Garbage disposal repair · Conway, SC
Garbage Disposal Repair in Conway, SC: Jams, Humming, Leaks and Burnt-Out Motors
When a disposal stops, the cause is almost always one of four things: a jam, a tripped reset, a leak or a dead motor. Here is how to tell which, what is safe to try yourself and when to call.
Safe checks before you call
Never put your hand into a disposal, even when it is off. Use tongs or pliers to pull out anything you can see. Before you touch anything, switch the disposal off at the wall switch. If you want to be certain, switch off its circuit at the breaker.
- Humming but not spinning? The blades are jammed. Most disposals have a hex socket in the center of the underside. A hex key turned back and forth frees the flywheel.
- Silent and no hum? Press the red reset button on the underside of the unit. A tripped overload protector is the most common cause.
- Still dead? Check the circuit breaker and the outlet, which may be on a switch under the sink or behind it.
- Standing water in the sink? The drain beyond the disposal may be clogged, not the disposal.
If none of those restore it, the motor, the wiring or the switch has failed, and that is a repair or a replacement call.
Leaks: where the water is actually coming from
A wet cabinet under a disposal has four likely sources, and each is repaired differently. A leak at the top, where the sink flange meets the disposal, means the mounting ring or seal has loosened. A leak at the dishwasher inlet or the discharge pipe is a hose clamp or a gasket. A leak from the side, where the body meets the housing, comes from a failed internal seal, and the unit has to be replaced. A leak from the very bottom is usually a cracked housing or a failed shaft seal, and that unit is finished.
Put dry paper towel against each joint, run the water for a minute and watch. Photograph the wet spot for the plumber. If the sink drain pipe beyond the disposal is leaking, the fix is the same as on the faucet and sink repair page.
Bad smells and slow draining through the disposal
A disposal that smells has food trapped in the grinding chamber or on the underside of the splash guard. Cold water, a dishwashing brush on the baffle and a few citrus peels or ice cubes help. A drain that gurgles or drains slowly while the disposal runs is a sign the line past it is partly blocked, often by grease. Grease poured down a kitchen sink hardens in the line and is the main reason kitchen drains stop. The drain cleaning page covers what to do when the whole line is slow.
Disposal jammed or leaking? Call (833) 571-0120 and tell us which.
What shortens a disposal's life
Most disposal failures are preventable habits, not bad luck. Fibrous scraps such as celery, corn husks and artichoke leaves wrap around the shredder ring. Grease and oil coat the walls of the chamber and the pipe past it and harden as they cool. Starchy foods such as rice, pasta and potato peels swell into a paste that sticks. Bones, fruit pits and hard shells can jam or chip the blades. Running a strong stream of cold water before, during and for a short time after grinding carries waste past the trap before it settles.
Chemical drain cleaners are a poor idea in a sink with a disposal. They can attack seals and sit in the chamber where the next person to open the trap will meet them. If you have used one, tell the plumber before the work starts.
Disposals and septic: a note for outlying homes
Some homes outside the city are on septic rather than sewer. We do not service septic tanks, and a disposal adds solids to a tank that must handle them, so ask whoever maintains the tank before you add or keep a disposal. For homes on sewer, the line from the kitchen to the cleanout is yours, as explained on the sewer line repair page.
What a failing disposal costs you if you wait
A disposal that leaks slowly can run for months, softening the cabinet floor and feeding mold. A disposal that hums and sits jammed can burn out its motor. A unit that is more than a decade old, rusting at the seams or tripping its reset repeatedly is usually at the end of its life, and replacement is the better choice. Disposals come with different motor sizes, and a bigger motor handles more, runs quieter and typically carries a longer warranty. We can recommend one that suits the household and the sink.
Installing a new garbage disposal
A replacement in the same location is a short visit. The old unit comes off its mounting ring, the new one mounts to the sink flange, the discharge and dishwasher connections are made and a plug or hardwired connection is secured. A first-time disposal adds an electrical question, a switch or a plug under the sink, and an electrician may need to be involved if there is no power there. If the sink is a different size, the drain pieces may need to be reworked.
Wiring and plumbing rules both apply, and permits depend on your address. For the City of Conway, call Construction Services at 843-488-9888. Outside the city, call Horry County Code Enforcement at 843-915-5090. South Carolina requires a license for residential plumbing work over $500, which you can verify at verify.llronline.com.
Safe first steps when a disposal stops or jams
Switch the disposal off at the wall switch, and at the breaker if you plan to reach into the sink, and never put a hand inside the chamber. Many units have a hex-shaped socket in the center of the underside: a hex key turned back and forth there can loosen a jammed flywheel. Most also have a red reset button on the bottom that trips when the motor overheats.
If the unit hums but will not turn, it is jammed. If it turns but water drips from the underside, a seal has failed and replacement is the usual answer. If nothing happens at all, check the reset button and the breaker before calling.
Where we repair and replace disposals
Calls come from Conway and nearby areas such as plumbing in Wild Wing Plantation, Aynor plumbers and North Myrtle Beach plumbing. If a leak has damaged the cabinet or flooring, the water damage removal and drying page explains the next step. For other kitchen plumbing, start at the plumbing services overview.
Disposal stopped working? Call and describe it
Tell us whether it hums, stays silent or leaks and how old it is. We will say whether repair or replacement makes sense.