Garbage Disposal Repair in San Diego, CA

Sorting out the problem

• Hums but will not turn: something is wedged between the plate and the grind ring, such as a fruit pit, bone or utensil. Turn off the power before trying to free it.
• Completely silent: the overload has tripped. Press the red reset button on the bottom of the unit, then check the breaker or switch.
• Water in the cabinet: a loose sink flange, a worn dishwasher hose connection, a cracked discharge gasket, or a leak from the unit's housing.
• Sink drains slowly or backs up: food waste packed into the trap or the pipe past it.
• Grinding or rattling: a hard object in the chamber or worn internal parts.
• Bad odor that will not clear: trapped food in the chamber, the baffle or the drain.

What not to put down it

Disposals are built for small scraps, not for clearing plates. Grease, cooking oil and fat harden inside the pipes and catch everything that follows. Coffee grounds, eggshells, rice and pasta settle into a heavy paste. Fibrous peels and husks wrap around the plate. Wipe greasy pans into the trash, run cold water while the unit grinds, and keep it running a few seconds after the sound changes.

Housing age and kitchen drains

About half of San Diego homes were built before 1980, and older neighborhoods such as North Park and Hillcrest can still have original galvanized or cast iron drain lines. Old pipe has a rougher, narrower interior, so grease and scraps catch faster. If the kitchen sink keeps clogging after the disposal has been checked, the trouble may sit further down the line, and a drain cleaning or camera inspection is the next step.

Repair or replace

Clearing a jam, resetting the unit or tightening a connection is simple work. A leak from the body itself means the internal seals have failed, and that unit is done. Replacement is also the better call when the motor is burned out, the unit is very loud, or it keeps jamming on normal scraps. When choosing a new one, ask about motor size, noise and how it fits the existing drain and dishwasher connection.

What drives the cost

Cost depends on whether the fix is a reset and clean-out or a new unit, the size and model chosen, whether the electrical connection needs work, and whether the drain below needs clearing.