Garbage disposal is one of the things that simplify our daily activities. How does a garbage disposal work? Find out the functionality of your garbage disposal units and prevent their breakage.
How does a garbage disposal system work?
A garbage disposal is a piece of equipment positioned below a sink and connected to the drain. It mills food waste into tiny food bites.
Where does the food in the garbage disposal go?
The reduced food waste is disposed of into the sewer using a large water flow. The smaller food waste particles can biodegrade more quickly.
Food waste can also be utilized as fuel or fertilizer.
How do garbage disposals in sinks work?
Basically, the parts of a garbage disposal system are as follows:
Hopper chamber
The upper hopper chamber is connected to the sink drain. Food scraps go through the sink drain and enter the grinding chamber before being crushed up.
After the food is milled, it is transferred to the lower hopper chamber. The lower hopper chamber in its turn is joined to the waste line.
Flywheel and shredder ring
The shredder ring is situated between the two parts of the hopper chambers and is coupled to a rotating metal turntable known as a flywheel. Food cannot enter the bottom hopper chamber until it has been broken up into little pieces that can pass through the sidewall holes of the shredder ring.
Insulated motor and impellers
The insulated motor turns the flywheel and impellers, the “spinning blades”. Food fragments get into the chopper ring’s grooves through the rotational motion.
Small perforations in the chopper ring allow manageable pieces to pass through, which causes them to fall into the sewer.
Waste line connector
Food scraps pass through the waste line connector. Waste materials that have been shred via the shredder ring into manageable pieces enter the waste line connector’s hole, and exit into a drain or wastewater treatment plant.
How to use a garbage disposal unit
You may extend the life of your disposal by being aware of how it operates. Here is a list of precautions we advise you to take while your garbage disposal functions:
- Is it OK to pour boiling water down a garbage disposal? No, always turn on only the cold water when using your disposal.
- Make sure to run the motor for at least 30 seconds before processing food scraps.
- Keep your garbage disposals clean.
- Only dispose of vegetables and meat. Avoid any hard objects like bones or vegetable peels.
- Never put your hand inside it.
- Do not forcibly press down scraps while garbage disposal functions.
- Avoid putting any equipment inside the body of the disposal unit.
Troubleshooting
The most frequent issues that users have, are:
- Garbage disposal will not turn on.
Find the reset button and press it. Also, check the socket where the garbage disposal is connected in.
- Garbage disposals get clogged up
The impellers are jammed. Unplug the disposal and use a hex wrench to move the impellers manually. Try to force them to unclog a jam by moving them back and forth.
- Leaks
Tighten the necessary connecting pieces.
- The kitchen sink grinder does not work.
Make sure the water is still running. If your waste disposal unit has an unusual noise, check to see if something that is inside the device.
Conclusion
Garbage disposal unit helps save our planet. Getting rid of the garbage regularly makes it simple to keep the kitchen clean and avoid environmental pollution. Studies indicate that garbage output has greatly increased globally.
Read also: How to unclog a garbage disposal in a few simple steps