Garbage Disposal Installation & Replacement

Garbage disposal repair and installation is one of the jobs that is best left to an expert plumber. No home appliance gets hit with more abuse than the old, reliable garbage disposal. Though most people put whatever they can down the sink, and won’t dare reach into the sink drain to retrieve large food items that get stuck down there without first giving the disposal a spin, few realize that the average garbage disposal is designed to handle light food residue only.

Our plumbers in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Tabb, Smithfield, James City County, and the Richmond area repair and install hundreds of garbage disposals each year, and more often than not, the garbage disposal repair or drain cleaning is due to pushing the disposal to limits it’s not designed for.

Large pieces of food or large amounts of grease that get poured down the drain will not get fully processed by your disposal and can build up. Eventually, this can significantly damage your pipes, causing the need for intense plumbing measures such as drain cleaning or kitchen re-piping in order to get your drain lines running properly again.

It’s important to know that if your kitchen sink drain has clogging problems and you have a dishwasher, you may experience dirty water back-flowing into your dishwasher since the dirty dishwater is designed to drain through your sink lines. If you are experiencing drain clogs in your sink and notice your dishes coming out dirty after running the dishwasher, call one of our plumbers in Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg, Yorktown, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Tabb, Grafton, Smithfield, or James City County, and the Richmond area.

What to Do when your Garbage Disposal Stops Working

If your garbage disposal starts making unusual noises or stops working altogether, there are a few things you can try before calling our plumbing company. First, check if the unit has simply jammed. Most disposals have a red reset button located under the main unit – try pressing this first. If that doesn’t work, then it’s possible that a small item, like silverware, bottle caps or coins, has jammed the disposal blades. To check if this is the case, peered in with a flashlight – but never put your hand inside of the disposal near the blades! Instead, try dislodging it with a tool instead and make sure the unit is off before doing so. If none of these home remedies are working, please give us a call. Our experienced professionals will be able to determine what the problem is and fix it quickly and efficiently.

Garbage Disposal Replacement vs. Repair

If your garbage disposal is making excessive noise or starting to show signs of wear and tear, you may be wondering whether you should replace it or try to repair it. On average, garbage disposals have a lifespan of around 7 years. However, this can vary depending on the brand, model, and frequency of use. One of the first signs that your disposal may need to be replaced is if it begins to make excessive noise. This can be a sign that the blades are becoming dull or that the motor is beginning to fail. Another telltale sign is paint blisters or metal cancer, which indicates that the unit is starting to leak.

If your garbage disposal is showing any of these signs- consider replacing it with a new one rather than try to repair it. When you call our team at A1 Sewer & Drain, we can assess the problem and make a professional recommendation that’s best for your home and budget. Replacing your garbage disposal is also generally a fairly simple and straightforward process that can be completed relatively quickly by our team at A1 Sewer & Drain.