Garbage Disposal Problems and What You Should Know

Your sink's garbage disposal adds convenience to your kitchen chores. It allows you to dispose of most food waste through the drain rather than fill your trashcan with odor-causing food. Operating the disposal incorrectly can result in plumbing problems, such as drainage clogs and water leaks.

How the garbage disposal works: The garbage disposal mounts to the underside of your sink and is either hard-wired to an electric circuit or plugs into an outlet. Inside the grinding chamber are blades that rotate very fast. As you feed food waste through the top of the disposal with a steady stream of water the waste is ground into small pieces. The chopped up food is then forced through the main drain and into a septic tank or sewage system. Hopefully, without any clogs!

Here is a detailed look at some garbage disposal clogs and leaks which will help you diagnose your current situation:

Clogged Disposals

Slow-draining water or water that fails to drain from the garbage disposal below the sink is often caused by a jammed grinding blade. The jam is caused by placing too much food in the disposal at once or dropping in hard-to-grind and highly fibrous items, such as bones, potato peels, celery, and the like.

Disposal Leaks from Around the Top

A leaking disposal can damage the items you store beneath the sink and the floor of your sink base cabinet. When a garbage disposal leaks from the top, it may require a new flange gasket, O-ring or splash guard, (parts used to create a seal between connections), to stop the disposal from leaking during operation.

Disposal Leaks at the Bottom or Sides

Slow-draining water or water that fails to drain from the garbage disposal below the sink is often caused by a jammed grinding blade. All disposals have a reset button and can sometimes be un-jammed with a tool. Please refer to the unit manual for instructions. Sometimes just replacing the gaskets and tightening up all connections can stop simple leaks.

If you experience any type of kitchen plumbing problems, we can help. Our plumbers are available 24/7 and can get your kitchen plumbing flowing smoothly again