Making Kitchen Cleanup Easier: Garbage disposals are handy kitchen appliances that grind up food scraps so they can go down the drain without clogging it. Many homeowners love the convenience of a garbage disposal – until it jams or stops working. If your garbage disposal is making a humming sound but not grinding, or if it’s leaking or completely dead, we can fix or replace it. We also install new disposals if you’re looking to add one to your sink or upgrade to a more powerful model. Our goal is to get your kitchen sink back to smoothly disposing of waste, keeping your kitchen clean and odor-free.

Common Garbage Disposal Problems: Garbage disposals are pretty tough, but they’re not indestructible. Here are issues we often address:

• Jammed Disposal (Hums but Doesn’t Grind): This is extremely common. You flip the switch, and you hear a hum but the blades don’t spin. This usually means something is stuck preventing the motor from turning (like a piece of bone, a fruit pit, or foreign object) or the motor is seized. Often, the unit’s internal breaker will trip in these cases, turning it off for safety. We can safely free the jam by manually turning the rotor (using the hex key on the bottom of most units) and remove the offending object. If the motor was strained too much, we check if it overheated or needs resetting.
• No Noise at All (Dead Disposal): If you flip the switch and nothing happens – no sound – first we ensure it has power (sometimes the outlet under the sink or the circuit might be tripped). If power is fine, the disposal’s motor might be burnt out, especially if it was overworked. In that case, replacement is often needed. We’ll diagnose whether a simple electrical fix or a new unit is required.
• Leaking Disposal: Leaks can occur at various points: the top where it mounts to the sink (bad seal or loose mounting flange), the discharge drain connection, or from cracks in the unit’s body. We identify the source – some leaks can be fixed by tightening screws or re-sealing the flange with plumber’s putty. If the disposal housing is cracked (sometimes due to corrosion or a falling heavy object under the sink hitting it), replacement is necessary.
• Clogs and Slow Draining: If the disposal isn’t grinding well due to dull blades or partial jams, you might get frequent clogs in the trap or drain after the disposal. We’ll clear any clogs and sharpen or advise replacing the unit if it’s not up to the task. It’s also key to flush with plenty of water when using the disposal, which we remind customers to do.
• Unusual Noises (Metallic scraping, etc.): If you hear screeching or metal-on-metal, something might be scraping the blades – could be a stray utensil or a part that’s come loose. We’ll inspect the grinding chamber for debris or damage. Sometimes mounting screws inside rust and fall into the chamber causing racket.

Repair or Replacement: Our plumber will examine the disposal and determine if a repair is feasible. Minor issues like a simple jam or a loose wire connection can be fixed quickly, and we’ll have your existing unit working again. However, if the disposal is older or has significant damage, we may recommend a new one. Disposals generally last around 8-15 years depending on use and quality.

If a new garbage disposal is needed, we’ll help you choose one that fits your needs and sink setup. Considerations include motor power (1/3 HP, 1/2 HP, 3/4 HP, or 1+ HP – stronger ones handle tougher waste and larger households), noise level (some have noise insulation), and stainless steel grinding components for longevity. We can usually install the new disposal in under an hour. This involves removing the old unit, possibly updating the mounting hardware or sink flange if needed, wiring in the new unit, attaching it securely, and connecting the discharge to your drain line (including your dishwasher drain connection if applicable).

We ensure the new or repaired disposal is working by running water and testing the grind on some food waste. We’ll also make sure there are no leaks at any connections after the installation.

Using Your Disposal Correctly: As part of our service, we like to educate customers on proper use and maintenance, which greatly improves the life of the disposal. For instance, we’ll remind you to avoid certain items that commonly jam disposals or cause clogs: fibrous foods like celery or corn husks, large bones, eggshells (debatable but large quantities can gum up), coffee grounds (can accumulate like sludge), and fats/oils (which solidify and clog). Even though disposals grind food, it’s not a catch-all for everything – “when in doubt, throw it out” (in the trash) is a good rule. Also always run plenty of cold water when using the disposal to help carry ground particles out of the trap and into the sewer. Cold water also keeps any grease in solid form so the disposal can chop it up, rather than melting it which could then solidify downstream.

We might suggest occasionally grinding some ice cubes which can help scrape the interior clean, or baking soda and vinegar treatments to freshen any odors.

Customer Benefits: A working garbage disposal makes kitchen clean-up much easier. You can wash plates without fishing out food scraps, and you reduce trash odors since less food waste goes into the garbage can. By having us fix or install your disposal, you avoid the unpleasant task of dealing with a jam or doing without a disposal. It’s a quick job for us, but it spares you potential injury or frustration from DIY attempts (we’ve often been called after someone tried to fix a disposal and either hurt themselves or got in over their head).

Once repaired or replaced, you’ll notice the sink drains better and there’s peace of mind that you can use the disposal without flickering power or leaks under the sink. Modern disposals, especially higher horsepower ones, are also quieter and more efficient – an upgrade our customers appreciate if they’ve lived with a loud old unit.

All in all, our garbage disposal service ensures this trusty kitchen workhorse is running smoothly. We combine our plumbing know-how with knowledge of electrical connections (since disposals involve wiring) to provide a safe, complete solution. And if you ever have an issue down the line, we’re here – although with proper use, your disposal should give you years of trouble-free operation. Bon appétit, and happy grinding!