Even though many of the well-known plumbing components can be found in just about every home (faucets, toilets, water heater, etc), that is not true about every single plumbing component. A prime example of one that would fall under this “optional” category would have to be the garbage disposal. There’s no denying that garbage disposals aren’t a necessity, but you also can’t ignore the benefits that garbage disposals can provide and how they can be a quite useful resource to have in the kitchen. As a plumbing business that provides residential and commercial services, our team certainly has plenty of experience both repairing and installing garbage disposals.
For those of you who are stopping by our plumbing blog for the first time, welcome to Stine-Nichols Plumbing! With our office located in North Kansas City, MO, our team offers a wide range of plumbing services throughout the Kansas City area. Water heaters, drain cleaning, water softeners, faucets, sewer lines, the list goes on. Here on our plumbing blog, we enjoy providing homeowners and facility managers with resources and advice on how they can better understand their plumbing system.
With this week’s blog post, we will be taking an inside look at garbage disposals. As mentioned above, you won’t necessarily find a garbage disposal in every single kitchen, but there is also a reason why they are found in quite a few of them. So, as a Kansas City homeowner, do you need a garbage disposal?
Do you need a garbage disposal, Kansas City homeowners?
To get things started, let’s ask a basic question of whether or not a garbage disposal is worth the investment. Truth be told, we think the answer to that question is YES! Why is this the case? Well, garbage disposals can certainly prove to be a nice resource to have in the kitchen. As their name suggests, they are perfect for chewing up small scraps of food. This alone can help speed up the clean-up process after meals. Given the garbage disposal’s primary responsibility, this will also help keep your plumbing pipes in better condition too and lessen the worry of clogs. How about the impact on the environment? While it’s easy to just see the resource garbage disposals can serve from a homeowner’s perspective, did you also know they offer environmental benefits too? The easiest way to describe this is by the realization that not as much of the food waste will go to the landfill. Interested in one more advantage of having a garbage disposal installed? How about the food waste odors that can build up in the trash can? Anything that you can do to limit that would be well worth it, right?
All in all, there’s a reason why millions of homes have garbage disposals installed in them and we tried to highlight a few of the more notable ones above!
What should I know about my garbage disposal?
On the topic of garbage disposals, there are two things that every homeowner should keep in mind. First and foremost, it is always a good idea to have an experienced plumbing professional handle the installation. This way, there won’t be any concerns about an inadequate install. Plus, when you hire a pro, they’ll be able to guide you in the right direction of quality garbage disposals equipped to handle your usage needs. However, this is only half the battle. The second step of this equation involves properly maintaining it to ensure you get a good return on your investment. Maintenance is something we frequently encourage when it comes to your plumbing system. After all, who wants to spend their hard-earned money on constant plumbing fixes around the house?
With that all being said, how does one properly maintain their garbage disposal? When it comes to garbage disposals, one thing that you’ll want to prioritize is making sure everyone in your household knows what they can and can’t handle. Grease, coffee grounds, fibrous vegetables and pasta are all instant no-no’s. These are all more than capable of causing issues to your garbage disposal and are examples of things to toss in the trash instead. Abiding by this rule diligently is certainly an example of preventative maintenance. Along with that, you’ll also want to remember to regularly use the disposal, as well as add in routine cleaning. This will help in keeping your garbage disposal functioning correctly.
Other than that, another thing worth mentioning is the different HP sizes for garbage disposals. As referenced above, there are certain items that are always considered no-no’s for disposals. However, given that they are differentiated by HP size, we couldn’t not mention that here. Essentially, these varying HP amounts signify how much power a particular disposal has and its ability to fight through food particles. This is something worth noting when considering different options and if you’re unsure which is right for your home, don’t hesitate to ask your local plumbing professional. And lastly, it’s certainly worth discussing the specialty lines of garbage disposals offered by InSinkErator (who is our go-to for all things disposals). This includes those in their “Advanced Series,” which are able to operate much quieter than your standard disposal. Yet another example of innovation constantly changing the plumbing world, for the better! Click HERE to learn more about InSinkErator’s Advanced Series of garbage disposals.
How about garbage disposals for Kansas City businesses or restaurants?
Over the years, our team at Stine-Nichols Plumbing has worked with numerous businesses and restaurants throughout the KC area. And as you can probably imagine, commercial facilities can require different items for their plumbing systems and a garbage disposal is a great example of one. While breakrooms in office buildings can use your regular residential garbage disposals, the same can’t necessarily be said for commercial kitchens. With commercial kitchens, you’ll be looking for a commercial garbage disposal. No surprises there, right? Commercial garbage disposals are designed for this more consistent usage and can also be available in larger HP sizes that you won’t typically receive in the residential world. In the end, the one thing we wanted to highlight with commercial garbage disposals is the fact that they make models specifically for commercial uses.
Installing Garbage Disposals Kansas City Homeowners and Businesses Can Count On!
While garbage disposals serve a rather straightforward purpose, there is a clear reason why so many homeowners have them installed in their kitchens and likely use them fairly often as well. Here at Stine-Nichols Plumbing, our technicians possess years of experience repairing existing garbage disposals and installing new garbage disposals Kansas City residents can count on. Without a doubt, our go-to brand when it comes to installing new garbage disposals continues to be InSinkErator. They are certainly a well-known brand in the industry and offer a wide range of products to suit just about any situation. Whether that be a commercial disposal with a lot of HP, residential garbage disposals with varying HP or even units from their “Advanced Series,” there are plenty of options to pick from.
Do you live in or near the Kansas City area and need help repairing or installing a garbage disposal? Don’t hesitate to give us a call at (816) 348-3481 or fill out the form HERE to speak with a member of our team.