See all of our plumbing services.
Short answer
A disposal that has stopped is often jammed or has tripped its reset button instead of failed: both recoverable without replacement. On a septic system, what a disposal sends downstream adds solids the tank has to break down, which is why heavy disposal use and septic sit awkwardly together.
Those two facts point in different directions and both are worth knowing before you spend anything: the first often means no purchase is needed at all, and the second is a reason some properties are better off using the disposal less instead of replacing it with a larger one. Ask whether a jam and the reset have been checked before a replacement is quoted, and whether the property is on septic, because that changes the recommendation rather than just the price.
Jobs this covers
- Jammed disposal diagnosis
- Leak and connection repair
- Failed-unit replacement
- Sink flange and trap correction
- Dishwasher drain connection
- Disposal removal and drain conversion
Common problems and warning signs
- The disposal hums without turning
- Water leaks beneath the sink
- The reset repeatedly trips
- The unit is unusually noisy
- The sink drains slowly when the disposal runs
- A dishwasher backs up through the sink
What service may include
A hex key frees most jammed disposals. Work may include safely checking the unit, clearing an accessible jam, correcting the sink flange or drain connection, replacing a failed disposal, reconnecting the dishwasher drain and testing for leaks and proper flow.
What affects the recommendation and price
Replacement often costs little more than repair. Unit condition, horsepower, sink material, electrical connection, drain alignment, dishwasher connection, corrosion and whether the customer wants the disposal removed affect scope and price.
What is different around Burlington
What matters more is what a disposal does to the drain beyond it. In older houses with long, shallow-sloped drain runs, food waste settles and a disposal can turn a slow kitchen drain into a main-line call, and on a septic system it adds solids the tank has to hold.
What a written quote should tell you
- Whether the unit is jammed or reset-tripped, not failed, checked before replacement is quoted
- If replacing, whether the existing mounting and drain connections are reusable
- Whether the property is on septic, and what that implies for use
- Whether the drain line beyond the disposal was checked, since a blockage there presents the same way
- Electrical connection and whether a switch or outlet needs attention
| Fact | Why it changes the recommendation |
|---|---|
| Jammed or reset-tripped, not actually failed | A large share of calls need no purchase at all |
| Property is on septic | Heavy disposal use adds solids the tank has to break down |
How to clear a jammed garbage disposal
A humming disposal is jammed, not broken, and this clears most of them in about two minutes.
Before you start: Never put your hand into a disposal, even with the power off. Turn the unit off at the wall switch AND at the breaker before doing anything.
- Cut the power. Switch the disposal off at the wall and then turn off its breaker at the panel. Both, not one.
- Free the plate. Insert the hex wrench into the socket in the centre of the underside of the disposal and work it back and forth until it turns a full circle freely. With no wrench, lever against the grinding plate from above with a wooden broom handle.
- Remove what caused it. Look into the disposal with a flashlight and take out any object you can see, using tongs or pliers.
- Press the reset. Find the small red button on the bottom of the unit and press it. It has tripped if the motor overheated, and the disposal will not run until it is reset.
- Restore power and test. Turn the breaker and the switch back on, run cold water, and switch the disposal on briefly. It should run freely.
- If it is silent rather than humming. A disposal that makes no sound at all is a power or motor problem, not a jam. Check the breaker and the reset first. If both are fine, the motor has likely failed and the unit needs replacing.
Safety comes first
Never place a hand or tool inside the grinding chamber while the unit can receive power. Repeated breaker trips, damaged wiring, smoke or a burning odor require the unit to remain off until evaluated.
Common questions
Can a leaking disposal be repaired?
A loose drain connection or sink flange may be repairable. Leakage from the disposal body often points to internal failure and replacement.
Does a plumber install garbage disposals?
Yes for the plumbing and unit connection. Electrical changes may require a qualified electrician depending on the existing setup.
Can the disposal be removed permanently?
Yes. The sink drain and dishwasher connection, when present, must be reconfigured correctly.
Why does the dishwasher drain into the sink?
A blocked disposal connection, drain restriction, hose-routing problem or downstream clog may be responsible.
What is the difference between continuous feed and batch feed?
Continuous feed runs from a wall switch while you feed waste in. Batch feed only runs when a stopper lid is seated in the drain opening, which acts as the switch. Batch feed is markedly safer, since the unit physically cannot run with the opening exposed, and it is the sensible choice in a household with young children. Continuous feed is cheaper, faster for volume, and by a wide margin the more common of the two.
How do I know if it is the disposal or the drain?
Fill the other side of the sink and watch. If both basins drain slowly, the problem is downstream in the shared drain line and the disposal is a bystander. If only the disposal side backs up, it is the unit or its own outlet. If the disposal runs freely but water sits in it, the blockage is right after the unit, and clearing the trap under the sink usually resolves it.
Can I fix a jammed garbage disposal myself?
Almost always, yes, and it takes about two minutes. Turn the unit off at the switch and the breaker, then use the hex wrench that came with it in the socket on the underside of the disposal to work the plate back and forth until it turns freely. If the wrench is lost, a broom handle against the grinding plate from above does the same job. Then press the red reset button on the bottom. Never put your hand in a disposal, even with the power off. If it hums it is jammed. If it is silent it is either tripped or the motor has failed.
What happens if I keep running a jammed disposal?
You burn out the motor, and a burnt motor is a replacement instead of a repair. The humming sound is the motor drawing current against a rotor that cannot turn, which generates heat fast. The thermal overload is meant to cut in and protect it, but repeatedly resetting and re-running a jammed unit defeats that protection. The jam that would have taken two minutes with a hex wrench becomes a new appliance.
How long does a garbage disposal last?
Typically eight to fifteen years, driven far more by what goes into it than by brand. The reliable killers are fibrous material such as celery and corn husks, starches such as pasta and rice that swell, coffee grounds that accumulate in the trap, and grease. In a household on a septic system the calculation is different again, because a disposal substantially increases the solids load and shortens the interval between tank pumpings.
Is a garbage disposal a required fixture in a rental?
No. A disposal is generally an amenity rather than part of the habitability standard, unlike water, heat and functioning drains, so a landlord who removes a broken one, not replacing it is usually within their rights unless the lease says otherwise. That said, if the disposal's failure is causing the sink not to drain, the drain is a habitability question even though the appliance is not: report the drain, not the appliance.
What does a garbage disposal warranty actually cover?
Disposal warranties typically run 2 to 7 years depending on the model tier, covering the motor and grinding components, but almost never cover damage from something that should not have gone down it: bones, fibrous produce, glass. A jam from ordinary use is usually covered. A jam from a foreign object usually is not.