It is common for homeowners to be leery about installing a garbage disposal in their home if they have a septic system, and they should be. If you have a septic system, this doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of the luxury of a garbage disposal, but you do have to take extra caution with how you use it. Operating the disposal in the wrong way or sending the wrong things down the drain will ultimately compromise your septic system and lead to costly problems. Here’s some do’s and don’ts to make sure your garbage disposal remains a luxury and not a money pit:
Do:
- Do use cold water when you grind food. This solidifies any oils or grease so that they can break down easier.
- Do run your disposal regularly to prevent corrosion.
- Do grind only biodegradable foods!
- Do grind hard foods (egg shells or small fruit pits) periodically to clean the blades.
Don’t:
- Don’t turn off the motor or water until grinding is finished.
- Don’t grind fibrous materials like corn husks, celery stalks, onion skins, or artichokes.
- Don’t pour grease, oil or fat into the disposal!
- Don’t put large amounts of food down the disposal at once.
- Don’t put expandable foods like rice or pasta into your disposal.
- Don’t put coffee grounds or potato skins down your disposal
- Don’t pour harsh chemicals down your disposal or your drains!
At Metro Septic and Plumbing, we care about the health of your septic system. While we want homeowners to enjoy kitchen luxuries such as garbage disposals, we strongly advise that you use them correctly. Using your garbage disposal like a trashcan will likely require more frequent septic tank pumpings or lead to costly blockages in your system. For more questions about what to put down your septic drains, please call our professionals.
