon in the system to make it smell good seems harmless, avoid doing it. Oftentimes, putting a large food item in the garbage disposal will make it shake causing strain on the seal, drain and further headaches.

Basically, the best rule of thumb when it comes to the garbage disposal is: if you do not need to put something down the garbage disposal it is probably better not to. Is the garbage disposal in your Reading home acting up? Call The Plumbing Works at 610-929-8860 and schedule a service call today!