# InSinkErator Ok for a septic system?



## Frank Castle (Dec 27, 2011)

Rio said:


> That's how we were told to sharpen the garbage disposal blades, throw in some glass..................


:blink::laughing:


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## Billiam (Sep 2, 2016)

The argument against a sink macerator is that it encourages you to throw things down the sink that you would otherwise not. This is a wise argument if you are a moron without the capacity to control your own behavior. It also ignores several other screwed-up prerequisites that have to happen before you ever get to the point of scraping your dish into the sink.

1. Why do you have excess food on your plate after a meal? Food waste is a huge problem in this country. Pay closer attention to the amount you cook so that what you have matches what you eat.

2. Why is the food waste going into the trash or the sink? It should be composted and returned to the soil. (Meat products shouldn't, but we could all stand to eat a little less meat each week and certainly not waste all the resources to raise livestock only to throw a hunk of meat in the trash.)

3. If the waste material is generated in food preparation, like cutting raw vegetables, this is the absolute best stuff to compost!

I argue that a sink macerator is a great idea for a septic system because it breaks things into smaller pieces, which means greater surface area for microbial and chemical action on the waste. And it will make you more conscious about what goes down the sink, which should encourage some behavioral practices that are more economically and ecologically sound.


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## DaVinciRemodel (Oct 7, 2009)

Billiam said:


> The argument against a sink macerator is that it encourages you to throw things down the sink that you would otherwise not. This is a wise argument if you are a moron without the capacity to control your own behavior. It also ignores several other screwed-up prerequisites that have to happen before you ever get to the point of scraping your dish into the sink.
> 
> 1. Why do you have excess food on your plate after a meal? Food waste is a huge problem in this country. Pay closer attention to the amount you cook so that what you have matches what you eat.
> 
> ...


:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:


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## guelphplumber (Jun 11, 2017)

We've had clients request them and I have put them in... but I'm good friends with the guy who declutters (lol)
septic systems in our town.... I've asked him about waste disposals and how if they grind everything up good enough so that the bacteria in the bottom of the septic system can eat it away and he says that homes with disposal units need their septic pumped out more. So, In the end, I guess it will cost you more, and on another note I've never had to go back to fix any cloggs or plumbing issues with homes that have food grinders.


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## Acesfour (Jan 25, 2016)

The real question is how careful do you want to be about what you put down it and how often do you want to have it pumped. Mainly a tradeoff between "pain in the ass" and $$. Septic relies on organic material breaking down over time so build up depends on what sewage you are creating.

Tracy
Aces Four Construction


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## Ernie in Dawson (Jun 16, 2017)

I think the big thing in the whole discussion is what you guys have said. How smart are the people using them. And even if the owners are using them wisely, they could have teenage kids that put down crap that doesn't belong.
I've seen many of them that have no problems and many that are a constant headache. We don't install them in our rural areas here. Now, one thing up here is we don't have many areas that use fields. Most of the farms and acreages up here have lagoons because of our crappy clay base.
Personally, I don't really care for them that much. Even when used right, they tend to be somewhat smelly to me and I don't like all the room they take up in the cabinet. But to each their own.


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## OKseptic (Feb 28, 2018)

They cause too much grease buildup on the inlet pipe and baffle. The bacteria in the tank hate grease so it just keeps building up. Alot of our service calls we go to where the pipes backed up is usually from condoms or grease buildup in the inlet baffle. We tell everyone it's cheaper for the trash man to get rid of it than it is for us to to come break it free, jet the line, and pump the tank.


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## kensmith1 (Mar 8, 2018)

*Pros and Cons to having one*

I don't recommend them. They seem to have frequent problems. And when your customers don't take care of their septic systems, they can contaminate water and is a public health hazard becoming more problematic. But to each is their own.


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