Your garbage disposal will grind up and pass down your drain most of the food waste you put into it, but there are a few items that should never go into it. Egg shells can cause a blockage in the disposal and in the drain. Never put them into your disposal. Celery has tough fiber strands that can wrap around the moving parts of the disposal and make it malfunction. It is also very difficult to remove these fibers to get your disposal working again. Never put any grease into your disposal. Grease can coat the disposal and the drainpipes causing them to become more susceptible to clogs.
Bones can cause your disposal to jam. If this happens use the disposal wrench that came with your disposal by inserting it into the hex opening at the bottom and turning it.
DO not put any plastic or metal into your disposal. Any large food scraps should be cut into smaller pieces to avoid jams. Always run cold water into the disposal before turning it on.
Keep your disposal clean by pouring a small amount of dish soap into it a couple of times a week and rinse it down with cold water. If your disposal begins to smell, try grinding a few lemon or orange peels to naturally freshen it up. Once a month throw half a dozen ice cubes into the disposal and turn it on. Warn anyone nearby as this is very noisy.
Never put drain cleaners into your disposal as the chemicals can damage it.
If your disposal fails to start when you turn the switch check the reset button on the bottom of the unit and turn the switch again.
A savvy reader supplied the following tip:
To double the life of the water heater, run a ground strap from the hot to the cold line above the heater; this is also now current National Electric Code. Since water heaters now have dielectric isolation built into the in and out ports, the ground strap is required for electrical grounding safety (continuity) in the house. Bradford White engineering in Canada confirmed the life extension when he called them.
If you have suggestions for future tips or have questions about maintenance around your home submit them to ask.the.woodchucks@gmail.com
