Top Tips for Garbage Disposal Maintenance

Posted on October 7, 2022 by weilhammerplumbing

A garbage disposal is a kitchen appliance that many homeowners find extremely useful. It helps to reduce the amount of food waste that goes into the trash, making it a more environmentally-friendly option. Additionally, it can help to keep your kitchen cleaner by preventing food scraps from sitting in the sink or on countertops. And, if you have a busy household, a garbage disposal can make mealtime cleanup much easier. Overall, a garbage disposal is a worthwhile investment for any homeowner who wants to reduce their environmental impact and make their life a little easier.

But in order to reap all the benefits that your garbage disposal has to offer, you must take good care of it. Continue below to learn some top tips for garbage disposal maintenance and care.

Garbage Disposal Repair Indianapolis Indiana 317-784-1870

Recommended Garbage Disposal Maintenance

If you have a garbage disposal in your home, it’s important to take good care of it. Here are some tips for how to keep your disposal running smoothly:

Run cold water while the disposal is in use. This will help keep things moving through the blades and prevent clogs.

Don’t pour grease or oil down the drain. These can solidify and cause clogs.

Avoid putting hard or fibrous foods like celery, banana peels, or corn husks down the disposal. These can damage the blades.

Run the disposal regularly, even if you don’t think there’s anything in it. This will help keep things moving and prevent rust.

If something does get stuck in the disposal, don’t reach in with your hands to try to remove it. Use a plunger or pliers instead.

By following these tips, you can help keep your garbage disposal running smoothly for years to come.

Garbage Disposal Repair

If your garbage disposal starts making strange noises, doesn’t work as well as it used to, or has stopped working entirely, it may be time for a repair. Below are some common signs that indicate a need for garbage disposal repair:

Strange Noises – If your garbage disposal starts making grinding, humming, or whistling noises, it may be an indication that the blades are dull, or something is caught in the disposal.

Decreased Performance – If your garbage disposal isn’t working as well as it used to, it may need to be repaired.

Stopped Working Entirely – If your garbage disposal has stopped working altogether, it will need to be repaired or replaced.

Burning Smell – A burning smell might indicate metal-on-metal friction when something is stuck in the blades or motor.

Is your garbage disposal giving you grief? Act now before the problem worsens. Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for licensed and insured garbage disposal repair in Indianapolis, Indiana, and its surrounding counties. Our plumbers also provide garbage disposal replacement and carry a line of top-quality In Sink Erator®(ISE) Garbage Disposals at market low prices.

What You Need to Know Before Buying a New Garbage Disposal

Posted on October 27, 2021 by weilhammerplumbing

When you are moving into a new house or confronted with garbage disposal replacement, there are some things you need to know before buying a new unit and having it installed. Continue below to learn some garbage disposal buying facts that can save you from wasted time, money, and possibly municipal penalties.

Garbage Disposal Plumber Indianapolis Indiana 317-784-1870

How to Buy a New Garbage Disposal

Garbage disposals are designed to last for 8 to 15 years. Whether your house was built decades ago and it’s time for a new disposal, you are moving into a new residence that is not yet equipped with a disposal, or your current unit broke down and you need to replace it with a new one, there are some things you need to know before hitting the market.

Check With the Local Building Authority

Your first point of duty is to check in with the local building authority to make sure your town permits garbage disposals. That’s right; not all metropolises allow residents to have garbage disposals because the municipal sewage system is not equipped to handle the volume of waste that generally passes through garbage disposals.

If you have a garbage disposal installed under the table, you could face certain local and state penalties, such as fines and restitution orders.

Think About the Regularity of Pipe and Drain Clogs

Does your home experience pipe and drain clogs on a regular basis or more frequently than normal? If so, your residence may not be compatible for garbage disposal installation. That doesn’t mean you cannot move forward with installing one; it simply means that a garbage disposal may cause more problems for your plumbing pipes and septic system than it would do good.

Think About Your Septic System

Food particles that pass through garbage disposal systems breakdown much slower, and therefore are prone to accumulating in the septic tank. This can clog up the septic system, causing a whole heap of damages to the interior and exterior of your property. So, be sure to first think about your septic system before buying a new garbage disposal. Contact the Indianapolis plumber who installed your septic system, or who pumps it, and ask them if it is compatible with a garbage disposal.

Factors to Consider When Shopping for a New Garbage Disposal

If your home, municipality, and septic system are all on board for a new garbage disposal, then you can start looking for a model that meets your needs. Here are some top factors to consider when you are looking for a new garbage disposal system:

Plumbing Compatibility

Noise Level

Horsepower

Size

Grinding Chamber Material

Direct-Wired or Plug-In

Batch Feed or Continuous Batch

Quick-Mounting System

Turn-And-Lock System

Recommended Features:

Anti-Jamming

Anti-Splash

Corrosion Protection

Quiet Noise Level

Garbage Disposal Costs

Garbage disposal systems can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to an upwards of $1,500. In addition to purchasing a new unit, you will also have to pay for installation, which generally costs between $300 and $500 depending on the size and complexity. Installation takes one to two hours on average.

Are you looking for garbage disposal installation or repair? Perhaps you are tired of dealing with clogged drains all the time? Is your septic tank on the fritz? Contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for residential and commercial plumbing services in Indianapolis, Indiana. We can help with all of this and more!

Indianapolis Indiana Master Plumbers 317-784-1870

How to Fix a Leaky Garbage Disposal

Posted on January 14, 2021 by weilhammerplumbing

Whether your garbage disposal is leaking from the top, the side, or the bottom, it needs to be an immediate priority to resolve the issue, before any permanent or costly damages can occur. Continue below to learn why your garbage disposal is leaking, and what you can do to fix the problem, correctly and cost-effectively.

Indianapolis Garbage Disposal Repair 317-784-1870

Top Causes of Garbage Disposal Leaks

There are many reasons why garbage disposals leak, from incompatible plumbing fittings to improper installation. But the top causes of a leaking garbage disposal are generally loose sink flanges, damaged or detached drain line connections, and damaged internal seals. Be sure to routinely clean and service your garbage disposal by a licensed and certified and trusted plumber to prevent major issues such as these. More importantly, if you notice garbage disposal leakage, act fast, immediately in fact, because small water leak can quickly turn into a disaster.

Garbage Disposals That Leak from the Top

The most common cause for a garbage disposal that leaks from the top is a loose sink flange. Fortunately, this is a minor and quick fix, so long as you know what you are doing, or you hire a professional to do it for you. A sink flange is a component that connects the garbage disposal to the sink. Sometimes, the plumbers’ putty can wear away, causing the flange to become loose. To fix, loosen the bolts, add some more plumbers’ putty around the seal of the sink flange, and then tighten the bolts back up. If you see that there is plenty of putty, simply check that the bolts are tight enough, as this could be the overall cause of the loose flange.

Garbage Disposals That Leak from the Bottom

A damaged, cracked, or worn out internal seal is the common cause of a bottom-leaking garbage disposal. In this case, it means that the garbage disposal is the component that needs repaired. If the water is leaking from a crack on the outside of the garbage disposal, it cannot be repaired, and instead, the entire unit must be replaced. Sometimes, the disposal unit gets shifted around as a result of storing items underneath the sink. Check that is it properly aligned, and make any necessary adjustments to put it back into its place.

Garbage Disposals That Leak from the Sides

A side leak on a garbage disposal unit typically indications a poor or lost drain line connection. In many residential kitchen systems, it is common for a dishwasher to be connected to the garbage disposal via a drainpipe, which directs all the collected debris and dirty water out of the house after the dish washing cycle. In some cases, the metal clamp that keeps the drainpipe in place can come loose or detach if the screws and rubber gasket sealing the pipe loses adhesiveness. Check this metal clamp to see if this is what’s causing your garbage disposal to leak. Tighten them back up with a screwdriver, and then check to see that the actual hose to ensure it has not been torn or compromised in any way.

Where to Get Trusted Plumbing Service and Garbage Disposal Repair in Indianapolis

Call Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for professional garbage disposal repair and water leak repair in Indianapolis, Indiana. Master plumber, Mark Weilhammer, is happy to provide free estimates, free advice, and a wide range of affordable plumbing services for residential and commercial properties, including full-service plumbing inspections to ensure you are protected against water leaks and do not have any current or impending water damage. Request a free estimate, today.

Top Two Causes for a Leaking Garbage Disposal

Posted on July 25, 2019 by weilhammerplumbing

When you discover that your garbage disposal unit is leaking, your first priority should be to mitigate the water damage. From there, you must determine the underlying cause before you can move forward with a repair. Fortunately, most garbage disposal leaks are caused by minor issues that can be easily repaired; sometimes on your own!

Continue reading to learn the top two causes for garbage disposal leaks, as well as, what you can do to repair them.

Garbage Disposal Maintenance

It is important to stay on top of routine maintenance when it comes to your home’s plumbing systems. After all, it is one of the most vital systems in a household. But typically, the garbage disposal is overlooked. On a routine basis, you should clean out the disposal to eliminate food and solid residues, sanitize it to eliminate bacteria and other contaminants, and most importantly, have it inspected and serviced by a licensed plumber when it starts to show signs of problems.

Garbage Disposal Leaks

There are many reasons why a garbage disposal might leak; however, the top two causes for garbage disposal leaks are a defective gasket or a defective flange. Take a look below to learn more about each, including how to fix them.

Leaky Gasket

When a rubber gasket gets old, or goes unused for a long period of time, it can dry up and develop a crack, which in turn leads to a leak in the gasket. It can also be caused by improper installation. But how do you know this is your problem? If the leak is coming from the top rim where the seal mounts to the flange, it could be caused by a leaky gasket.

To repair a leaking gasket, you will need to replace it with a new one. Visit your local home improvement store to purchase replacement garbage disposal gaskets. They are inexpensive, but just be sure to get the right kind. There are some garbage disposal units that require a special type of gasket. If in doubt, refer to your owners’ manual.

Leaky Flange

Another common cause for a leaking garbage disposal is a defective flange. A disposal flange can develop a leak if the plumbers’ putty dries up, or if the bolts that connect the flange to the sink comes loose. How do you know if this is your problem? If the leak is coming from the very upper portion of the unit, it could be a flange leak.

To repair a leaking flange, there are a few options depending on the cause of the leak. The unit may just need to be re-tightened from underneath the sink, or the flange itself will need to be replaced. In other causes, the unit might need to be removed so that the plumbers’ putty can be reapplied, or so the flange can be released and the garbage disposal can be rehung.

Indianapolis Garbage Disposal Repair

If your garbage disposal is on the fritz, contact Weilhammer Plumbing Company at 317-784-1870 for garbage disposal installation and repair in Indianapolis, Indiana its surrounding areas.

Weilhammer Plumbing Co. Inc.

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