Garbage Disposal Service

Humming and jams

A disposer that hums but will not spin has something wedged between the turntable and the grind ring. A fruit pit, a bottle cap or a twist of cutlery is the usual offender. Never put a hand in the chamber. With the power off at the switch, most units accept an Allen key in a socket at the centre of the bottom plate. Working it back and forth frees the turntable. Then fish out the object with tongs, press the red reset button on the underside, and try again.

A disposer that does nothing at all, not even a hum, has usually tripped its internal overload. Press reset. If that fails, check the breaker and the wall switch before assuming the motor is dead.

Leaks at the flange

Where water is showing up under the sink tells you a lot:

• At the top, where the unit meets the sink. The plumber's putty or gasket at the sink flange has failed, or the mounting ring has loosened.
• At the side. The dishwasher inlet connection or the drain elbow gasket is leaking.
• From the bottom. The internal seals have worn through. This is the end of the line for that disposer.

Top and side leaks can be resealed. A unit that leaks from its body needs replacing.

Replacement sizing

Disposers are sold by horsepower, from about a third up to a full horsepower or so. Bigger motors grind faster and jam less, but they also take more cabinet room. For a household that cooks often, a mid-range unit is usually a sensible balance. We also look at the existing mount; staying with the same brand's mounting system can make a swap quicker.

If your home is on a septic system rather than the municipal sewer, ask before installing a disposer. Ground food adds solids to the tank and can shorten the time between pump-outs.

What not to grind

A disposer is not a compost bin. Keep these out:

• Grease, fat and oil, which harden further down the line.
• Fibrous peels and stalks such as celery, corn husks and onion skins.
• Coffee grounds and eggshells, which settle as sludge.
• Pasta, rice and bread, which swell.
• Bones and pits.

Run cold water before and during grinding, and for a few seconds after. For the rest of the sink area, see kitchen plumbing.

Smells and slow draining

A sour odour from the sink usually means food residue clinging under the splash guard and inside the chamber. Scrub the rubber baffle with an old brush and grind a few ice cubes to knock buildup loose. A disposer that grinds fine but drains slowly points to a partial clog in the trap or the line beyond it, not the unit itself.