Let’s be honest: A clogged garburator is just ewwww. First, there’s the mystery smell. Then there’s the inconvenience of a slow-draining sink, complete with bits and pieces of yesterday’s breakfast floating around in there. Gross. Garburators back up for plenty of reasons – including these top three:
Disposal Clogging Culprit #1: Incorrect Use
File this problem under “things they should have taught us before we became adults but didn’t because, instead, they wanted to see how fast we could run a mile”.
Way too many homeowners use their garburators as a replacement for their trash cans, putting everything and anything down that poor drain. But there are definitely some things you should never, ever expect your disposal to deal with:
- Fibrous foods, like celery, asparagus, or sprouts
- Fats, oils, and greases
- Eggshells
- Coffee grinds
- Bones
- Starchy food, like peels, beans, rice, or pasta
The problem isn’t necessarily that these things will hurt your garburator. The problem is how these food items react to water after they’re ground up. If poorly ground-up or sludgy food waste is left over time, it will eventually clog up your disposal completely.
Another way you might be misusing your disposal is not using enough water. Without sufficient water to flush the ground-up food through your pipes, the waste will build up and cause a blockage. Keep a decent flow of cold water running for a few seconds before and after putting your food scraps down the drain.
And this should go without saying, but we’ll say it anyway: Don’t put non-food items down your garburator. Ever.
Clogging Culprit #2: Dull “Blades”
If you put the wrong things down your drain or don’t keep up with regular maintenance, your garburator “blades” might just be too dull to do the trick. Once a month, grind up a handful of ice cubes. This can help keep them in tip-top shape.
For those who are curious, we put “blades” in quotation marks, because garburators don’t really have blades; they have impellers. The impellers aren’t particularly sharp… until they spin really fast. (Here’s another “it goes without saying”: Never put your hands inside a garburator when it’s turned on. In fact, it’s best to keep your appendages out of it altogether—running or not).
Clogging Culprit #3: Old Unit
Garburator aren’t invincible to typical wear and tear. Eventually, the impellers will wear down too far or the motor will burn out. In general, you should expect your disposal to last anywhere from eight to 15 years. But you may be looking at a replacement in three to five years if your disposal isn’t properly used and maintained. Five Steps to Clearing a Backed-Up garburator:
1. Turn off the power: You can either unplug it from the outlet or turn off the circuit breaker at your home’s main panel.
2. Inspect the garburator with a flashlight: If you see an obvious clog, clear it with tongs, pliers, or a wooden spoon. Move your tool of choice around the blades to make sure they’re moving freely. Don’t use your fingers.
3. Use a sink plunger: If you don’t notice a visible clog, load the sink with water, place the plunger over the drain opening, and start plunging. Look for obvious clogs again and remove any debris.
4. If your sink still seems backed up, try some DIY drain solutions: Don’t waste money on pre-mixed or chemical solutions; they’ll probably hurt your garburator in the long run. Rather, mix equal measures of vinegar and baking soda and pour it down the drain. After 30 minutes, pour hot water slowly into the sink to flush out the debris.
5. Turn on the power and test it: Run water into the garburator, and flip the switch on and off for a few short bursts to make sure all debris is unclogged.
If your garburator won’t turn on at all, make sure it’s plugged in first. If it is, press the reset button on the bottom of the unit under your sink. Sometimes, a circuit trip and a quick press of a button can solve the problem.
Finally, if your garburator seems to be working just fine, but your sink is slow-draining or you’re constantly running for the plunger, your problem might have nothing to do with the disposal. We’re happy to help you figure out what’s up.
Still Need Help?
It’s time to call a plumber. We don’t recommend tearing apart your garburator because we don’t want you to do permanent and expensive damage. We’re Calgary most trusted plumbers, and we can handle whatever your garburator wants to throw at us. (Hopefully not literally).
