In short
Jammed, tripped and leaking disposals are often fixed by freeing the flywheel, resetting, or resealing the flange. When the motor or seals have failed, we replace it with a unit that fits your sink and drain.
Your photo checklist
- The model plate on the underside of the unit
- The trap and pipes beside it
- The cord and outlet, or a cable going into a box
- The hose from the dishwasher
- Any puddle or rust stain below
Covered on a Rosemead visit
- Jams freed from below with the hex key, and the reset button checked
- Leaking sink flanges resealed and loose mounting rings tightened
- A replacement unit on the existing mount, drain and dishwasher hose
- The cord moved to the new unit when it plugs into an outlet under the sink, or connected to the existing hard-wired feed
- The trap and tailpiece checked for drips with the water running
Outside what we take on
- Gas piping of any kind past the existing flex connector.
- Roof, foundation and structural repairs.
- Tearing out and rebuilding a whole bathroom or kitchen.
What Rosemead’s sewer district asks of your sink
According to the city’s Sewer System Management Plan page, Rosemead’s sewers are “entirely within the Consolidated Sewer Maintenance District,” operated and maintained by Los Angeles County Public Works. The county’s Trap the Grease page lists food scraps you shouldn’t wash down the drain “or grind them up in the garbage disposal,” and recommends mesh drain strainers and putting cooled grease in the trash.
A disposal still earns its spot under the sink by catching what slips past a strainer. It also means a slow kitchen sink can be a grease plug in the drain rather than a failing disposal, so we check the trap and drain before recommending a new unit.
How a disposal visit goes
Check power and jam
We test the reset button and turn the flywheel from below with a hex key to free a jam.
Look for leaks
Leaks at the sink flange, dishwasher inlet or discharge pipe each have a different fix; a leak from the body means replacement.
Swap if needed
A new unit goes on the existing mount or a new one, with the dishwasher knockout removed when needed.
Run and check
Water on, disposal run, dishwasher drain tested, and every joint checked dry.
Bigger jobs, free estimate
A clog past the trap, inside the wall or out toward the street is a bigger plumbing job with its own free estimate. If there’s no power at the sink for a disposal at all, or the breaker trips the moment the unit starts, the circuit has to be fixed first, and that repair gets its own free estimate. We can install the disposal after either one.
While we’re out for this, Rosemead customers often add under-sink leak repair, P-trap and sink drain repair, dishwasher installation, faucet repair and replacement or shutoff valve replacement.
Before you text us
Take a photo under the sink with the cabinet doors open, one of the label on the side of the unit, and add a few words on what happens when you flip the switch. Text it all to (310) 628-9399.
Disposal questions
Why does my disposal make no sound at all?
Check the reset button on the bottom and the switch or outlet. No power after that means a wiring or motor issue.
My garbage disposal won’t turn on. What do I check?
The reset button on the bottom of the disposal first, then the switch and the plug under the sink. If it only hums, it is jammed.
Why is water coming out the bottom of my disposal?
The seal inside the unit has worn through. Disposals that leak from the bottom are replaced, not repaired.
Why does my garbage disposal not turn on at all?
Check the red reset button on the bottom and the switch or outlet. If there is no hum at all after a reset, the problem may be power, which we trace before replacing the unit.
How much does it cost to replace a garbage disposal?
It depends on the horsepower you pick and whether the mount and drain fittings can be reused. Tell us your current model and we quote it with or without supplying the new unit.
My disposal just hums. What happened?
Something is jammed. Turn the power off before reaching in; we free it with a hex key from below.
What should not go in a disposal?
Grease, fibrous peels, bones and large amounts of rice or pasta tend to cause trouble.
Can you match my old horsepower?
Yes, or go up a size if the cabinet has room.
Does a new disposal work with my dishwasher?
Yes. We knock out the dishwasher inlet plug on the new unit and reconnect the drain hose.
Do you haul away the old one?
Yes.
Can I pick the new disposal myself?
Sure. Parts depend on the job: if you buy the unit, we install it, and if we supply one, it’s itemized in the quote.
Will you check with me before replacing it?
Always. If unjamming fixes it, the job ends there. If it turns out to need a new unit or a new drain piece, we stop and ask before going further.
I rent. Can the owner book this?
Yes. The owner can set it up, and a tenant can let us in, or we can use a key or lockbox.
Will you text before arriving?
Yes. We send a text before heading over.
How do I fix a garbage disposal that won’t turn on?
Press the reset button and check the switch and breaker. If it’s still silent, the motor or switch may have failed.
How do I know if my garbage disposal needs to be replaced?
Leaks from the body, frequent resets or grinding that never gets better usually mean it’s done.
Can a garbage disposal be used with a septic system?
Yes, but it adds solids to the tank. Septic-rated models and light use help.
Why is my garbage disposal not draining water?
The disposal may be grinding, but the drain line or trap past it is clogged. We clean the trap and auger the line. Sometimes the dishwasher knockout plug is still in.
Why is my garbage disposal leaking from the bottom plate?
A leak from the bottom plate or reset button means the internal seal has failed. That can’t be repaired, so the disposal needs replacing.
Jobs that pair with this one
- P-trap and sink drain repairClear the drain.
- Dishwasher installationDishwasher drain hookup.
- Faucet installationNew faucet.
- Under-sink leak repairLeaks under the sink.
Before you text: our notes on garbage disposal jams and replacement, for anyone booking garbage disposal repair and replacement.
Serving Alhambra or San Gabriel too? See our page on garbage disposal replacement in Alhambra and the one on garbage disposal repair in San Gabriel.
Disposal tips for Rosemead kitchens
- When the garbage disposal hums, leaks or quitsHow to clear a humming or dead garbage disposal, when to replace it, and what to expect when we swap one in a Rosemead kitchen.
- Tracking down a leak under the sinkLeak under your kitchen or bathroom sink? Find out if it’s the supply line, shutoff, faucet or drain, and text a photo for a free estimate in Rosemead.
- When an outlet goes dead or a breaker keeps trippingWhy outlets in Rosemead's older homes go dead, how to check breakers and GFCIs safely, and when an outlet needs replacing.
Jobs like this one are everyday work for our Rosemead handyman service, from the blocks off Garvey Avenue to the streets near Rosemead Park. A photo by text gets you a quote first.
Part of plumbing repairs. You can also browse all our services or read about repairs in postwar Rosemead homes.