Garbage Disposal Repair & Installation in Scottsdale, AZ

Hums, jams, or leaks

A disposal that hums but will not turn usually has something jammed against the impeller, which can often be freed. One that does nothing at all may just need its reset button, or the motor may have finally gone. A disposal leaking from the bottom has typically failed internally and is a replacement rather than a repair, because the seal that let go is not serviceable.

These units are worked hard in a kitchen, and hard water and food debris both take a toll. A disposal that is more than a few years old and starts leaking or losing power is often at the end of its run, and a replacement is quick and inexpensive compared with chasing a failing unit.

Clean installs and the lines around it

A good install seals the disposal to the sink flange, connects it correctly to the drain and dishwasher, and wires it safely. Getting the seal and the drain connection right is what prevents the slow under-sink leak that damages a cabinet. When we fit a new disposal, we check the trap and connections while we are under there.

Because the disposal sits in the middle of the kitchen plumbing, a jam that keeps recurring can be a downstream drain issue backing up into the unit. We check that the line is clear rather than just resetting the disposal and leaving.

What not to put down it, in a hard-water kitchen

Most disposal failures are avoidable. Fibrous scraps like celery and artichoke, starchy loads of potato peel or pasta, grease poured down warm, and coffee grounds are the usual culprits, and in a hard-water kitchen the grease problem compounds because mineral and fat build a coating in the drain below the unit. Running cold water through the disposal during and after use, and keeping the heavy offenders out, does more for its life than anything else.

When a disposal does jam or die, it is a quick fix or a quick swap. But if the same unit keeps clogging, the real problem is often the drain line beyond it rather than the disposal itself, which is worth checking before replacing a working unit. We would rather clear the line, with a deeper cleaning if grease has coated it, and keep your disposal running than sell you a new one that will clog again in the same spot next month.