RVA_GitR t1_j2boqj3 wrote on December 31, 2022 at 1:42 AM

From what I’ve heard from family that are plumbers, they are very happy to sell you a garbage disposal…and the almost guaranteed large bill for fixing everything thereafter. There were some good threads on Reddit in the past about the situation on why to not get one.

RulerOfTheRest t1_j2byyr1 wrote on December 31, 2022 at 2:59 AM

Yup, if you're plumbing is older and you misuse the garbage disposal, you will be seeing a plumber again. It may not be this year, it may not be next, but shredding things like potato skins, carrots, meats, and other fibrous things can eventually clog up your plumbing, and most of the store-bought drain cleaners won't do squat to it (and in /r/plumbing they'll shut you down if you ask about using them). Another favorite for plumbers is the moist butt wipes, most of 'em don't break down as well as you think in real world conditions...

...also, if you have PVC plumbing, never pour boiling water directly into the sink, and instead run cold water with it.

Edit: OP, if you do get one, you'll also need an electrician, as they'll have to run a new circuit from the electrical panel to the sink for the garbage disposal. They need to be on their own dedicated breaker.

sdantedip OP t1_j2d7amc wrote on December 31, 2022 at 11:03 AM

Good to know, thanks!

lunar_unit t1_j2e0ekp wrote on December 31, 2022 at 3:47 PM

>also, if you have PVC plumbing, never pour boiling water directly into the sink, and instead run cold water with it.

Why? Draining boiled veggies etc is pretty common.

RulerOfTheRest t1_j2e567i wrote on December 31, 2022 at 4:21 PM

Good question. The melting point on the low end of PVC plumbing overlaps temperature of boiling water. 99% of the time, the contact with the boiling water is so brief it won't be a problem. But, if that water gets stopped by a clog somewhere down the line, the prolonged exposure to the hot water can cause the plumbing to become warped. Most (but not all) PVC P traps are formulated with a PVC version that can handle temperatures above boiling water, but I have come across a couple that didn't survive over the years, with the first one happening to me which led me down the rabbit hole to find out why it's not a good idea to just pour boiling water down the drain.

lunar_unit t1_j2e7igg wrote on December 31, 2022 at 4:37 PM

Damn, good to know. Thanks for the info.

80_PROOF t1_j2ejz2k wrote on December 31, 2022 at 6:01 PM

Plumbing code prohibits water in excess of 140 degrees into most plumbing systems.