Sinks & Faucets
Kitchen and bath faucets swapped, supply lines renewed, drains reassembled — and everything run and checked for drips before I leave.
Learn moreGarbage Disposals
Garbage Disposal Installation & Repair
A disposal that hums but doesn’t turn is jammed, not dead — and that’s usually a five-minute fix with a hex key from underneath and the reset button on the base.
A disposal that’s silent, leaking from the body, or rattling metal-on-metal is a different story. I diagnose the difference honestly, and replace the unit when it genuinely needs replacing.
What's included
- Diagnosis first — jam, reset, seized motor, or failed seal
- Jam clearing and reset without dismantling anything unnecessarily
- Full replacement including the mounting assembly and discharge tube
- Dishwasher drain line connected with the knockout plug removed (the classic mistake)
- Plumber’s putty or gasket seal at the sink flange, checked under running water
- Old unit removed and taken away
The dishwasher knockout plug
Every new disposal ships with a solid plug in the dishwasher inlet. If it isn’t knocked out before the dishwasher hose is connected, the dishwasher can’t drain and you get a flooded machine and a service call blaming the appliance. It’s the single most common DIY disposal error, and it’s on my checklist every time.
What actually kills a disposal
Not bones or coffee grounds so much as fibrous material — celery, artichoke, corn husks — which wraps the impellers, and grease, which cools and coats the chamber. Run cold water, not hot: cold keeps fats solid so they get chopped and flushed instead of coating everything downstream.
Horsepower and what it means in practice
A 1/3 hp unit is builder-grade and will struggle in a busy kitchen. 1/2 hp is the sensible minimum, 3/4 hp is the sweet spot for most households, and 1 hp is worth it if you cook a lot. Continuous feed suits most people; batch feed is safer if there are small children in the house.
What this costs
A jam clear is a quick visit. A full replacement typically takes about an hour plus the unit.
Recent garbage disposals work
Garbage Disposals — common questions
It just hums. Is it dead?
Almost certainly not. That’s the motor stalled against a jam. Hex key in the bottom, work it free, hit the red reset. Worth trying before you call anyone.
It leaks. Where from?
Three places: the sink flange (re-seal), the discharge tube gasket (cheap), or the body itself (replace the unit). I’ll find which.
Are disposals allowed in my condo building?
Some South Florida associations restrict them on older stacks. Worth a quick check with your association before buying one.
Want to do it yourself?
No hard feelings. Here’s how to do it properly.
Also useful
Related services
Appliance Install
Over-range microwaves, dishwashers, ranges, washers and dryers set, leveled, connected and tested.
Learn moreToilets
Running toilets, weak flushes, rocking bowls and full replacements — set on a fresh seal and shimmed so nothing moves.
Learn moreNeed garbage disposals sorted?
Send a photo of the job and get a straight answer, a real price and a date — usually the same day you ask.