How Long Do Garbage Disposals Last? Expert Insights

When was the last time you changed your Garbage disposal? Don’t remember? Is it still working? Well, disposals do need maintenance and care for better performance and longer life. You must have thought on How Long Do Garbage Disposals Last? Let’s find out here under the expert insights and guidance!

Garbage disposal is a significant piece of machinery enhancing your kitchen luxury and cleanliness. While the other side of the coin is the expiry date which you should keep in mind. As an expert of this field, I have used and sold many garbage disposals, the average age of the disposal lies in between 8 to 15 years max.

Let’s dig a little deeper to know each and every detail on garbage disposal life. Further, you will read about how to maintain it and when should you change your garbage disposal for sure. Dive in!

How Long Do Garbage Disposals Last? Briefly Explained

Garbage disposal is a resilient device capable of doing good for a decade. When you look at garbage disposal user guide, you will know the right way to use and maintain it that will determine the age of garbage disposal. However, the specific age limit can be increased or decreased depending on how you treat the machine and for how long.

Factors to Determine the Life of Garbage Disposal

Hence, glance at the three primary factors that contribute to the efficient working of the disposal unit.

Quality of Material

Don’t you pay attention to the quality of the garbage disposal while buying it? It is a common assumption that suitable quality materials effectively exceed the appliance’s lifespan.

Also, heavy-duty garbage disposal grinds food particles without becoming the victim of excessive wear and tear. So, you must remember what quality of the machine suits your temperament like you can choose from plastic, aluminum, or stainless steel.

Variety of Stuffing/ What You Put in the Disposal

What you dump inside impacts the longevity of the garbage disposal. The habit of pushing fibrous, grease, or starchy food attacks the nooks and corners of the disposal and form clogs. Moreover, the motor and blades work extra-long to finish the processing.

However, if you put vegetable scraps or fruit peels, they do not harm the disposal’s internal components and maintain their shape for longer.

Here is our guide you must read about What Not to Put in Garbage Disposal? 8 Things You Must Avoid

Running Time

Do you read manual instructions to know the exact timing of the disposal running? Generally, a garbage disposal works for 15-30 seconds and clears your sink while eliminating the food from the disposal to the sewer.

On the contrary, how many episodes you run the disposal is problematic. Also, when the disposal’s motor and blade usage increases, they do not remain that effective and are on the verge of overheating.

How Often Do Disposals Need to be Replaced?

A garbage disposal works for an estimated period and eventually gives up its life. The leading symptoms are the indication of the replacement.

Abnormal Noises

The sound of a regular motor running differs from when something gets stuck inside. Whenever you hear strange noises or humming from the garbage disposal, whether from a stranded silverware or a faulty motor. Check for the disposal’s condition and take quick action.

Frequent Resetting

What does the garbage disposal reset button do for you? It prevents the machine from overheating by popping out or shutting it off. When you need to reset the disposal before every run, and you receive the warning that the disposal demands replacement.

Clogging

The primary symptom is that it lets you grip wrenches and pliers and remove the obstructions. The newly installed garbage disposal tolerates a variety of food items except for the kitchen cutlery. Whereas the aged garbage disposal clogs everything inside no matter how many small particles you push it in.

Foul Smell

No one wants to breed dirt and bacteria in the kitchen by leaving wet food inside. The symptom directly connects with the maintenance of not running enough water after food processing. As a result, it starts smelling if you do not clean the appliance weekly or monthly.

Slow Performance

When do you identify the slow performance of your garbage disposal? The time when it takes longer to churn the food ultimately. You must consider the chances that the blades become deformed and require sharpening. However, you must think about replacing it if it does not perform its task.

Leaking

New disposals are intact and keep distance from leaking water. On the other hand, garbage disposal leaking is a timely trouble that becomes prominent when the drainpipes wear down and let you dry the pool of water under the kitchen sink.

How Long Can a Garbage Disposal Run?

Disposals are sturdy machines and let you enjoy the perks for quite a long time. You are at ease unless the symptoms do not unveil their presence. However, you can follow some Garbage Disposal Maintenance Tips to keep it running long per your wish.

• You can do the cleanliness regime of the garbage disposal every week or month.
• Refrain from overloading the disposal.
• Cleaning the disposal’s drain with baking soda and vinegar is a good initiative.
• Run plenty of cold water after the disposal finish grinding.
• Convert the food into smaller segments before throwing it in the garbage disposal.
• Utilize ice cubes for sharpening blades.
• Avoid dumping non-food items inside

Life Span of Prominet Disposals

Life span of some of the top brands as follow:

• Insinkerator – 10 to 15 years
• Moen – 8 to 10 years
• Waste King: 10 – 15 years
• Waste Maid- 3 to 5 years
• Anaheim – 10 to 12 years

Do Garbage Disposals Wear Out?

Garbage disposal does wear out. The are many factors to prolong and mitigate its lifespan. All you have to do is to stick to the guidelines of the manual instructions and refrain from putting inside something that causes it to block the internal components.

What Not to Put in a Garbage Disposal?

Garbage disposal is manufactured to grind the food remains, such as fruit or vegetable peels. You are not allowed to dump bones, eggshells, or toys that increase the chance of blocking the pathways. Also, cooked food like rice or pasta contributes to forming a thick paste inside the drains.

Summing Up

Garbage disposals provide you with enough years without worrying about troubleshooting. Good maintenance tips will restrict you from engaging with a technician, while negligence will put you on a doorstep to replace the machine. In this article, I have mentioned the factors that benefit you in making the disposal your companion for extended years.