What goes wrong with a disposal
- It hums but does not turn — something is jammed
- Nothing at all when you flip the switch
- Water leaking under the sink from the unit or its seals
- It runs but the sink drains slowly or backs up
- Loud grinding, rattling or a burning smell
How we handle it
- Make it safe
Power off at the switch and the breaker before anything goes near the unit.
- Find out which fault it is
Jam, tripped reset, failed motor, leaking seal or a blocked drain downstream — they feel the same from the sink.
- Repair or replace
Jams and resets are a quick fix. A leaking body or a burnt-out motor means a new unit, and we tell you the price first.
- Clear the line and test
If the branch drain is packed with waste we clear that too, then run the disposal and check underneath for drips.
Disposals and San Antonio drains
A disposal grinds food fine enough to go down the drain — it does not stop grease. In a city with hard water, scale roughens the inside of the pipe and gives that grease something to hold onto, which is why kitchen branch lines here block so often. Coffee grounds, rice, pasta and fibrous peels are the other regulars we pull out of the trap under the sink.
Keep it out of the drain
Pour cooled fat and oil into the bin, not the sink. Run cold water while the disposal is going and for a few seconds afterwards. Keep coffee grounds, rice, pasta and stringy peels out of it. If the kitchen line keeps blocking despite that, the problem is the pipe, not the disposal — see why drains keep clogging and hydro jetting.
What it costs
It depends on what the job turns out to need, so we diagnose first. Your plumber then gives you an upfront price, and you approve it before anything starts.
Questions people ask
It just hums — can I fix it myself?
Often yes. Switch it off at the breaker, use the hex key in the bottom of the unit to free the impeller, then press the red reset button. If it still hums, something is broken inside.
Should I repair it or replace it?
If the body is leaking or the motor has burnt out, replace it. Jams, resets, seals and mounting problems are worth repairing.
Can you fit a disposal I bought?
Yes. We will tell you before we start if it does not suit your sink or the drain arrangement.