Here are a few tips that can prolong the life of your garbage disposal, and a few things to avoid.  First and foremost remember that not everything can go down the disposal.  Fibrous foods such as celery, onion skins, shellfish, and corn husks are things to typically avoid.  The disposal will not grind these items up enough to allow them to wash down the drains.  If you try to put these types of items down the disposal you are going to have long term problems with the drainage of the kitchen lines and this can lead to back-ups.  You should also avoid large amounts of fat and grease.  You should run cold water before, during and after you put any items down the disposal.  Don’t forget to run the unit every time that you put any waste in it to avoid long term corrosion issues.  If you notice a smell coming from the disposal, try some citrus peels, or a commercial disposal cleaner.  There are several types of disposal on the market ranging from high end stainless steel anti-jam models, down to the basic economy model.  You should take into consideration how many people are in the home, the planned usage of the disposal and the warranties. As always you can get us to help at www.artplumbingandac.com or call us at 954-752-1282