Garbage Disposal Installation across Vaughan

Before you call: the jam reset

If the unit hums but will not spin, switch it off at the wall and unplug it. Most disposals have a hex fitting at the middle of the underside. A hex key turned back and forth there frees the plate. After that, push the small red reset button underneath and test it once more. If it trips again at once, the motor or bearings are failing.

Leaks and where they start

• At the sink flange: the putty seal or mounting ring has loosened.
• At the dishwasher inlet: the hose clamp or the knockout plug area.
• At the discharge elbow: a worn gasket.
• From the body itself: the chamber has corroded. Replace the unit.

Installing a new disposal

We remove the old unit and the sink flange, clean the sink opening, and set the new flange in fresh putty. The mounting assembly goes on, the disposal hangs from it and twists into place. If a dishwasher is connected, we knock out the inlet plug and fish the loose piece out of the chamber, which is the step most often missed. Then the discharge tube is aligned with the trap, and the whole drain is run full with the unit going.

Sizing and choosing

A larger motor jams less often and copes better with fibrous scraps. Insulated units are noticeably quieter, which matters in open-plan kitchens. Stainless grinding parts last longer in hard water. Whatever you buy, a disposal does not stand in for the green bin: York Region's organics program takes the food scraps that are hardest on a drain. Our kitchen drain note lists what to keep out.

If the sink still drains slowly after a disposal swap, the clog is further along; see kitchen drain cleaning.