Whether you’re building a new home or considering ways to improve your kitchen, you might be wondering whether adding a garbage disposal to your kitchen sink would be a good investment. If you have questions about the benefits and risks of a garbage disposal and whether the service they provide would suit you, we’ve got answers.
What Is a Garbage Disposal?
A garbage disposal consists of a grind ring around the outside of the sink opening and blunt impellers which push waste against the grind ring where it can be ground into tiny bits. Contrary to the name, it is not meant for actual garbage, such as plastic or metal, and it also cannot grind inedible food waste like rib bones or peach pits. But softer food waste can be easily ground and washed away.
What Are the Drawbacks?
There was a great deal of concern about the risks of garbage disposals to sewage systems when they were first invented. To put this in perspective, the first disposal, called the InSinkErator, was invented in 1927. Some cities even banned them out of concern for their municipal sewage systems, but most of these bans were quickly lifted. New York City was a holdout, and bans continued there for decades. Eventually, the NYC Department of Environmental Protection undertook a two-year-long study, and they found that there was no risk to the sewage system, so the ban was lifted in 1997.
If there’s no risk to the sewage system, are there any actual risks? Well, it’s important to remember not to put cooking grease down your sink, even if you have a garbage disposal, so it doesn’t solidify as it cools and cause a blockage. But the biggest risk of a garbage disposal is that it could hurt your hand if you reach down into it. The solution is simple: never put your hand down a garbage disposal.
What Are the Benefits?
The main benefit people usually think of is convenience. The ease of kitchen cleanup can make meal preparation and household maintenance much less daunting, especially when you have guests or a big holiday meal.
But another major benefit that’s often overlooked is the environmental impact. Garbage disposals use a very tiny amount of electricity to operate. The alternative is adding all your kitchen waste to your garbage. You may choose to start composting, in which case your food waste will have to be sorted, because there are many things—chiefly meat, eggs, and dairy—which cannot be composted. Either way, much of your food waste will have to be bagged in plastic, carted away by garbage trucks that burn a considerable amount of fuel, and added to landfills. The tiny amount of electricity the garbage disposal uses to turn your food waste into a liquid is much more environmentally friendly, and then the waste is processed, often by natural bacteria or algae, at your wastewater treatment facility.
To avoid leaks and ensure that your garbage disposal is securely mounted, it’s important to have garbage disposal installation in Johns Creek, GA done by a qualified professional plumber. We’re also happy to answer any questions you may have.
To speak with a member of our team, contact DC Cheek Heating, Cooling & Plumbing today. Fixed, At the Speed of Life!
