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Kitchen sink with a colander and drain below the faucet
The sink drain above the disposer.

Home service

Aisle 6 · Fixtures

Garbage disposals: jams, leaks and new units

Disposals jam, leak and wear out. The jam is usually a two-minute fix with a hex key. The leak tells you whether it is worth saving.

  • We start at the trap, clean-out or floor drain
  • On the van: cable auger and jetter, sized to the line
  • You see the broken part before you hear a number
  • Every fixture on the run tested before we leave
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  • Price agreed before work starts
  • North York and next door

Jammed or humming

A disposal that hums but does not spin is jammed by something hard caught in the chamber; we have pulled out cherry stones, twist ties and chicken bones. Cut the power first. Then fit the hex wrench into the bottom socket and work the flywheel back and forth until it frees. Pull the object out with tongs, never fingers. Push the little red reset underneath and switch it on again.

Leaks and where they come from

  • At the sink flange: plumber's putty has dried; reset the flange.
  • At the dishwasher inlet or drain outlet: loose clamp or worn gasket.
  • From the body of the unit: internal seals have failed; replace the disposal.

A disposal that hums but does not spin is jammed by something hard caught in the chamber; we have pulled out cherry stones, twist ties and chicken bones.

From the counter

Installing a new one

  1. Confirm there is a switched outlet or hardwired circuit under the sink.
  2. Remove the old unit and clean the sink opening.
  3. Set the new flange in putty and mount the ring.
  4. Knock out the dishwasher plug if a dishwasher connects to it.
  5. Hang the unit, align the outlet with the trap and tighten.
  6. Run water, test for leaks, and check the dishwasher drains through it.
Forgot the knockout? If a new disposal goes in and the dishwasher stops draining, the plastic plug in the dishwasher inlet was never knocked out. It happens a lot.

What not to feed it

Fat, stringy scraps such as celery or husks, piles of eggshell, coffee grounds, pasta and rice. They either wrap the impeller or settle in the trap and wall arm as a paste. In older North York kitchens with long galvanized drain runs, a disposal can turn a slow line into a blocked one. Scrape plates into the green bin first.

Questions

Are disposals allowed in Toronto?

They are used in many homes, but the green bin program handles food waste well. Ask us if your drain line suits one before installing.

How long do disposals last?

It varies with use and quality. A unit that rusts inside or leaks from the body is done.

How the job runs

  1. You callDescribe what is dripping, backing up or cold, and the cross streets.
  2. We ask questionsAge of the building, pipe type if you know it, where the shut-off is.
  3. We open it upTrap off, clean-out open or wall cut: find the actual fault before quoting the fix.
  4. We test itOpen each tap on that run, watch the joints dry and show you what came out.