Hums but does not spin: do not put your hand in
Switch the disposal off at the wall switch. Never put your hand or a tool other than tongs or pliers into the chamber. A humming disposal usually has something wedged against the blades.
Many disposals have a hex socket in the bottom for a wrench that can free a jam, and a red reset button on the underside. If those do not work or the unit is leaking, call us.
What each symptom points to
Hum with no spinning
A jam. Something hard or fibrous is stuck against the blades.
Dead and silent
A tripped reset button, a tripped breaker or a failed motor.
Leak from the bottom
A cracked housing or failed seal. Most often this means a new unit.
Leak at the top or sides
A loose flange, gasket or drain connection that may be repairable.
Sink backs up through the disposal
A clog in the drain line past the disposal, not the unit itself.
How we handle a disposal call
- 1
Safety first
We cut power at the switch or breaker before touching the unit.
- 2
Diagnose
We test the motor, check for jams and look at the connections.
- 3
Fix or replace
A jam or loose fitting is a repair. A leaking housing is replacement.
- 4
Test
We run water and the disposal and check every joint.
Disposal leaking or jammed?
Call and tell us what the unit is doing. We will help you decide what to do next.
What to put down a disposal
A disposal is not a trash can. These are the usual culprits for jams and clogs.
| Avoid | Why | Better choice |
|---|---|---|
| Grease and oil | Cools and coats the pipe | Wipe into the trash |
| Coffee grounds in bulk | Build up into sludge | Compost or trash |
| Fibrous items like celery and corn husks | Wrap around the blades | Compost or trash |
| Bones, pits and shells | Can jam or dull blades | Trash |
| Pasta and rice | Swell and clump | Trash |
What affects the price
Kitchen sinks in Bothell homes
Many kitchen sinks in older Bothell homes use a shared drain with a dishwasher connection, and a disposal clog can back up into the dishwasher. If the sink is slow and the disposal is fine, the problem is likely in the drain line, so see drain cleaning.
If you are also dealing with a dripping faucet at the same sink, faucet repair covers that. Soft water, as reported by the City of Bothell, is easier on a disposal than hard water, but grease is still the main culprit for kitchen clogs.
Disposal and dishwasher drain connections follow the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) as adopted in WAC 51-56, including the rules on backflow.
Garbage disposal questions
Yes. Our emergency line is open 24 hours a day, every day. Call (425) 845-0257. If the unit is leaking, switch it off and place a bucket under the sink.
Turn off power. Use a hex wrench in the bottom socket, if present, to turn the blades back and forth. Press the red reset button. If it still will not run, call us.
A leak from the bottom means a cracked housing and usually replacement. A leak at the top or side may be a loose flange or gasket.
Many last for years with care. Grease, hard items and heavy use shorten the life.
Yes. We remove the old unit, mount the new one, connect the drain and dishwasher line and test it.
The drain line past the unit is partly clogged. We clear it and check the line.