A disposal that hums, leaks or won’t start isn’t always finished. Target Plumbers clears jams, fixes leaks at the sink flange and dishwasher hose, and when the unit itself has failed, installs a new disposal sized to your kitchen, with the dishwasher connected the way California code requires.
Turn the wall switch off first, and keep your hand out of the grinding chamber.
| What you see or hear | Usual cause | Repair or replace? |
|---|---|---|
| Hums, won’t spin | Jammed flywheel, or a motor that’s seizing | Repair if it frees up and runs; replace if it jams again on normal use |
| Completely silent | Tripped reset, breaker or bad switch; a dead motor if those are fine | Repair the power side; replace if the motor is dead |
| Leak at the top, under the sink rim | Sink flange seal or mounting ring has loosened | Repair: reseal and remount |
| Leak at the side | Dishwasher hose clamp or the discharge pipe gasket | Repair: new clamp or gasket |
| Leak from the bottom of the unit | Internal seal has failed and water is getting into the housing | Replace: this one can’t be resealed |
| Grinds slowly or sends food back up | Worn grinding parts, an undersized unit, or a clog past the trap | Replace if the unit is worn; clear the line if it’s a clog |
| Loud metallic rattle | Spoon, bottle cap or bone in the chamber | Repair: remove it and check for damage |
| Motor size | Fits |
|---|---|
| 1/3 HP | Light use: one or two people, mostly plate scrapings |
| 1/2 HP | Most family kitchens |
| 3/4 HP | Daily cooking, fibrous peels, larger households |
| 1 HP | Heavy use; quieter, fine grind |
Continuous feed or batch feed? A continuous-feed unit runs from a wall switch or a countertop air button while you feed scraps in. A batch-feed unit only runs with its stopper in place, so nothing can drop in while it’s spinning.
Plan the countertop holes. A countertop air button and the dishwasher air gap each need a hole in the sink deck or counter, next to the faucet and any sprayer or soap pump. We check what’s free before we suggest either.
If your dishwasher drains through the disposal, two details decide whether it works and passes inspection:
LA County’s sewer program warns that fats, oils and grease harden in sewer lines, restrict flow and lead to sewage overflows, and it advises keeping food scraps out of the sink altogether (LA County CleanLA: Fats, Oils and Grease). For your own pipes and disposal:
Replacing the disposal along with a sink or faucet? The 0% financing covers the whole job, subject to approval.
The new unit is the main cost, and motor size drives it. Labor goes up for a hard-wired unit, a new dishwasher hookup or air gap, or corroded drain parts that have to be replaced at the same time. We quote the unit and labor together before starting.
Jams, a tripped reset, a loose flange or a leaking dishwasher hose are quick repairs. A unit leaking from the bottom, or one with a motor that keeps seizing, needs replacing, because the internal parts aren’t sold or worth swapping.
Water coming out of the bottom of the housing means the internal seal has failed. It can’t be fixed from outside, so the unit has to be replaced. Leaks at the top or side usually are fixable: a loose sink flange, a dishwasher hose clamp or a drain gasket.
It depends on the motor size and how hard the kitchen uses it. Units that grind bones, peels and grounds every day wear out sooner.
For most households a 1/2 HP unit is enough. Choose 3/4 HP or larger if you cook every day or grind tougher scraps, and 1/3 HP only for light use.
Yes. California Plumbing Code section 807.3 requires an approved dishwasher air gap fitting on the dishwasher’s discharge before it connects to the drain or a disposal. We add one if your kitchen doesn’t have it.
A straight swap of a plug-in unit is a common DIY job. The usual trouble spots are the sink flange seal, the dishwasher knock-out plug and the drain alignment, and any hard-wired electrical work. We handle all of it in one visit.
No. Grease cools and sticks inside the trap and the sewer line, even with hot water running. Pour it into a lidded container and put it in the trash.
Call (844) 941-2727 to book; a plumber from one of these six offices comes out:
Tell us what the disposal is doing (humming, silent, leaking, slow) and whether a dishwasher drains into it. We’ll call back with a time.