Garbage disposals are mostly hidden from view, they don’t have fancy dials or controls and their job seems a simple one, but their convenience, practicality and environmental friendliness make this modern kitchen workhorse among the most important appliances in the home.
A garbage disposer grinds up food into small particles that can be safely washed down the drain and into the sewer system to be treated later. This helps when cleaning up because you can scrape plates right into the sink while rinsing them. Another advantage is that it leads to less garbage to store around the home as most of the food ends up being washed away. Many tout the environmental benefit of home garbage disposers as their use decreases the burden on local landfills.
Fortunately, buying a new garbage disposal is something we don’t have to do very often. Most garbage disposals will last for 10 or more years, but if yours does go kaput, you will quickly miss this convenience. So what points should we consider when purchasing a new garbage disposal?
Before buying a garbage disposal, the first thing to consider is your local laws and regulations governing them. If you are simply replacing a worn out unit, you don't have to be to concerned about this, but before being the first homeowner on the block to install a new garbage disposal system, you should check with local regulatory authorities first.
The horsepower of the garbage disposal is where the rubber hits the road. Garbage disposals come with 1/3 to 1 horsepower motors. When you are considering buying a garbage disposal, you will want to factor in how much use it will get and the amount of care you will take when tasking your disposal to chew up and wash away food waste.
Another important factor in determining which garbage disposal will occupy the space below your sink for the next decade or so is the warranty from the manufacturer. Careful consideration should be given to the length and scope of the warranty including if the manufacturer provides in-home warranty repairs.
Do you use a dishwasher? If so, check to ensure that it has a dishwasher connection. This design allows food particles from the dishwasher to be flushed away through the disposal system.
Another factor to consider before getting your new Garbage Disposal is if your home uses a septic system, or if you are hooked to the local municipalities sewer system. If you are on your own septic tank, a garbage disposal that is specifically designed for this application must be purchased.
Installation of your New Garbage Disposal
Some manufacturers provide complete instructions on their website for installing garbage disposals including video tutorials. With good instructions and the right tools, and if you have any experience with appliance installation, this is a job you should be able to tackle yourself. Of course replacing an existing worn out or broken garbage disposal should be a lot easier than a new installation.
About the author
Robert Gilmour manages websites for a number of clients. For more information on garbage disposals please visit http://www.mygarbagedisposal.com
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
