Garbage Disposal Repairs in Alexandria City and Arlington

Some days you just can’t win for trying. No sooner do you clean up the mess following a drain clog in your kitchen sink when someone announces, “Mom, I think the toilet’s blocked.”

Or you install a new faucet – all on your own – to replace the one that wouldn’t stop linking, when all of a sudden you notice a pool of water working its way out from behind your fridge.

Yes indeed, modern plumbing is one of the true cornerstones of comfortable and civilized living, but there are times when it can also become the bane of your existence, even if only temporarily.

Such is the way of the world when something goes wrong with your garbage disposal. We’ve all attempted, for example, to grind up a spoon or a fork at one time or another, however inadvertently. But that’s a problem that makes it itself known very quickly and, by just as quickly turning off the power switch, any real damage – except to the spoon or fork – is usually avoided.

Still, there are other garbage disposal warning signs that clearly indicate the need for repair or perhaps even replacement, depending on the severity and scope of the problem. Better to know what they are than scratch your head in wonder, right?

Water Leak – Before taking any action, check for the source of the water leak. If it’s coming from the drain pipe, a replacement rubber gasket should fix the problem. If you have a brand new garbage disposal, you probably just need to tighten the ring near the sink flange. But if the leak is coming from the disposal itself, that’s a clear sign of rust and corrosion, and you’re going to need to replace it.

Disposal is Jammed – Any number of things can cause your disposal to jam and stop grinding, and usually it’s things that shouldn’t be in there in the first place, like utensils, corn husks, steak bones, and the like. If yours is jammed, first check the bottom unit for an Allen wrench socket hole. If you find one, use a ¼” wrench and turn it until you’re able to turn the masher plate inside the disposal back and forth until it moves freely again. Needless to say, only attempt this “operation” while the unit is turned off. If, however, your unit doesn’t have such a socket hole, then turn off the power and the power source to your unit, grab a broom, turn it upside down, and insert the handle into the disposal, applying a little pressure to free up whatever is causing the jam.

Unpleasant Odors – If your garbage disposal just plain stinks and there’s no getting rid of the odor, and all you want to do is make start smelling pretty again. First of all, the odors have come from food in some state of de-composition. And that’s why it’s so important to clean your disposal frequently. Here’s a simple way to get the job done:

• Turn on the cold water faucet so water is pouring into your disposal.

• Empty a bunch of ice cubes, at least two trays worth, into the disposal, grinding them up as you go.

• Let the water keep running until the last cube is broken up.

• If the odors persist, feed tiny pieces of a chopped up lemon into the disposal as well

Okay, so what about those issues you can’t repair yourself. As always, that’s what we’re here for: Your 1 Plumber. From careful troubleshooting to high quality repairs and new disposal installation, we’re all the plumber you’ll ever need for your garbage disposal and all other household plumbing fixtures and systems.