Garbage disposals are great – until you plug the drain line with potato peels and put your kitchen sink out of commission with a nasty backup. You can’t unplug it, so you endure the plumber’s bill and lecture.
You can avoid all this. Every time you use the disposal, run a heavy stream of water first, then start the disposal and slowly feed waste into it. It’s vital to feed the waste slowly. After all the waste is gone, keep running the water and the disposal for about 10 seconds. The extra water at the end helps flush debris down the drain line.
Also, re-evaluate what you are putting down the disposal. It would be a good idea to start a compost bin or pile for organic waste like potato peels, fruit trimmings, lettuce, and so on. This keeps the waste out of landfills and, most importantly, keeps it out of the sewage system, where it must be treated. Treating sanitary sewage costs money.
If your house has a septic system, you should never put excessive food products down your disposal, or you’ll need to have the system pumped and checked more often.