Saving Money on Garbage Disposal
Have you experienced flipping the switch of your garbage disposal unit and getting nothing but a humming sound or possibly a grinding metal sound? Obviously there is something wrong because this should not happen. Replacement is always an option since the installation is not that difficult even without much plumbing experience. It would be safe to assume that everyone wants to save time, money, and a lot of frustrations, right? So let’s take a look how.
Installation Instructions
The very first way that you can save money on your garbage disposal is by making sure that it is installed properly. This is especially true if you are installing the unit as a do-it-yourself project. Of course, hiring a professional plumber is still your best option, but, let’s say you’re confident enough to do the installation, what you need to do is to follow the instructions carefully.
Time-wise, it shouldn’t last more than a day and the cost would be around $100 to $500 at the most depending on the unity you have. When following the installation instructions, make sure that you take note that you need to remove the factory plug from the drain line running to your dishwasher. When you fail to do this, the garbage disposal will not be able to drain; and there starts an avalanche or other potentially costly and annoying problems.
Dishwasher Knockout
If you ask anyone who has installed a garbage disposal unit, you will know that one of the most common mistakes is failing to remove the dishwasher knockout before the disposal unit is hanged. Normally when you buy a brand new garbage disposal unit, there will be parts in the box that you would have to install.
It is a good practice to have a mental or real picture of the old installation before putting in the new unit. This will allow you to put it together in the proper order as well as test the locking mechanism of the unit. This will definitely make the installation process a whole lot easier to complete.
Before jumping to the installation of the new garbage disposal unit, you must remove the knockout of the dishwasher with a screwdriver or hammer. Proceed by fishing it out and getting it from inside the unit. This prevents the disposal unit from grinding it to bits. Take this opportunity to install the cord and plug of the unit.
Inspecting the Unit
Why do you need to inspect the unit? You need to make sure that it is really broken. Replacing a garbage disposal unit that is not broken is simply a waste of money right? Take time to inspect the plumbing. Any sign of leakage can mean that your problem is not limited to the garbage disposal unit, but also other plumbing issues.
If there is nothing wrong around the garbage disposal unit, then you have to make sure that the unit is really fried or dead. How can you make sure?
Make sure that there is nothing jammed in the unit. Just because it is a garbage disposal means that it can handle any piece of trash. Hard pieces like glass for example may jam the motor and prevent it from powering up properly. To make sure, cutoff the power supply and remove the rubble baffle found inside the drain. Train your flashlight in the hole and remove any obstruction using a pair of needle-nose pliers.
Manually turn the motor. If the unit fails to operate, use a hex or Allen wrench to be able to rotate the motor until it reaches a full revolution. Remove the wrench and power on the motor to see if the unit starts working normally.
A lot of times, simply pressing the reset button would solve a multitude of problems associated with the garbage disposal unit. If you suspect that the motor might have overheated, it would be a good practice to let it cool down for about 5 minutes before hitting on the reset button.
After you do all of these and the unit still doesn’t work, then you can consider buying a replacement. If you need more information, get a hold of Emergency Response Plumbers today!