What Is A Food Waste Disposal Unit?
This modern kitchen appliance allows you to dispose of food waste in a convenient way. It sits under the sink, replacing your usual plughole and grinds food waste into tiny particles by an internal grind ring. It gets virtually liquefied and then flushed out of the disposer to safely flow into your sewage system, not your storm water system. This mechanism is electrically powered so when purchasing one, make sure to get it installed by a professional.
Why Buy A Food Waste Disposal Unit?
A food waste disposal unit is a revolution in the way we process food scraps, making it a perfect addition to your kitchen. Overall, such a unit will give you the following advantages:
- A quicker and more efficient way of dealing with food waste
- Reduction in handling of food scraps
- No smelly kitchen bins and minimal bin cleaning
- No more uninvited insects during summer
- General hygiene improvement of your kitchen and food preparation area
- Environmentally responsible as food waste can be converted into renewable energy
- Reduction in the amount of waste that goes into landfill
- Reduction of Council collection costs
Important Facts To Consider
Choosing a food waste disposal unit doesn’t have to be tricky if you follow our helpful tips.
Council Regulations
The first thing to determine is whether local regulations allow you to have such a unit. If you’re just replacing an old model, you needn’t check. However, if you’re installing a brand new unit remember to check beforehand. Not all areas allow for the installation of food waste disposal units because of the increased strain they place on sewer lines.
Look At Your Plumbing
Can your plumbing handle such a unit being installed? Not all existing plumbing can so it’s wise to investigate before going ahead with the purchase. It’s also important to check your fixtures to know what types of food waste disposers will be compatible with your current plumbing and sewerage system.
Make sure to check for an electrical outlet under the sink so you can plug in your food waste disposal. Without it, you will need to wire it into an existing circuit and also wire in a switch.
Choose Your Motor Size Carefully
Many of the small food waste disposers come with a motor that is just 1/3 horsepower. While this is fine if you’re a single person in an apartment, it’s not so good if you’re part of a family where the unit will be used more. In this case, you might want to consider a unit with a one horsepower motor. That way it can handle everything without strain, maintaining the motor’s lifespan.
Consider Getting Stainless Steel Blades
Stainless steel blades are firmer, sharper and generally last longer. They will also grind food up finely so you won’t have to deal with clogs in the pipes. Cheaper food disposal units generally use far less stainless steel in their construction and will be likely to wear out sooner.
Perhaps Get A Dishwasher Attachment
If you have a dishwasher, you need to get a food waste disposer unit with a dishwasher attachment. This will attach via a tube and allow food from the dishwasher to be flushed into your unit where it can then be ground up and rinsed away. The installation for such a procedure is quite simple as most qualified plumbers can assist you with it.
Consider Extra Features
There are several other extra features that you should consider. The main one of these is the noise level of your food waste disposer. Generally, the quieter it is the better. It’s also worth considering if your unit has a manual reset button and, ideally, a corrosion protection shield which will help it last longer.
Ready To Purchase Your Food Waste Disposer
Take a look at the most popular models, such as the InSinkErator, on our website. By following our tips, you should be ready to purchase your own food waste disposal unit. To find out more about the options available for your kitchen, contact us today.
View our video below on Insinkerator to find out more!
To find out more about the options available for your kitchen, contact us today!