Garbage Disposal Repair

A garbage disposal is one of the hardest-working appliances in the kitchen, and one of the easiest to take for granted until it hums, leaks or stops. We diagnose and repair disposals of every major brand, and when a unit is worn out or leaking from its body, we replace it with a new one and connect it to your sink and dishwasher.

Disposal problems we fix

• Hums but doesn't spin. Usually a jam: something hard is wedged between the turntable and the grind ring.
• Won't turn on at all. A tripped overload reset button, a tripped breaker, or a bad wall switch, outlet or wiring.
• Leaks. Where it leaks tells us what's wrong: the sink flange and plumber's putty at the top, the dishwasher hose or drain pipe connection on the side, or the unit's own body at the bottom. A leaking body almost always means the disposal needs replacing.
• Drains slowly or backs up into the other sink bowl or the dishwasher.
• Grinding, rattling or metal-on-metal noise. Something like a utensil, a bottle cap or a fruit pit is inside, or the bearings are wearing out.
• Bad smells that cleaning doesn't fix.

Try this first when it hums but won't spin

1. Turn the disposal off at the wall switch. For extra safety, unplug it under the sink or switch off its breaker.
2. Never reach into the disposal with your hand. Use tongs or pliers to pull out anything you can see.
3. Find the hex socket in the center of the bottom of the unit. Insert the hex wrench that came with it (usually 1/4 inch) and work it back and forth until it turns freely.
4. Wait a few minutes for the motor to cool, then press the red reset button on the bottom.
5. Restore power, run cold water and turn it on. If it still hums or trips again, give us a call.

Keep your disposal running

• Run cold water before, during and for about 15 seconds after grinding, so the waste flushes all the way down the drain.
• Feed it a little at a time instead of a whole plate at once.
• Keep these out: grease and oil, bones, fruit pits, corn husks, celery and other stringy vegetables, potato peels, coffee grounds, and pasta or rice, which swell and clog the pipes.
• Run it every few days, even when you don't need to, so parts don't rust or seize.
• Freshen it up by grinding a handful of ice cubes, which helps knock buildup off the grind chamber, followed by a few small citrus peels.
• Skip harsh drain chemicals. They can damage the disposal and the plumbing beneath it.

Repair or replace?

Jams, reset trips, switch and wiring problems, and leaks at the sink flange or drain connections are usually repairs. A disposal whose body is leaking or rusted through, or whose motor has failed, is usually better replaced, and today's units are quieter and grind better than older ones. Our technician will tell you which makes sense before any work begins.