A disposal that hums and does not spin is jammed, and one that leaks into the cabinet can damage the floor in a day. Switch it off at the wall switch, and if it is hardwired, at the breaker. Do not put your hand inside the unit, even if it is off. Our 24/7 line answers every day and night, and a plumber can often come the same day.
Garbage disposal repair covers jams, leaks at the flange or the body, electrical faults, clogged drain lines and replacement. A sink that will not drain even with the disposal running is often a drain cleaning job, since the clog sits past the unit.
Urgent signs.
Disposal problems that cannot wait.
Leak under the sink.
Water at the flange, the body seam or the drain connections. A seam leak means the unit needs to be replaced.
Sink backs up through the disposal.
The drain line downstream is blocked. Stop running water.
Humming, no spin.
A jam. The unit has a hex socket at the bottom, and a plumber can free it.
Burning smell or tripped breaker.
An electrical fault or a seized motor. Switch it off and do not reset repeatedly.
Disposal leaking into the cabinet?.
Switch it off and call the 24/7 line.
Decision guide.
Repair or replace.
Repair is reasonable when.
- The unit is jammed but the motor is healthy.
- A drain connection or flange gasket is leaking.
- The disposal is only a few years old.
Replace when.
- The body leaks at a seam.
- The motor is burnt out or seized.
- The unit is old and under-powered for your use.
A new disposal takes about the time of a repair, and the sink drain connections are often replaced along with it. A plumber will check whether a dishwasher drain and an air gap or high loop are in place, since a poorly routed dishwasher hose can cause backups that look like disposal faults.
Care.
What not to put in a disposal.
Grease, coffee grounds in large amounts, rice, pasta, potato peels, fibrous vegetables such as celery and corn husks all cause trouble. They either stick to pipe walls or swell and pack. Run cold water while the unit is on and for 15 seconds after, so waste moves past the trap and into the main drain.
In Salem's older houses the kitchen drain may be a long run of old cast iron or galvanized pipe, which scales and narrows. A disposal pushes scraps into that pipe, so some homes clog more than others. If you have clogged more than once, a camera look at the line, with a sewer camera inspection, can show whether the problem is the pipe.
Standards.
Code, permits and safety for garbage disposal repair.
Fixture work follows 248 CMR 10.00, the Massachusetts plumbing code, and repairs that only replace parts typically do not need a permit. Ask Salem Inspectional Services at 978-619-5641 if you are unsure.
What to do before we arrive.
- Close the small valve under the fixture if water is leaking.
- Do not run the disposal or flush a clogged toilet repeatedly.
- Put a towel and a pan under the leak and keep the area dry.
Pricing.
What garbage disposal repair costs.
Disposal work is priced by fault and unit. These factors set the price.
Homeowner insurance may cover sudden water damage from a leak but not the disposal itself. You get a clear price before work starts. For your real number, call (339) 216-9771.
FAQs.
Garbage disposal questions from Salem homeowners.
Yes. The 24/7 line is answered every day. Switch off the unit and the water, then call.
Only with the unit off at the switch and breaker, using the hex socket at the bottom or a wooden spoon handle. Never put your hand inside.
A leak from the body seam means the unit has failed and should be replaced. A leak from the flange or a pipe connection is often repairable.
The drain line past the unit is blocked, so water has nowhere to go. A plumber can clear it with a cable.
All of Salem, including Downtown, Salem Neck, North and South Salem, Salem Willows and the Highland Avenue area, in ZIP codes 01970 and 01971, plus nearby Beverly.