I have no idea what kind of disposal I have, it came with my apartment. My parents have had the same disposal for decades and have had no issues, As long as you take care of your disposal, it shouldn't be a problem.
This site has a fantastic list tips for maintaining a garbage disposal, all of which I learned from my father, the guy behind the decades old disposal with no problems: http://www.horizonservicesinc.com/reference/tips-articles/plumbing-drain-cleaning-garbage-disposal-d.... I'm copying their information down below.
Garbage Disposal Do’s:
- Do keep your garbage disposal clean. Pour a little dish soap inside and let the garbage disposal run for a minute or so with some cold water after washing dishes.
- Do run your garbage disposal regularly. Frequent use prevents rust and corrosion, assures that all parts stay moving and prevents obstructions from accumulating.
- Do grind food waste w/ a strong flow of cold water. Why cold water? It will cause any grease or oils that may get into the unit to solidify, so that they can be chopped up before reaching the trap.
- Do grind certain hard materials such as small chicken and fish bones, egg shells, small fruit pits, etc. A scouring action is created by these particles inside the grind chamber that cleans the garbage disposal’s walls.
- Do grind peelings from citrus fruits such as lemons or oranges to freshen up drain smells.
- Do cut large items into smaller pieces. Put them into the garbage disposal one at a time instead of trying to shove a large amount in at once.
Garbage Disposal Don’ts:
The most important rule of thumb: Don’t Put Anything In The Garbage Disposal That Is Not Biodegradable Food.A garbage disposal is not a trash can; it’s for food scraps only. Non food items can damage both blades and the motor. When in doubt, throw it out!
- Don’t grind glass, plastic, metal or even paper.
- Don’t grind anything combustible.
- Don’t grind cigarette butts
- Don’t pour grease, oil or fat into your garbage disposal or drain. Grease will slowly accumulate and impede your garbage disposal’s grinding ability as well as clog drains.
- Don’t use hot water when grinding food waste. Hot water will cause grease to liquefy and accumulate, causing drains to clog.
- Don’t grind extremely fibrous material like corn husks, celery stalks, onion skins, and artichokes. Fibers from these can tangle and jam the garbage disposal motor and block drains .
- Don’t turn off the motor or water until grinding is completed. When grinding is complete, turn off the the garbage disposal first. Let water continue to run for at least 15 seconds, flushing out any remaining particles. Then turn off water.
- Don’t put too many potato peels down the garbage disposal. The starches in the potatoes will turn into a thick paste and may cause blades to stick.
- Don’t put large amounts of food down the garbage disposal. Feed food into the garbage disposal a little at a time with the cold water running; this will help the food scraps flow down freely through the drain pipes and plumbing.
- Don’t put expandable foods into your garbage disposal. Foods like pasta and rice expand when you add water in a pot; they do the same thing once inside your pipes or garbage disposal and are the cause of many jams and clogs.
- Don’t grind large animal bones (beef, pork etc.).
- Avoid putting coffee grounds down the garbage disposal. They won’t harm the garbage disposal and they’ll actually help eliminate odors. However, they can accumulate in drains and pipes, causing clogs. Best to avoid.
- Don’t use harsh chemicals like bleach or drain cleaners. They can damage blades and pipes. Borax is a natural sink cleaner and sanitizer that effectively works on odor-causing mold and mildew that accumulates in garbage disposals.
It doesn't mention this, but fruit flies can live and breed inside the garbage disposal. To prevent that, wash all fruit when it enters the house to get rid of flies and eggs. I use a monthly foaming disposal cleaner I bought at Home Depot, but you can also use a weekly drain treatment such as Plink drops (grocery stores) or even vinegar. I occasionally cut up some lemon wedges and throw those in the disposal, one wedge at a time. The acids from the vinegar or the lemons will help cut through the slime that can line the inside of the disposal and acts as a place for fruit flies to lay eggs. If you do get fruit flies in the house, a fruit fly trap near the kitchen sink will prevent them from spreading.
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