Garbage disposals are useful tools for chopping up leftover food scraps but they can also wreak havoc on plumbing drain lines when used improperly. Putting hard-to grind items like coffee grounds, egg shells, potato peels and bones down a disposal puts an unnecessary strain on drain lines and can cause costly damage to your home. 

1. Clogs and Blockages 

Garbage disposals can wreak havoc on plumbing drain lines when they're not used correctly. Avoid feeding the appliance foods like coffee grounds, eggshells, celery stalks, potato peels, corn husks, or meat bones. These foods will snag on the disposal's shredding ring or impeller and cause the motor to jam. They also contribute to clogs in your drain pipes, which can be costly to repair and could require a full pipe replacement. 

To prevent these problems, always run water while using the disposal and for a few minutes afterward. Cold water liquefies fats, oils, and grease, allowing them to flow more easily down the drain. Hot water, on the other hand, worsens these substances by coating the walls of the drainpipe and contributing to clogs. Using a combination of baking soda and vinegar instead of harsh chemical drain cleaners will also prevent damage to your disposal's plastic parts. 

2. Wear and Tear 

Although they may seem like a convenience, garbage disposals can actually cause more trouble than good for your home’s plumbing system. Often, the biggest problems stem from improper disposal usage and placing the wrong types of food scraps into the appliance. 

For example, dumping grease into your disposal is one of the most common no-nos because it can create major blockages in kitchen drains as well as sewer pipes. Additionally, it can cling to the interior of the disposal and hinder its functioning. 

Likewise, putting fibrous foods like corn husks, onion skins, and celery stalks down your disposal can lead to grinding blades becoming jammed. These foods also clog your drains and pipes, leading to expensive plumbing repairs. Additionally, dumping egg shells down your disposal can tangle the impellers and cause them to become strained. By being more aware of what should and shouldn’t go into your disposal, you can significantly reduce the amount of food waste that ends up in your home’s plumbing system. 

3. Sewer Line Clogs 

Your disposal connects to a main sewer line that sends wastewater from all of your sinks, tubs and toilets. If the main line becomes clogged, waste can’t flow out of your home and foul smells will rise. Grease is one of the most common causes of clogged main lines as it can easily build up and stick to pipes. To avoid this, always pour cooled grease into a can or jar to allow it to solidify and throw away. 

Similarly, fibrous foods like celery root, corn husks and asparagus should never be placed into your garbage disposal as the long strands can wrap around the impellers. Foods like pasta, rice and beans are also a problem as they soak up water, expand and collect in drains. 

4. Water Damage 

Garbage disposals offer many benefits, including helping you to go through fewer trash bags, and reducing waste that goes into landfills and produces methane. But they can also impact your plumbing system when used improperly, and even create serious damage if not taken care of properly. 

Clogs and Blockages 

Non-disposable food scraps can wrap around the blades or accumulate in pipes downstream from the disposal, causing blockages. For this reason, it is important to run cold water while the disposal is in use and regularly freshen the unit with ice cubes. 

Wear and Tear 

The constant grinding action of the disposal can cause the blades to degrade or break, resulting in water leaks. This can be costly and will require plumbing services to repair but will be worth the repair. Sites like https://www.fixitrightplumbing.com.au/plumber-melbourne/ will have a lot of resourceful information on plumbing services.