Faucets & fixtures
Garbage disposal repair and installation
A disposal that hums but won't spin is usually jammed and can often be freed. One that leaks from the body, or trips its reset button repeatedly, generally needs to be replaced.
- Cause diagnosed first
- Written price before work
- Permits pulled where required
- Clean-up included
Most disposal calls fall into three groups: jammed, leaking or dead. Jams are the easy ones. Leaks depend on where the water comes from — a loose drain connection is a repair, a leak from the bottom of the grinding chamber is not.
When replacement makes sense, we match horsepower to how you actually cook and check that the dishwasher drain connection and the outlet are right, so the new unit doesn't inherit the old one's problems.
Garbage Disposal Repair & Installation at a glance
- What it is
- A disposal that hums but won't spin is usually jammed and can often be freed.
- Service category
- Faucets & fixtures
- Where
- 19 towns across the Charlotte metro (NC and York County, SC)
- Urgent service
- Scheduled service — call if water is actively leaking.
- Pricing
- Written price after diagnosis, before any work starts.
Signs you need garbage disposal help
- Humming with no grinding
- Water under the sink after running it
- Reset button trips again and again
- Slow drain on the disposal side only
- Grinding noise from metal or glass
The visit
What the visit involves
- 1
Make it safe
Power off at the switch and breaker before anyone reaches in.
- 2
Diagnose
Free the flywheel, check the reset, test the motor and inspect the mounting, discharge and dishwasher connections.
- 3
Repair or replace
Reseal connections, or install a new unit sized to your household.
- 4
Test under load
Run water and the dishwasher drain to confirm there are no leaks.
What affects the cost
We don't publish flat prices for work that depends on what we find. These are the things that move the number — you'll get a written price before any work starts.
- Repair vs. new unit
- Horsepower and model
- Whether the sink flange or drain assembly needs replacing
- Electrical: plug-in vs. hardwired
Before you call
What's safe to try yourself
Safe to do yourself
- •Press the red reset button on the bottom of the unit
- •Turn the flywheel with the hex key that fits the bottom socket (power off)
Stop and call a plumber if
- •Water is leaking from the unit's body
- •You smell burning or the breaker trips
- •The drain is slow on both sides of the sink
Garbage Disposal Repair & Installation: common questions
Why does my garbage disposal hum but not work?
The flywheel is jammed, usually by a hard object or fibrous food. With the power off, turn it from underneath with a hex key, remove the obstruction with tongs, then press reset.
How long do garbage disposals last?
Around 8–15 years depending on use and build quality. Leaks from the housing are the usual sign it's done.
What should never go down a garbage disposal?
Grease and oil, coffee grounds, eggshells, fibrous vegetables like celery and corn husks, pasta and rice in quantity, bones, and anything non-food. These jam the unit or clog the drain beyond it.
Why does my garbage disposal smell?
Food residue trapped under the splash guard and on the grinding chamber causes most odors. Grinding ice and citrus peels and cleaning the splash guard usually helps; persistent odor can mean a partial drain clog.
How do I reset a garbage disposal?
Turn the switch off, wait a minute for the motor to cool, then press the red reset button on the bottom of the unit and try again. If it hums without spinning, the flywheel is jammed.
Service area
Garbage Disposal Repair & Installation across the Charlotte metro
Related
Related services
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A plumber clears a clogged drain with a drain cable (snake) sized to the pipe, and uses a camera or hydro jetting when a clog keeps coming back.
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Plumbers repair dripping faucets by replacing the cartridge or valve seat, and install new faucets and sinks — including the shutoffs and drain connections underneath..
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Leak Detection
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Learn moreGet help with your garbage disposal
Call for current availability — urgent leaks and backups are prioritized.