Do You Need To Repair A Garbage Disposal?

Garbage disposal repair issues can be sneaky. Especially if you're dealing with an older system, you might slowly get used to the disposal's declining capacity and increasing noisiness. However, you should ask a disposal repair technician to deal with the system as soon as you suspect there may be an issue. You can identify repair-worthy problems by checking for these five indications of trouble.

Does Not Activate

One of the more obvious signs something might be wrong is that the system doesn't turn on. Especially if the disposal doesn't activate even when you use the manual switch, there could be something wrong. The issue could be with the motor or the switch. Likewise, there could be wiring problems between the switch and the motor.

A disposal is an electrical device in proximity to water so even confident DIYers may be better off leaving it alone. The simplest solution is to switch the system off and ask a technician to inspect it.

Noises

Frequently, grinding or crunching noises are the first signs that a disposal requires repairs. The noises do need to sound unusual because a disposal tends to be a noisy beast even when it's in top operating condition. Notably, there shouldn't be any loose or rattling sounds. These are indications of damage to the bales or other moving components. You might also hear a humming noise if the motor is trying to turn but is jammed or dying.

Leaks

Water leaks happen in the disposal repair business for the same reason they happen with other plumbing. A seal somewhere failed, usually due to old age or abuse.

You may need to eliminate the possibility that the leak is coming from another part of the drain. However, the seal on a disposal is usually pronounced so you should see where it terminates and connects to the drain. Dry everything off around the drain and run water to see where the leak starts.

Smells 

If the disposal is no longer operating optimally, food can start to collect and decompose inside. Also, if the motor is failing, you may smell a smoky or electrical smell. You can run the motor hard for a half-minute or so to test the problem. If the smoky smell comes appears, there's a good chance the motor failed. You can touch the motor's exterior and check for heat as a sign of failure, too.

Rust

Failing disposals can get rusty. You might see bits of rust around the drain opening in the sink. Also, they could be rust in the cabinet directly under the drain.

To learn more, contact garbage disposal repair services.