Garbage disposal maintenance
When a garbage disposer jams, switch off the unit and insert a dowel or the handle of a wooden spoon, and, pushing it against a flyweight, rotate the flywheel counterclockwise. (The electric motor turns the impeller, a circular flywheel attached to freely rotating flyweights, in the grinding chamber). If a small L- or Z-shaped wrench came with the unit, use it to clear a jam, following the owner’s manual.
Plumber Pro Tips to Share
Tip #1 Garbage disposers will get clogged because of the buildup of greasy food.
Tip #2 Try throwing ice cubes into the unit and running it.
Tip #3 The ice should congeal the fat, allowing the unit to grind the fat into disposable bits.
Tip #4 And to keep your garbage disposal smelling fresh, regularly cut up lemons and run them through the grinding process with some ice.
Tip #5 You will be able to smell the fresh citrus for an hour or more.
PLUMBING TRADE SECRETS: If you have a septic tank, consider that it will need to be pumped out frequently since the byproduct of food grinding sometimes qualifies as semi-solid waste.