About Food Disposers

You will find more and more food disposers in homes these days. They are becoming a common kitchen tool as people now find them selves relying on them. Having one in your kitchen is a very environmentally responsible alternative to your regular waste disposal routine. Many people tend to think that a food disposer functions by dicing up food waste into tiny pieces using blades similar to a blender, when in fact the process is a little bit different than that. First thing to mention is that the process does not include any blades. What it does use is cintrifical force and lugs mounted to a spinning plate to push the food against a stationary grid ring. The grind ring breaks down the food waste into very fine particles. Once ground the water from your sink flushes those particles through the grid ring out of the food disposer and into the waste water pipe.

Choosing A Food Disposer

Food disposers come with a power rating on a scale between 1/3 and 1 HP (Horsepower) with the common food disposer power rating of 1/3 HP. The more powerful disposers tend to have less issues and usually last longer because they do not have to work as hard as a disposer that has say 1/3 HP. The more powerful disposers will also come with a little bit bigger price tag. When choosing a food disposer for your kitchen you also want to consider the switch options for the machine. One option is to have a switch that that has to be pressed and held down in order to operated the disposal. There is also what they call a ‘Batch Feed” option which only allows the food disposer to operate once the lid is in a locked position. Alternatively you can install a ‘continuous feed switch’ which is communally a wall switch to activate the disposer. This type of switch is the most commonly found in kitchens.

Waste Disposer Features & Options

You may also want to take into consideration the sound of the unit. Seeing that its main function is to virtually liquify your food using a motor some models can be loud. You can also find some models that feature foam insulation to reduce noise. Another feature to ask about is overload protection. This particular feature will shut off the food disposer when it is over worked so that it will not overheat. Warranty is also something to look into when purchasing a food disposer. They can range anywhere from 1 year to 5 years on the more higher end models.

Now you have all of the information needed to purchase the best food disposer for your family and kitchen. Be sure to visit our blog next week we provide you with the steps on how to install your new food disposer. If you have any other questions in regards to food disposers please feel free to contact us. Alternatively you can get in touch with Caldwell Pluming if you would like a free estimate on installing a food disposer or you can schedule an appointment with us today.