Due to the increase in water and electricity used to run a garbage disposal, your utility bill will inevitably go up. Read on to learn how much garbage disposals will affect your utility bills.
Water: In general, you can expect smaller units (2 hp and less) to utilize around 5 GPM (gallons per minute) and larger units (3 hp and over) to utilize around 8 GPM. Exact usage figures will vary, so check the literature for your specific model number.
Electricity: High-wattage units will cost more to operate than low-wattage units, and running the disposal more frequently will also increase operating costs.
The equation below can be used to get a more accurate figure for potential run costs in your establishment, based on the national average electricity rate of $0.166 per kilowatt-hour. We have also provided a breakdown of estimated daily run costs for the different disposal horsepower ratings.
["Average Kilowatts / Hour" Figures] X [Your Electric Rates (in Kilowatt-Hours)] X [Hours Per Day]