5 Benefits Of A Garbage Disposal

One of the best updates you can make to your kitchen is the addition of a garbage disposal. A disposal provides many benefits beyond the obvious convenience factor.

1. Fewer Clogs

Kitchen sinks are a hot zone for drain clogs. Even with careful scraping before washing, food residue still makes its way into the sink and clogs up the drain. Installing a garbage disposal ensures that all that debris can be ground up sufficiently to harmlessly go down the drain without causing any type of clog. As long as you follow the recommendations on what can and can't be placed into the disposal, your drains will run smoothly.

2. Time-Saving

It takes a lot of time to be constantly scraping plates and pans of all food residue before finally being able to wash them in the sink. Then there is the additional chore of taking the garbage out more frequently. Being able to do most washing and scraping right into the sink, while also not filling up the garbage can, can save a lot of precious time over the course of the day.

3. Less Odors

A kitchen without a garbage disposal is more likely to have old food odors. Part of the cause is that more food debris goes into the garbage can, where it can start to smell if it isn't taken out daily. Further, there will be more food residue caught in the drain, which means the foul odors of rotting foods may actually emanate from the sink drain. Being able to grind up the residue and wash it away prevents these odors.

4. Pipe Protection

Food residue that collects in a kitchen drain pipe doesn't just lead to clogs. In some cases it only restricts water flow down the drain, which means the water trapped builds up pressure against the drainpipe joints. Pressure against the joints increases the chances of it failing, which in turn means a leak will form. Using a garbage disposal to prevent residue in the pipes can help drain pipes last longer without leaking. 

5. Save Money

Fewer plumbing problems due to clogs and pipe residue means less money spent. Garbage disposals rarely need service if they are used and maintained per the manufacturer's recommendations, so it is easy to recoup the installation expenses quickly since you will likely require fewer plumbing repairs over the life of the garbage disposal.

Contact a plumber or garbage disposal installation service for more assistance.