3 Ways A Broken Disposal Can Make You Sick

Having a functioning garbage disposal in your kitchen is a modern convenience that helps decrease the amount of food waste sent to landfills. If your disposal breaks down, it is not only an inconvenience, but it can also make you sick. Here are three ways a broken garbage disposal can affect your health, and how a plumber can help. 

Gastrointestinal Disturbances 

As soon as your garbage disposal malfunctions, seek out professional plumber services as soon as possible, because having a disposal that does not work can lead to problems such as diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, and gastroenteritis.

Old food that gets stuck in-between the blades of a non-functioning disposal can spoil and become rotten. If these food particles accidentally make contact with your faucet, food prep surfaces, or food, you could be exposed to illness-causing bacteria.

A plumber will be able to repair your garbage disposal so that the blades can effectively grind up your food so that it can be safely washed away. After your unit has been repaired, make sure to sanitize it so that microorganisms from spoiled food will be reduced. 

Skin Wounds

While many people will wait for the plumber to arrive before tampering with a broken garbage disposal, some will make an attempt at repairing it themselves. Reaching into a garbage disposal is extremely dangerous and can lead to serious skin wounds if your hand should make contact with a blade.

Never attempt to clear a blocked blade, even when the "shut-off" button is engaged. It is also dangerous to stick a wooden spoon or other utensil down the disposal in an attempt to get rid of a clog. Plumbers often provide emergency services during "off hours," including weekends, overnight, and holidays, so take advantage of these plumber services to avoid risking an injury.

Breathing Problems

Decomposing food that is stuck in your disposal apparatus can emit dangerous fumes. In some people, this can lead to respiratory distress. People who are most susceptible to breathing problems related to garbage disposal fumes include those with asthma, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, and people who suffer from allergies and sinus conditions.

If your garbage disposal is emitting noxious fumes that are making you sick or short of breath, opens the windows or go outside for fresh air. In the meantime, call a plumber who can quickly make a service call to your home to get rid of the offending clog.

If your garbage disposal is broken, call a plumber as soon as possible. The sooner a professional evaluates and repairs your disposal unit, the less likely you will be to become ill or sustain a kitchen-related injury.