# Disposals



## pauliplumber (Feb 9, 2009)

TM made a comment in a thread recently about him thinking disposals should be banned. I agree 100%. How hard is it to throw your scraps away, or like I do give them to your dog. I only clean drains 2" and under and about 80% of the drain calls I get are disposal related (wrong type of food, to much too fast,etc). Some people even use them that are on septic systems.

From a business standpoint I love them. A lot of plugged drains, a lot of new disposals to install. From a plumbing standpoint, I think they should be eliminated.


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## Airgap (Dec 18, 2008)

I also think they should be banned. I am on my wife and kids all the time about putting food in the sink. they are just lazy and don't like to clean a plate off, but they're not the ones that have to unstop everything. I guess i coulda put this in the pet peeeves....:furious:


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

I have a long-time customer that cleans out their frig. and puts it all in the disposal. She thinks that is what is for. We are up to 5 hp disposals.. She is good for 4 stoppages a yr.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Yeah I feel the same way pauli does. Good for business but bad for the plumbing and sewer system.


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

I agree, but disposals are revenue. They clog drains, even new, slick pvc 2" kitchen drains! And they leak. Both those things make me money.
I don't have one in my house, because I don't like wasting money.


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## GREENPLUM (Jul 27, 2008)

This disposal grinds up the waste so small it doesnt clog the drains. Cheap Badger 1-5 are the problem.


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

It doesn't matter how much you blend up that potatoe it will still stick.. :laughing:


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## Optimus Primer (May 20, 2009)

Plumber Jim said:


> It doesn't matter how much you blend up that potatoe it will still stick.. :laughing:


 
Dont forget rice and coffee grounds.


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## leak1 (Mar 25, 2009)

most people dont run the water long enough to keep waste flowing.


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

leak1 said:


> most people dont run the water long enough to keep waste flowing.


Yep. Plus they think its magic. I've seen clamshells, bones, 5 pounds of potato skins, just about everything shoved in there.


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## pauliplumber (Feb 9, 2009)

I think rice is the food I see most often. People don't realize that even after it's cooked, it will still expand if it's sitting in water.


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## Plumber Jim (Jun 19, 2008)

I think we could go on forever about the things people stuff in the disposal. I think they are a waste of the person's money but hey, They add to my wallet.


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## Redwood (Sep 8, 2008)

pauliplumber said:


> I think rice is the food I see most often. People don't realize that even after it's cooked, it will still expand if it's sitting in water.


I'll never forget a job I did at a country club where the kitchen staff threw a 5 gallon pail of rice in the disposer....

About 25' of pipe packed solid with cooked rice...

I won't complain about them...
I like the money they have made me over the years...

I get paid to put them in...
I get paid to unjam them...
I get paid to unclog them...
I get paid to replace them...
I get paid to take them out...

The important thing is that I get paid...:thumbup:

I don't have one at my house...
My wife uses at trash can...:yes:


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## ROCKSTARPLUMBER (Dec 14, 2008)

That baffel in the tee does not help very much. I pulled a whole fish head out the horizontal discharge once. it made it alway to the tee, and stopped when it hit that baffle.


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## DUNBAR PLUMBING (Sep 11, 2008)

If disposals are bad for the plumbing/sewage system, 


Then poop has got to be the worst since hardened fecal matter isn't grinded into small mouthfuls and easily chewed up like a disposer does.


I truly think 2" should be the recommended drain size for any kitchen sink with a disposer, but that'll never hold weight in any code.


The #1 reason for disposals is to keep food from souring in the garbage between takeouts and for those who cut up tons of fruits/vegetables/meats during cooking. 

These items draw animals to garbage much quicker than ordinary waste.

When I unclog a disposal or come out to remove a cheese ball because they didn't think that it do harm... I say "sank yu" and grin from ear to ear.


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## 130 PLUMBER (Oct 22, 2009)

Redwood said:


> I'll never forget a job I did at a country club where the kitchen staff threw a 5 gallon pail of rice in the disposer....
> 
> About 25' of pipe packed solid with cooked rice...
> 
> ...


 
Well said:thumbsup:


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## dapperdan (Dec 25, 2008)

If people used them properly the wouldn't be a problem. Some people forget that the are called Food waste disposals not Garbage disposals.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Most food has grease in it. The more grease that goes down the drain the worse it is for your plumbing and the citys sewage treatment plant. Case closed...good for business but bad for plumbing systems.


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

You guys are KILLIN' me! This IS a PUBLIC forum!

I vote that the entire thread be deleted.


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

Why?


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## Plasticman (Oct 14, 2008)

The worst thing to have stopped up in a disposal is shrimp heads and peels. Horrible, horrible.


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## user2091 (Sep 27, 2009)

how about human fingers? I've had to peel a few of those out too!!!


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

bigdaddyplumber said:


> how about human fingers? I've had to peel a few of those out too!!!


Yours?


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## JK949 (Mar 18, 2009)

My parents have a food service business at a county-run building here. They were told they were no longer allowed to have garbage disposals in their operation.


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## stillaround (Mar 11, 2009)

If more scraps go into the garbage wont that cause landfill issues eventually?


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## pauliplumber (Feb 9, 2009)

Most food is biodegradable. Plus the seagulls gotta eat.....


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

Here you go Smells!

For the general public - Please forgive those above mentioned plumbers, for they know not of what they speak regarding garbage disposals!

First off a little common sense goes a long way. If you have a very good garbage disposal (Evolution Pro Essential is one) and run the water to push the food debris all the way to the main, you should not have any trouble. We have not had one clog where we have installed these disposals. If you must dispose of bacon grease via the sink, run very hot water. Better yet, pour it in a can and dispose of it in the trash.

What's next plumbers? No more mice? Do you really want them thrown in the trash too? What about condoms?

As for food breaking down in the landfill, every time we have a roast chicken, the carcass is double bagged in the plastic grocery store bags so the kitchen garbage does not smell. Then our tall kitchen bags are tied and two are placed in the contractor heavy duty plastic bags before being thrown in the dumpster. It will take a long time for that carcass to decompose. :laughing:

If I could only find a way to stuff it down my kitchen sink drain :yes:! Maybe garbage disposal should come with a tool for stuffing more food stuff.

Would love to see my husbands face  when I try to explain how environmentally friendly it was just before it clogged!


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

Tampons should not be flushed.


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## Pipedoc (Jun 14, 2009)

Flush all you want, I'll rod more. 

I love clients who abuse their disposals. More money for me.


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

TheMaster said:


> Tampons should not be flushed.


Maybe in some areas - but I have been flushing my entire life and I have NEVER had to have a line cleared.

More than tampons, a lot of the clogs we get are related to paper towels and baby wipes being flushed.


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## TheMaster (Jun 12, 2009)

PlumbCrazy said:


> Maybe in some areas - but I have been flushing my entire life and I have NEVER had to have a line cleared.
> 
> More than tampons, a lot of the clogs we get are related to paper towels and baby wipes being flushed.


 They shouldnt be flushed. I dont care where you live. if you have a septic system its even worse. It causes problems in the citys lines and lift stations. Thank you for understanding now.


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## stillaround (Mar 11, 2009)

PlumbCrazy said:


> Maybe in some areas - but I have been flushing my entire life and I have NEVER had to have a line cleared.
> 
> More than tampons, a lot of the clogs we get are related to paper towels and baby wipes being flushed.


 Oh bad. Oh bad. Tampons . Oh bad.
They seem to get stuck around here. And it gives me the opportunity to be real condescending.


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

I retrieved at least 4 and 1 sanitary wipe on Thursday. The owner, a man, got on the office intercom and said to his two story office full of women employees "The plumber is standing in my office right now and informs me that he just retrieved 4 tampons and a sanitary wipe from the sewer! Now I thought we had discussed this and it was going to stop! Knock it off 'cause the next time it happens, you're all going to pony up the $400 to pay the bill!". So there are like 2 guys that work in his office and the rest are women (I don't know a dozen or so). One of the guys happened to be standing at the bosses door waiting to talk to him when he made this announcement. After the announcement the guy says "Is that everybody? Dudes too?" The boss picks up the intercom again and says "That's everybody except for dudes!"


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## SlickRick (Sep 3, 2009)

PlumbCrazy said:


> Maybe in some areas - but I have been flushing my entire life and I have NEVER had to have a line cleared.
> 
> More than tampons, a lot of the clogs we get are related to paper towels and baby wipes being flushed.


Tampons are a big money maker here... Those are some root hanging suckers..


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## Regulator (Aug 20, 2009)

*It's Not Just for Food Anymore*



bigdaddyplumber said:


> how about human fingers? I've had to peel a few of those out too!!!


Hospitals use disposal units in their biopsy rooms (officially tagged "Gross Cutting Room"). All kinds of pleasant "tissues" are sent down the drains this way. Blockages are common.


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

smellslike$tome said:


> I retrieved at least 4 and 1 sanitary wipe on Thursday. The owner, a man, got on the office intercom and said to his two story office full of women employees "The plumber is standing in my office right now and informs me that he just retrieved 4 tampons and a sanitary wipe from the sewer! Now I thought we had discussed this and it was going to stop! Knock it off 'cause the next time it happens, you're all going to pony up the $400 to pay the bill!". So there are like 2 guys that work in his office and the rest are women (I don't know a dozen or so). One of the guys happened to be standing at the bosses door waiting to talk to him when he made this announcement. After the announcement the guy says "Is that everybody? Dudes too?" The boss picks up the intercom again and says "That's everybody except for dudes!"


:laughing: Yeah, I'd really like to see that one! He would be slapped with a lawsuit so fast it would make his head spin. 

I can see it now under cross-examination - "Mr. Bossman, exactly how did you determine who was flushing and who wasn't?"


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## Phat Cat (Apr 1, 2009)

TheMaster said:


> They shouldnt be flushed. I dont care where you live. if you have a septic system its even worse. It causes problems in the citys lines and lift stations. Thank you for understanding now.


So glad you cleared that up for me - NOT!

My mission is to help keep plumbers employed.:jester:


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## smellslike$tome (Jun 16, 2008)

PlumbCrazy said:


> :laughing: Yeah, I'd really like to see that one! He would be slapped with a lawsuit so fast it would make his head spin.
> 
> I can see it now under cross-examination - "Mr. Bossman, exactly how did you determine who was flushing and who wasn't?"


He'd never do it, he was just trying to make a point.

The whole time I'm thinking "thanks a lot man! Everybody here has been pretty nice to me until now. Now I'm going to get dirty looks and a hard time."

The whole thing was funny to me including this: there is an upper parking lot which is where I had parked. The stair case is directly across from his office door which is the way I would have to go to get back to my truck. Before I could get from his office doorway to the stairs I overheard one of the women from downstairs already blaming all the women from upstairs. I don't know why I did this 'cause I could care less and I am not characterized by pot stirring, but when I hit the top of the stairs there were 3 cubicles with 3 women in them and before I could even think about it, I blurted out that "the downstairs crew is already blaming the upstairs crew" and laughed and left.

Shame on me :laughing:.


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## service guy (Jun 26, 2008)

That is funny stuff smells! Stirring the pot!:laughing:


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## 3KP (Jun 19, 2008)

*Lol*

:thumbup::laughing::thumbup::laughing::thumbup: Good One Smells!!!


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