Professional Fort Worth Garbage Disposal Repair

Mr. Rooter Plumbing technician discussing garbage disposal repairs in Fort Worth home with customer

Many Fort Worth homeowners haphazardly assume that scraping and rinsing their dinner leftovers down their kitchen sink and flushing it out with water will magically whisk it all away into the deep lagoon of the sewage system. And so, they toss a grab bag of leftovers down the drain including vegetables, fruits, meats, rice, condiments, eggshells, and coffee grounds galore, little realizing that they are making a huge mistake. All those food leftovers, peels, crusts, rinds, flakes, and other debris will not readily disappear but accumulate into a blockage and plug up their drain with a nasty clog. And if you think your garburator is your failsafe think again as you are sorely misled.

Although the purpose of your garburator or garbage disposal device is to grind up food waste so it can be washed down the drain, many people tend to abuse this device and treat it like a composter. A garbage disposal is mounted underneath your sink and is designed to collect any solid food waste in a grinding chamber that contains a sharp spinning disk or impeller plate that turns very quickly and pushes the food waste against the wall of the grinding chamber. But again, your garburator is not indestructible and you still need to be mindful of what you toss into it as certain stringy vegetables like celery can spin a wicked web around the blade and get caught up only to jam the component. And if not for your bad habits that result in a rigid clog it could be a mechanical malfunction like a plug or button being loose, an electrical switch being glitchy, or it’s an overloaded circuit breaker needing to be reset. Either way, you want to remain extra vigilant in not overwhelming your garbage disposal.

Although with preventative maintenance and routine inspections and cleanings, your garbage disposal can last you upwards of a decade before it goes kaput. If you’ve noticed foul odors wafting from your sink or standing or pooled water from leaks it’s about time for a garbage disposal repair from a certified, licensed, and fully insuredFort Worth plumber from Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Forth Worth. Regardless of if you need a replacement or repair for a faulty mechanism on your garbage disposal, our experienced team members are well-equipped to get your garbage disposal back to pristine condition. We always strive for quality workmanship and ultimate customer satisfaction as proven by our no-obligation consultation and transparent, upfront pricing, and one-year parts guarantee. If for any reason whatsoever you remain unsatisfied we will return and make the proper adjustments.

Our Genuine Garbage Disposal Repair

Oftentimes the damage is not all that obvious at first glance as it takes time for your garburator to break down enough for a garbage disposal repair as it slowly deteriorates. And so, Fort Worth residents become complacent and at times outrightly ignore getting a plumbing inspection. But please note–if you hope to remove your garburator it’s incredibly important to take the mandatory safety precautions by shutting off the power to your garbage disposal before sticking your fingers in to remove any muck. Use a flashlight to see if there are any blockages and if not it probably means the device’s components have broken Still if you’re hesitant in asking a professional plumber for help some of these telltale signs indicate that your garburator is malfunctioning:

Foul Odors

If you sniff something unpleasant from your kitchen sink it’s most likely leftover food particles and residue still clinging to your garbage disposal device and drain lines. It’s recommended to occasionally rinse out your device to prevent odors, but if you’re consistently noticing a rotting smell it may indicate something is jammed inside of the device’s blades as it’s not shearing as it once was or perhaps a tiny clog has formed on the blade of the garbage disposal. Fort Worth homeowners can attempt a cleaning by mixing half a cup of baking soda and a cup of white vinegar and pouring it down the drain. Let it sit for 10 minutes and follow up by pouring down boiling water.

Slow Or Sluggish Drains

If it’s taking forever for the water to drain out of the sink it may be that a nasty clog in either the garbage disposal or drainage pipe is slowing the flow of wastewater and backlogging the device.

Leakages

Because your garbage disposal is hidden and out of sight, many incorrectly assume that the random puddle of water is from a leaky faucet rather than a broken garburator. You can confirm this by checking beneath your sink to see if the bottom of your garburator is spewing out the liquid. If the joint area where the garbage disposal connects to your wastewater pipes is frail or loose this is most likely the culprit for the leak. Although you can leave a pail to catch the dripping water, for the time being, a leaky garbage disposal can result in costly water damage from mold and mildew growth to deformed flooring.

Strange Noises

As noisy as your garburator is when it’s switched on as it grinds away food scrapes, if you hear a humming or buzzing sound it means that although there is power being pumped into the device the blades are defunct and not turning. This is mostly due to a clog that is jamming the blades or motor resulting in its failure to grind. On the other hand, if your garburator is completely silent be sure to check the power supply including the circuit breaker. And if that’s not the case it could be that the device’s motor is broken. And in this situation getting tedious repairs may be more costly than getting a garbage disposal installation.

Consistent Clogs

If you have become complacent and just gotten into the routine of bad manners and throwing any food substance down the drain don’t be surprised to see your garbage disposal being congested. If you are barely using your garburator but still see it get stuck whenever you turn it on you may need to opt for a repair, replacement, or upgrade to a bigger size.

Our Garbage Disposal Repair Process

For those of you who are a stickler for proper upkeep of your garburator and cautious about choosing what food scrapes should and shouldn’t be tossed in, it'll make cleaning up after meals much easier. By performing a regular cleaning your garbage disposal will rarely if ever clog and remain in top-notch condition. But if you have not done your due diligence it may be time to call your skilled plumber for a garbage disposal repair especially to replace your device's loose blades or broken motors.

Maintenance Of Your Garbage Disposal Unit

Here are some of the natural home remedies you can take to clean your device to lessen the likelihood of a garbage disposal repair service:

1. Soap And Scrub: Pour one drop of dish soap down the disposal and turn on the device. Also, flush cold water down the device and let it run for a few minutes to clear away any fats, oils, or grease. Conventional dish soap works wonders for cutting grime and what many don’t realize is a better substitute for chemical drain cleaners made specifically for garbage disposals which end up corroding the blades.

2. Icy Fresh: Place a handful of ice cubes and a few lemon slices and turn on the disposal. The ice cubes will help to dislodge and loosen any food scapes on the blades and the acidic nature of lemon peels helps to add a fresh scent and kill bacteria. Once the grinding noise comes to a halt, flush your drain with cold water for about 30 seconds and then turn it off.

3. Snap, Crackle, And Pop: Pour baking soda down the disposal to get rid of foul odors as it will cleanse away any grime that gives off odors. About 1 tbsp should be enough. Follow up by tossing down a handful of ice cubes so the clinging food residue sloughs off. After the grinding noise has stopped, flush the device with cold water.

4. Check It Out: It's good practice to occasionally turn on your garbage disposal, at the very least once a week, to avoid rust and residue build-up and also limescale deposits from hard water.

Why We Are The Best Choice For Garbage Disposal Repair

Although it may be a minor inconvenience to not have a working garburator as you can scrape away any leftovers into your compost pail you still want to ensure a healthy household plumbing system for your sanitation. Fort Worth residents can depend on the team of professional plumbers at Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Fort Worth for garbage disposal repair and installation. Plus we can discuss options for future plumbing fixes like a leaking pipe or water heater repair.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fort Worth Garbage Disposal Repair

What Causes A Garbage Disposal To Stop Working?

Overheating and clogging as the biggest reasons for your garburator failing. For the former, you can turn off your garbage disposal for a couple of hours to allow it to cool down, reset the device by pushing the button on the bottom or you can opt for a bigger sized device with a larger capacity to be installed. For the latter, following a DIY cleaning to clear away any sticky residue will work wonders, but if you find after doing that it’s still not working the clog may be embedded directly underneath the garburator in your drain lines.

Can A Garbage Disposal Be Reset?

Yes! Most garbage disposals have a reset feature. If your device happens to get overloaded they “trip” so they aren’t damaged. Before you reset we recommend turning off your device and reducing the volume of debris in the disposal. Next, press the reset button, allow water to flush your drains for a few minutes, and turn on the disposal again.

What Is The Average Life Expectancy Of A Garburator?

By practicing routine maintenance your garbage disposal can last you 10 to 15 years but this, of course, depends on the type of model you own and on how often you use it too.

How Do I Prevent My Garbage Disposal From Getting Clogged?

This is mostly a matter of motivating yourself to change your behavior and be mindful that your garbage disposal device is not invincible and being vigilant of not tossing down the following items in your drains:

  • Fat, oil, and grease
  • Coffee grounds or tea leaves
  • Eggshells
  • Paper towels
  • Poultry skin
  • Oatmeal
  • Stringy vegetables like celery or asparagus
  • Onions skills, potatoes peels, or corn husks
  • Pasta or rice
  • Harder nuts, seeds, fruit pits, bones
  • Hot water that can solidify grease
  • Chemical drain cleaners
  • Pet food

Is It Better To Repair Or Replace My Garburator?

It depends. Getting a repair over an installation may be more cost-effective if there is no structural damage done to the device, and the cost of components like the motor doesn’t outweigh the price tag of the garburator device itself. If the garbage disposal device won’t turn on and makes no noise whatsoever the device is beyond repair and needs to be replaced. On average it costs around $75 to $100 to do a garbage disposal replacement.

Rubbish No More! We Will Restore Your Garburator To Mechanical Order!

Mr. Rooter Plumbing technician repairing garbage disposal in Fort Worth

We know you want to scarf down your food when you’re hungry as a horse but be mindful and do not shove your meal’s leftovers down the drain. Whether you’re in Fort Worth or nearby areas of Aledo, Burleson, or Crowley we’ll get garbage disposal chugging along just fine. Reach out to our courteous customer service representatives at (817) 769-6643 to book a consultation or service appointment so you can get back to food prepping and cooking in no time!