Garbage Disposal Repair in Raleigh, NC

Try this first, with the power off

1. Switch the disposal off, then unplug it or turn off its breaker. Keep your hands out of the chamber.
2. Find the small red reset button on the underside of the unit and press it.
3. If it hums but won't spin, look for a hex socket in the center of the bottom. Work it back and forth with the wrench that came with the unit, or a matching Allen key, to free the flywheel.
4. Restore power and run cold water before switching it back on.

Leave chemical drain openers out of it. They can harm the disposal and leave caustic water sitting in the sink for whoever has to open it up.

Reading the leak

• Top, where it meets the sink: the mounting flange or plumber's putty has loosened
• Side connections: the dishwasher inlet hose or the discharge pipe
• Bottom of the housing: an internal seal has failed, which normally means replacement

If the unit runs fine but the sink drains slowly, the clog is in the trap or the line beyond it, and that's a drain cleaning job.

Grease doesn't belong in it

Raleigh Water's grease program is blunt about this: fats, oils and grease stick to pipes, build up, and cause sewer backups and overflows. The City notes that disposals aren't designed to handle grease. A few habits keep your kitchen line and the City's sewer clear:

• Let cooking grease cool in a can until it hardens, then reuse it or put it in the garbage
• Wipe pans and plates with a paper towel and throw the towel away before washing
• Feed fibrous peels, coffee grounds and starchy leftovers in small amounts, or not at all
• Run cold water during grinding and for a few seconds afterward

Repair or replace

Jams, a tripped reset, a loose flange and a leaking hose connection are all repairable. A housing that leaks, a motor that won't run after a reset, or a unit that jams every week is usually better replaced. Ask the plumber whether a new installation needs a City of Raleigh permit.

What goes into the price

The main factors are whether it's a quick unjam or a new unit, the horsepower and model you pick, any electrical work at the switch or outlet, whether the drain past the disposal also needs clearing, and how the dishwasher connects.